Vet Assistant Opportunities...which to take?

[lbecktell]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi,

I have the opportunity to accept one of 3 positions at our local E-vet clinic. The hours are flexible enough that I will be able to complete my pre-reqs, full time, during the day:

1. Full time, overnight, surgery animal care assistant
2. Full time, overnight, emergency animal care assistant
3. Part time, overnight 2x10 hr shifts a week, emergency animal care assistant (Edited to add: If I take this position, I will also have to take a PT day job.)

Can anyone shed light on the difference between a surgery ACA and an emergency ACA?
A friend of mine is a former LVT at the E-vet clinic, and she said that surgery ACA's will just clean utensils and the table. However, she does not know this first hand, as they did not have surgery ACA's when she was there.

I am wanting this job to be a large part of my clinical experience. I have a lot of animal care experience as well as large animal experience already. Any light anyone can shed would be much appreciated! 👍

 

[Escalla]

Personally, I wouldn't take a full-time overnight job in addition to going to school full time.....when are you going to sleep? Study? Take time to enjoy life? Grades are very important as I'm sure you know, so allowing yourself adequate time to study is essential.

Also, night shifts are only for certain people. Some have an easy time with it and some have a lot more difficulty. Not sure if you have any experience working nights, but it wouldn't be something I would recommend jumping into full time when you have a lot of other things going on.

So I definitely recommend the part time position. 🙂

 

[lbecktell]

Personally, I wouldn't take a full-time overnight job in addition to going to school full time.....when are you going to sleep? Study? Take time to enjoy life? Grades are very important as I'm sure you know, so allowing yourself adequate time to study is essential.

Also, night shifts are only for certain people. Some have an easy time with it and some have a lot more difficulty. Not sure if you have any experience working nights, but it wouldn't be something I would recommend jumping into full time when you have a lot of other things going on.

So I definitely recommend the part time position. 🙂

Thanks for the excellent advice!

My husband and I definitely cannot (at this time) afford for me to work only part-time, so if I do take the PT position, I'd have to get another PT job during the day to make ends meet.

I do have experience working nights! Thankfully. The schedule would be work from 5-1:30am, sleep from 2-9, then one or two classes a day. I am just starting the pre-reqs, so the classes are low level right now.

It is an option to go to school PT and work FT, but while the classes are "easy," I prefer to get them out of the way ASAP!

 

[ChittyBang]

The schedule would be work from 5-1:30am...

That's not an overnight shift, so you should be fine with classes (I worked 11pm-7am). I'd ask what your duties would include, but you'll most likely get more hands-on experience in the ER, as opposed to working surgery.

 

[that redhead]

If you're going to work nights at least partially, may as well go full nights as it should be easier on your sleep schedule. Of the two remaining, it sounds as though the emergency tech would get a lot more varied experience versus the surgery tech. But honestly, I would talk to the people at the clinic to get an idea of the differences between the two - they're the only people who can tell you that, and it's pretty much the deciding factor for you.

 

[lbecktell]

The full time ER ACA position is Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday, 4p-2:30a. Still not "full overnight"?

Whereas the surgery hours are the 5-1:30 time I stated, Monday through Friday.

 

[jmo1012]

as someone who has worked overnights, i say overnight = ending work when normal people are starting their work day (6a and on). it sounds like you're describing an evening shift (which is way way better!)

ER will probably give you more variety. assisting (particularly at night) by nature is likely to be a lot of cleaning up after the day shift and lending an extra set of hands as needed

 

[lbecktell]

Thank you everyone!

I will be sure to ask lots of questions when I meet with the office manager tomorrow. I am looking forward to learning.

 

[MysteryCat]

Personally, I wouldn't take a full-time overnight job in addition to going to school full time.....when are you going to sleep? Study? Take time to enjoy life? Grades are very important as I'm sure you know, so allowing yourself adequate time to study is essential.

Also, night shifts are only for certain people. Some have an easy time with it and some have a lot more difficulty. Not sure if you have any experience working nights, but it wouldn't be something I would recommend jumping into full time when you have a lot of other things going on.

So I definitely recommend the part time position. 🙂

Major 👍

I work as a relief "tech" at an e-clinic, and there is no way in heck that I could do it full time and maintain A work in class.

Eta: read the comments... I suppose it would be way easier if its not the traditional 6p-8a shift or whatever.