When did you begin your OJT?
I started my OJT February 13th 2017 and will be graduating this coming April from Eastern College in the veterinarian assistant program. My On the Job Training consist of putting into action my skills learned in class into a hospital setting, supervised by a veterinarian technician or a doctor.
What do you when you first arrive at your shift?
During my morning rotation, I assist with surgeries under great supervision of the technicians and/or Doctors. I prep and clean the surgery table, gather all the equipment needed for the surgery, help restrain patients for injections, blood collection and procedures. During the night rotation, if any surgeries proceed to the afternoon, I am directed by the technician to help assist and make sure the recovering patients are comfortable and had their post surgery snack before proceeding to clean the hospital.
What tasks are you responsible for carrying throughout the day?
My night cleaning routine begins as soon as all surgeries have ended. I first start by doing some laundry, clean and sterilize all surgery instruments, restocking all materials, and cleaning kennels after patients are sent home. Once surgery patients are discharged and outpatient appointments begin, this is where I begin my night cleaning routine. Sweeping and mopping, gathering up all garbage bags, cleaning all surfaces, restocking throughout the day, and cleaning exam rooms between appointments.
Which task(s) do you enjoy most? Why?
I enjoy assisting in surgery with oversight of a technician or a doctor. Interacting and handling patients, with care and supervision, and learning new things every day keeps me interested and motivated to proceed with this career.
Is there a particular area that you are most interested in?
I am most interested in the hands-on interaction with patients. My OJT placement provides me an excellent learning opportunity to develop my patient care skills.
What experience did you enjoy the most during the first weeks of your OJT?
Experiencing an emergency C-section and bring to the world five healthy little puppies. I assisted by restraining the mother for anesthetic, gathered all equipment to have puppies and mother warm and comfortable during this procedure. Once everything was prepared, the team and I gathered to receive and resuscitate the newborns to ensure their healthy recovery.
Written by Monica Blanchard and Jessica Moran
