The Pet Surgery Technician: The Unsung Hero of the Operating Room
Surgery is something we do a fair bit of here at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services. Be it a Caesarean-section, orthopedic procedure, or an emergency foreign body removal, we often have a surgery in progress here at the hospital.
While you may already be familiar with our wonderful surgeons, many people aren’t aware of the other major player in our operating room: the pet surgery technician. Learn what these special team members do and why they are so important.
The Pet Surgery Technician’s Job
Our pet surgery technicians are an integral part of our team. Their role is multifaceted, and their duties include:
Calculating and administering drugs and anesthetics – The surgery ward is full of patients needing various medications. Our pet surgery technicians are experts at calculating and giving these drugs safely and efficiently.
Monitoring pets during and after anesthesia – The pet surgery technician is responsible for your pet’s health and well-being during his or her entire stay. This means safe induction of anesthesia, careful monitoring of vital signs during anesthesia, and supervision after the procedure. These team members are also adept at recognizing and addressing impending emergencies and triaging hospitalized patients.
Maintaining medical records – A hospital of our size has a lot of paperwork to contend with. Our pet surgery technicians help to be sure your pet’s medical record is complete and accurate and also help us to keep up with other documents such as drug records.
Assisting the surgeon – Our surgeons, no matter how talented, can’t do it all on their own. Surgery technicians help to prepare a patient for surgery, monitor him or her under anesthesia, assist the doctor during the procedure, and aid in necessary aftercare. They can change bandages, take x-rays, and maintain chest tubes. They truly are an important part of our team.
Discharging patients to their owners – These valuable team members are also one of the main people that you will deal with at our facility. Our doctors are often tied up taking care of the patients in our hospital. Our surgery technicians are experienced and well trained and do an excellent job answering questions and providing instructions to our pet owners so that we can discharge patients in a timely manner.
Giving the Pet Surgery Technician Recognition
We couldn’t possibly do such a great job caring for our surgery patients without these important team members. Our pet surgery technicians are professional, compassionate, and dedicated. They love their jobs and it shows.
Sometimes being a pet surgery technician isn’t glamourous. They may have to clean up after sick pets or get dirty. At times the job can be very physical and mentally demanding, too. These special team members stand out, though, because they do it all with a smile on their face.
We couldn’t do it without them, so we want to remind our clients to remember our pet surgery technicians when they think about our facility. Next time you are in, be sure to tell them thank you. They deserve it!
