University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Primary Care Surgical Nurse Coordinator

Job Profile Title

Veterinary Technician D

Job Description Summary

The Primary Care Service at Penn Vet is focused on teaching veterinary students' valuable surgical skills with relation to general practice veterinary medicine. As such, this role will support the addition of a primary care surgical rotation for veterinary students. The coordinator will focus on workflow to maximize case efficiency, develop anesthetic protocols, provide all aspects of anesthesia and surgical nursing care, oversee surgical records and discharges, and maintain DEA compliance.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Administrative Duties (Surgery)

• Collaborate to design the curriculum for the primary care surgical rotation - focus on workflow to maximize student experience while ensuring patient safety

• Participation as an active team member to develop protocols for multimodal anesthesia using various anesthetics depending on patients needs- with particular focus on adequate pain prevention/relief.

• Provide your time sheet to section chief/service supervisor or Director of Nursing every Wednesday for signatures.

• Oversee surgical records and discharge instructions

• Maintain DEA compliance for controlled drug inventory.

Nursing Responsibilities (Surgery)

• Stocking of surgical suite, set up of surgical suite including pack preparation

• Preparation of anesthetic medication for each patient (pre-op, induction drugs and pain medication

• Manage flow of cases during surgery. Slower for student-led surgeries, with the ability to pace for HQHVSN.

• Prioritize patient care from preoperative to postoperative stages

• Work collaboratively with 3rd year veterinary students while instructing them on anesthesia nursing skills such as pre-surgical examination, preoperative medication administration, IV catheter placement, setting up anesthesia machine based on patient requirements, Endotracheal tube placement, Surgical preparation including local block administration, anesthetic monitoring using equipment (ETCO2, pulse oximetry, NIBP etc) , determination of anesthetic plane, maintaining surgical plane, anesthetic recovery and monitoring.

• Recognition of pain intra-op and pain scoring post op to ensure the best possible patient experience and outcome

• Assist with animal handling and restraint during physical exams and as needed for recovering patients ( ability to lift 50 lbs)

• Client education and explain discharge instructions to clients. Assist students with these tasks also.

• Ensure records of the surgery are accurate (in heat, additional medication alteration to typical procedures etc)

• Contribute to the Ryan Hospital Nursing Holiday Schedule as assigned by the Director of Nursing.

Nursing Responsibilities (Primary Care)

• Work collaboratively with interns and 4th year veterinary students while instructing them on proper restraint techniques and nursing skills such as venipuncture, cystocentesis, and vaccine/subcutaneous medication administration.

• Sedation of patients when required.

• Instruct and assist 4th year veterinary students on basic skills like nail trims, anal gland expression, collection of ear and skin cytology samples and staining slides.

• Draw up vaccinations as needed for each patient

• Check phone messages on Primary Care Service phone line. Return phone calls as indicated or relay message to student or clinician on the case.

• Manage prescription refill requests. Reference patient record and notify clinician of prescription request. Once authorized by clinician, call client to notify him/her on the status of the prescription.

Qualifications

• Must be a certified veterinary technician. Minimum of three years' experience in Vet Med with 1 year experience and basic knowledge of anesthesia.

• Preferred Candidate would have HQHVSN experience, DEA controlled drug inventory experience, RECOVER certification.

• Veterinary Technician, C- CVT 3-4 years of experience

• Veterinary Technician, D- CVT 5-8 years of experience

• Veterinary Technician, E- VTS 8+ years of experience, VTS certification

• Strong organizational skills are essential.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Reliable and dependable.

• Passion for teaching.

​This position is eligible for a signing incentive of $1,000. Please contact Amy Shields, Talent Acquisition Specialist at shieldsa@upenn.edu for further details .

• Targeted Pay Range: $24.50hr to $40.00/hr.

  *Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. Schedule/Hours:Monday through Friday3 days surgery/2 days primary care per weekDaytime schedule with some longer surgery days/shorter primary care days.

  Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Veterinary Medicine

Pay Range

$20.45 - $40.00 Hourly Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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  To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

  The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.