WEEK ONE
Days 1 & 2: Orientation & Fundamentals
- Introduction to clinic operations, roles, and responsibilities
- Understanding patient intake procedures and documentation
- Proper use of kennel cards, labeling, and paperwork management
- Safe and gentle animal handling techniques
- Recognizing signs of fear, stress, and aggression in dogs and cats
- Introduction to veterinary disease control and prevention protocols
- Proper cleaning and disinfection of kennels and medical equipment
- Learning facility maintenance, laundry procedures, and safety guidelines
- Reviewing training schedule and onboarding plan
- Completion of online courses:
- Animal Handling & Behavior
- Introduction to Veterinary Anesthesia
- Veterinary CPR Basics
Days 3 & 4: Hands-On Training Begins
- Shadowing and assisting with patient intake and restraint
- Learning safe methods of leashing and transferring kenneled animals
- Understanding proper feline and canine restraint techniques
- Practicing low-stress handling and toweling techniques
- Overview of anesthesia equipment and monitoring
- Introduction to drug protocols and common medications used
- Observation of veterinary procedures and patient preparation
- Performing rechecks and post-operative patient monitoring
- Cleaning and maintaining surgical instruments and pack preparation
Day 5: Deepening Understanding & Practice
- Reviewing surgical and vaccine pricing structures
- Learning post-operative patient care and client communication
- Practicing correct handling of fractious and anxious patients
- Shadowing patient release procedures and owner interactions
- Reviewing and following end-of-shift protocols
- Practicing disease prevention measures and cleaning protocols
WEEK TWO
Days 1-4: Expanded Skills & Surgical Support
- Assisting in morning clinic setup, including controlled drug preparation
- Handling high-risk or medically compromised patients
- Understanding proper preparation for feline and canine surgeries
- Setting up and breaking down surgical suites
- Learning proper aseptic techniques and sterile field maintenance
- Familiarization with sterilization and pack assembly processes
- Monitoring recovery patients for complications or delayed responses
- Administering SQ and IM injections under supervision
- Identifying abnormal patient behavior post-surgery
- Observing and participating in medication preparation
Day 5: Client Communication & Front Desk Training
- Learning front desk protocols, scheduling, and patient record management
- Managing medical calls and triaging concerns to veterinarians
- Reviewing intake procedures for trapped and feral cats
- Identifying and responding to high-risk patients
- Reviewing discharge instructions and addressing client concerns
- Practicing professional communication with owners
- Shadowing a full patient recheck process
WEEK THREE
Days 1-4: Advanced Handling & Surgical Support
- Identifying warning signs of post-surgical complications
- Ensuring proper pain management for recovering patients
- Preparing patients for transport and loading/unloading procedures
- Assisting in placing Elizabethan collars and assessing fit
- Identifying medical emergencies and following appropriate response protocols
- Assisting in IV catheter placement and anesthesia prep
- Handling fractious or aggressive animals with proper restraint tools
- Documenting patient care and surgical information accurately
- Reviewing and executing deep cleaning protocols
Day 5: Emergency Training & Finalizing Competencies
- Understanding emergency protocols (CPR, oxygen therapy, patient stabilization)
- Reviewing common anesthesia complications and responses
- Running a mock emergency drill for hands-on practice
- Practicing disease prevention and infection control measures
- Demonstrating understanding of veterinary assistant responsibilities
WEEK FOUR
Days 1-4: Independent Work with Supervision
- Operating independently in assigned responsibilities
- Ensuring proper flow of patients through intake, surgery, and recovery
- Assisting with medical recordkeeping and surgical documentation
- Demonstrating leadership in maintaining clinic efficiency
- Coordinating with veterinary team members for workflow optimization
Day 5: Final Competency Evaluation
- Employees will take a comprehensive quiz testing knowledge on all checklist topics
- Practical skills evaluation in patient handling, restraint, and monitoring
- Official certification of readiness for full veterinary assistant responsibilities
