Veterinary receptionist

Description

Veterinary receptionists provide reception and office/administrative support in a veterinary practice, scheduling appointments and receiving clients, sale and advice on animal related products, in accordance with national legislation. 

Excludes people working in veterinary hospitals or large practices.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to veterinary receptionist:

veterinary receptionists
veterinary practice administration officer
veterinary practice secretary
vet secretary
animal care receptionist
animal practice secretary

Minimum qualifications

High school diploma is generally required to work as veterinary receptionist. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Veterinary receptionist is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Veterinary receptionist career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to veterinary receptionist.

animal groomer
pet sitter
animal care attendant
animal handler
live animal transporter

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of veterinary receptionist. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of veterinary receptionist with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

animal hydrotherapist
animal massage therapist
animal embryo transfer technician
equine dental technician
veterinary technician

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of veterinary receptionist.

Biosecurity related to animals: Awareness of hygiene and bio-security measures when working with animals, including causes, transmission and prevention of diseases and use of policies, materials and equipment.
Signs of animal illness: Physical, behavioural and environmental signs of health and ill health in various animals.
Veterinary terminology: Spelling and meaning of commonly used terminology of veterinary terms.
Animal welfare legislation: The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.
Animal welfare: Universally recognized animal welfare needs as applied to species, situation and occupation. These are:

need for a suitable environment
need for a suitable diet
need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Safe work practices in a veterinary setting: Safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and working environment.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of veterinary receptionist.

Perform multiple tasks at the same time: Execute multiple tasks at the same time, being aware of key priorities.
Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
Manage animal biosecurity: Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.
Handle customer complaints: Administer complaints and negative feedback from customers in order to address concerns and where applicable provide a quick service recovery.
Process booking: Execute a booking of a place according to client’s requirement in advance and issue all appropriate documents.
Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
Provide support to veterinary clients: Assist clients seeking veterinary treatment and during the provision of veterinary services. Aid clients with the care of their animals by demonstrating care techniques and use of veterinary products. Provide support during difficult situations.
Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting: Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.
Manage animal hygiene: Plan and use appropriate hygiene measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure an effective overall hygiene. Maintain and follow hygiene procedures and regulations when working with animals, communicate site hygiene controls and protocols to others. Manage the safe disposal of waste according to destination and local regulations.
Receive veterinary clients and their animals for appointments: Receive veterinary clients, making sure that they and their animals are prepared for appointments.’
Process payments: Accept payments such as cash, credit cards and debit cards. Handle reimbursement in case of returns or administer vouchers and marketing instruments such as bonus cards or membership cards. Pay attention to safety and the protection of personal data.
Handle veterinary emergencies: Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
Manage infection control in the facility: Implement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.
Monitor the welfare of animals: Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals’ accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.
Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
Communicate by telephone: Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
Maintain the veterinary reception area: Maintain the reception area, including appearance and hygiene, to give a positive impression of the organisation.’
Deal with challenging people: Work safely and communicate effectively with individuals and groups of people who are in challenging circumstances. This would include recognition of signs of aggression, distress, threatening and how to address them to promote personal safety and that of others.
Maintain administrative records in the veterinary office: Create and maintain administrative records for activities such as appointments and sales in the veterinary office.’
Manage veterinary practice waiting area: Manage the waiting area in a veterinary practice and ensure that both the clients’ and the animals’ needs are monitored and prioritised.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of veterinary receptionist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Physiology of animals: The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.
Anatomy of animals: The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.
Animal behaviour: The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of veterinary receptionist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Collaborate with animal related professionals: Collaborate with veterinary and other animal related professionals through communication of animal details, case records and summary reports orally or via written or electronic transfer.
Manage clinical environments: Ensure that clinical environments, including equipment and materials, are properly prepared and maintained for use. Prepare and maintain working environments and ensure that equipment and materials are available.’
Maintain veterinary clinical records: Create and maintain clinical records for animals according to national regulatory requirements.
Manage a small-to-medium business: Manage the organisational, financial and day-to-day operation of a small-to-medium enterprise.
Calculate rates per hours: Make simple calculations regarding the money that should be earned in relation to the number of hours worked.
Apply numeracy skills: Practise reasoning and apply simple or complex numerical concepts and calculations.
Make decisions regarding the animal’s welfare: Make a choice from several alternative possibilities that promote the animal’s well-being.
Interview animal owners on animals’ conditions: Ask questions appropriate to the setting and purpose, with the aim to elicit accurate information on the animal’s health condition, in order to facilitate a correct diagnosis.
Address problems critically: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
Sell veterinary materials: Sell and provide information on prescribed veterinary treatments and other animal-related products.
Maintain stocks of veterinary materials: Maintain stocks of veterinary materials to ensure there is an adequate supply. Ensure appropriate storage, rotation and record keeping for veterinary materials.’
Handle financial transactions: Administer currencies, financial exchange activities, deposits as well as company and voucher payments. Prepare and manage guest accounts and take payments by cash, credit card and debit card.

ISCO group and title

4226 – Receptionists (general)

 

 


 

 

References
  1. Veterinary receptionist – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022

What do you want to do with this job?

You will be brought to the forum page

Requires a business account

Requires a business account