Registered Veterinary Technologist, RVT

Location: Calgary, AB

Department: Surgery

Western Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Centre

Schedule: Surgery technicians work four weekdays per week. Our success lies in our willingness to help each other to achieve great patient outcomes; however, with specialty medicine comes the unpredictability of working in a setting where the day’s schedule can change at a moment’s notice.

Qualifications

- Registered veterinary technologist in Alberta
- Preference given for a minimum two years of experience as an RVT, ideally in an emergency or referral setting
- Experience in providing general anesthesia in dogs and cats (varying ages and breeds) for surgical procedures, minor procedures or endoscopic procedures.
- Experience using common monitoring equipment and the strengths and limitations of each type of monitoring (e.g. pulse oximetry, electrocardiography, capnography, blood pressure monitoring).
- Experience working with commonly used sedation, induction, inhalant and injectable anesthetic and analgesic medications, including indications and contra‑indications of each.
- Proficient in calculations (drugs, constant rate infusions, unit conversions, etc.)
- Thorough working knowledge of aseptic technique as it relates to patient preparation and preparation of the operating theatre
- Exceptional time‑management skills, critical thinking and efficiency in a fast‑paced environment
- Consistently safe and effective patient handling skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Commitment to continuing education in anesthesia and analgesia, preferably with prior examples.




- Appreciation of own strengths and limitations, willingness to accept direction and feedback from more experienced RVTs and veterinarians.

Responsibilities

- Work in a busy, fast‑paced, specialty hospital environment, planning, organizing and managing the daily flow of services.
- Collaborate and communicate effectively with veterinary specialists, interns, RVTs and technician assistants to provide the very best in anesthetic care for patients.
- Assist surgery technicians with patient handling, patient preparation and recovery.
- Participate in a rotating after‑hours on call schedule to provide general anesthesia to patients requiring urgent or emergency procedures during nights and weekends.
- Prepare the anesthetic equipment and operating theatres for surgery.
- Perform pre‑anesthetic patient evaluations and determine ASA score for each patient. Assist in obtaining pre‑operative diagnostics, e.g. radiographs, bloodwork, CT scan.
- Provide analgesia, sedation, general anesthesia and local/regional nerve blocks to patients undergoing surgical, endoscopic, imaging or biopsy procedures.
- Monitor patients under sedation or general anesthesia and make adjustments to protocols as necessary to ensure patient comfort and safety.




- Under the direction of specialist veterinarians, develop and implement post‑operative care and analgesia plans and implement these within the intensive care unit. Supervise anesthetic recovery and transfer case notes to ICU RVTs.
- Scrub in to surgical procedures or assist in endoscopic procedures with specialist veterinarians.
- Assist in preparing laboratory samples to be shipped for testing to external laboratories.
- Maintain meticulous records of anesthetic monitoring, anesthetic and controlled drugs.
- Supervise and teach technician assistants and technician practicum students.

Benefits

- RRSP Employer Group Match Program – Saving for your future just got easier with VCA Canada
- A caring culture of Wellness and Appreciation
- Extensive online anytime‑anywhere access to journals and textbooks
- Ask us about our mobilization and hands‑free radiology
- Paid membership and dues
- Paid wellness days, sick days, and vacation time
- Employee assistance program
- Continuing education advantages – paid to learn
- Exceptional career development: there is room to grow here
- Referral Bonus Rewards
- E‑tools to assist with meditation, better sleep, exercise, and focus
- Virtual health care (telemedicine) offering quick access to quality care
- Access to amazing mini‑courses
- Opportunities to give back to your community through VCA initiatives
- Annual uniform allowance
- Generous personal pet care discounts
- And extra perks like shopping discounts and cool wellness apps

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📌 Registered Veterinary Technologist, Surgery, Western Veterinary Specialist and Emergency Centre (Calgary)
🏢 VCA Animal Hospitals
📍 Calgary