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Veterinary Technician: Anesthesia & Critical Care Unit

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

Posted Jul 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

UWVC is a teaching hospital. How would you help a veterinary student who is nervous during their first anesthesia case?

What they are checking: Whether they can support and teach students while keeping the patient safe.

Tell me about a time you made a mistake with a patient. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they report errors honestly and quickly, which is essential in anesthesia and critical care.

How do you communicate with board-certified specialists when you have a concern about a patient?

What they are checking: Whether they speak up clearly and confidently, even with senior clinicians.

The position offers on-site training. What skills do you want to build here?

What they are checking: Whether they have clear growth goals that match what the anesthesia and critical care team can teach.

What would you do

A patient's end-tidal CO2 suddenly drops to near zero. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize a possible emergency, check the equipment and patient fast, and call for help.

In the Critical Care Unit, how do you prioritize care when several patients need attention at once?

What they are checking: Whether they triage based on how sick patients are and communicate with the team.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd set up and check an anesthesia machine before a case.

What they are checking: Whether they do safety checks like leak tests and confirm oxygen and scavenging before every case.

What do you watch for while monitoring an anesthetized dog, and what numbers would make you alert the anesthesiologist?

What they are checking: Whether they know normal ranges and respond quickly to changes in vital signs.

How do you place an IV catheter in a difficult patient, like a dehydrated cat?

What they are checking: Whether they have practical skills and know when to ask for help.

How do you assess pain in a hospitalized patient?

What they are checking: Whether they use pain scales and notice changes that call for more pain control.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at University of Wisconsin-Madison from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process. Job Category: University Staff Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Veterinary Technician I Job Summary: Looking to grow your clinical skills in a collaborative, innovative veterinary teaching hospital? Join UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) and work alongside board-certified Anesthesiologists and Critical Care specialists while providing exceptional patient care. This position supports anesthetic procedures and critical care as part of UWVC's daily operations. We welcome both new and experienced Certified Veterinary Technicians (CVTs) and provide comprehensive on-site training to ensure your success. We're seeking candidates who demonstrate initiative, sound judgment, strong communication skills, and reliability. As Wisconsin's only veterinary teaching hospital, UWVC offers the unique opportunity to care for patients while helping educate the next generation of veterinarians. Enjoy competitive pay, excellent benefits, flexible scheduling, and outstanding opportunities for professional growth. This position can be full or part-time, between 90% (36 hours) - 100% (40 hours). The anticipated schedule for this vacancy is primarily 8-10 hour shifts Monday through Friday in Anesthesia. Incumbent will also be required to work a rotating shift in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) every third week. On-Call and Holiday hours are required as needed by UWVC. Explore a career with us and see how UWVC can be the perfect environment for your professional growth! Tasks: • Accurately calculates drug dosages, drug dilutions, CRI's and intravenous fluid rates • Assists or initiates preparation/workup of patient undergoing anesthesia by assessing patient and chart for clinical history • Completing a written anesthetic plan and reviewing with supervising clinician • Completes charge sheets and enters all charges into patient's account • Ensures all controlled substances are properly logged onto patient's record. Wastes all controlled substances no longer needed by patient to meet pharmacy guidelines • Instructs fourth year veterinary students, assists students with catheters, intubation and patient care pre-op, post-op • Knows the location of the CPR crash cart and is trained in CPR techniques and drugs • Maintains accurate and complete anesthesia medical record. • Maintains, cleans and troubleshoots all equipment. Notifies clinicians/supervisor of equipment failure or needed repairs. • Operates and interprets all physiologic patient monitors including EKG, direct and indirect blood pressure, pulse oximeter, capnograph, gas analyzer, temperature and blood gas analyzer • Performs needed blood test for PCV/TP, AZO, blood glucose and blood gases • Performs patient pain assessment with the aid of approved clinical pain scoring chart • Places venous and Arterial catheters, performs intubations, local blocks, epidurals and special procedures • Restrains and anesthetizes various species: dogs, cats, horses, cattle, birds and exotics, etc • Performs treatments and patient care in critical unit (CCU) • Stocks and maintains adequate supplies of consumables in induction and storage areas of anesthesia section Key Job Responsibilities: • Monitors animal health status and records, notifies veterinarian when status changes, and ensures care plans are completed and recorded in the medical record (5%) • Serves as a point of contact for animal owners and stakeholders providing information and answering questions (5%) • Documents and disseminates results to the appropriate entities (5%) • Completes routine laboratory tests and collects specimen according to established medical orders and care plans (5%) • Maintains organization of and updates records related to medical procedures and billing (5%) • Prepares, completes, and documents basic technical animal care procedures, assessments, and medication administration according to established care plans and medical necessity (55%) • Assists with the execution of more complex animal care procedures and affiliated activities (15%) • Tracks supply inventory levels and places replenishment orders (5%) Department: School of Veterinary Medicine UW Veterinary Care Hospital Anesthesia Unit Compensation: The starting hourly rate for the position is $23.00 (but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications). On top of your base compensation, enjoy night and weekend differentials: • $6.00/ hour for Monday -Friday shifts after 6:00pm • $4.80/ hour for daytime shifts on Saturday and Sunday • $7.80/ hour for Saturday and Sunday shifts after 6:00pm This position is eligible for a hiring bonus of 3% of base pay (prorated to FTE) which will be paid over the first year of employment! UW Veterinary Care offers competitive wages (including night and weekend differential, if applicable), outstanding employee benefits https: //hr.wisc.edu/benefits/new-employee-benefits-enrollment/benefits-for-employees-covered-by-the-wrs / ample paid time off https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/leave/paid-leave/ , financial support for continuing education and pursuing specialty certification, referral bonuses, an annual shoe allowance, and a yearly provision of hospital-branded clothing. This position is being posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level and pay are commensurate with experience. Required Qualifications: • Ability to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. independently • Physical and manual dexterity to perform specialized technical tasks • Proven success with independent decision making skills • Ability to clearly and concisely communicate in high-stakes environments This position is posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level is determined by qualifications based on type of prior veterinary tech experience. • To qualify for Level 1: Entry level, new CVT grad or some CVT working experience with no specialization. • To qualify for Level 2: Generally over 2 years of veterinary tech experience, may substitute years of experience for specialization. • To qualify for Level 3: Veterinary Tech Specialist (VTS), or highly qualified and specialized in a specific area, may have prior experience from another university hospital. Preferred Qualifications: Education: Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) Required High School Diploma Required Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology Preferred How to Apply: Begin the online application process by clicking the 'Apply' button. Applicants are asked to upload a current copy of their resume, outlining their experience as it applies to this position. Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. The deadline for assuring full consideration is August 14, 2026; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled. Contact Information: Hiring Manager: Karen Majerus Veterinary Nurse Supervisor, karen.majerus@wisc.edu Human Resources Support: April Schulz, HR Manager, ajschulz2@wisc.edu Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website . To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department .

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