Integrated into the veterinary medical team, the ARGUS service facilitates client decision-making about their pets’ medical treatment, quality of life and end-of-life issues. The ARGUS service provides crisis intervention, brief counseling, and grief support for people with pets.

Job Duties
Support Service - 80%
   - Provide short-term emotional support, advocacy, crisis intervention, communication mediation, and grief counseling for families of the Veterinary Teaching
   - Hospital (VTH) and Johnson Family Equine Hospital (JFEH), both in person and via phone communication.
   - Facilitate client decision-making around medical treatment and end-of-life issues with the veterinary healthcare team.
   - Act as a liaison between the client and medical team to help ensure the client’s questions and concerns are answered in a manner they can understand.
   - Provide informal debriefing services to team members, individually, or in groups, following challenging situations.
   - Provide emotional support stress relief strategies, and wellness resources for VTH/JFEH faculty, staff, and students.
   - Host dedicated events honoring the Human-Animal Bond.
   - Develop and support hospital events as needed to promote wellness and enhance a positive culture within the VTH/JFEH.

Teaching - 15%
   - Develop and present lectures and workshops on topics of expertise such as compassionate communication, grief, stress management resiliency.
   - Conduct in-the-moment case-based teaching in the hospital for students and staff
   - Co-author publications based on clinical and educational experiences.
   - Facilitate weekly service rounds to debrief, educate and support veterinary students regarding client interactions and self-care.
   - Continually assess and develop creative approaches and topics to engage students during rounds.
   - Provide annual orientation and training about Argus services for interns, residents, and students.
   - Support rotating veterinary intern Argus curriculum weeks.

Administrative - 5%
   - Maintain and develop client resources
   - Contribute as a team member to day-to-day operations, and staff and program development.
   - Actively participate in weekly staff meetings
   - Serve on hospital or college committees.
   - Maintain case records.