Senior ECC Vet Nurse - Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) Essendon Fields

Greencrosspetwellnesscompany; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 55,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

ARH Essendon Fields is seeking a Senior Emergency & Critical Care Veterinary Nurse to join a busy multidisciplinary referral hospital in Melbourne. The role blends hands-on clinical work (70%) with leadership and admin responsibilities (30%), offering meaningful chances to mentor junior staff and drive department improvements.

You will work alongside experienced vets and specialists, managing a diverse caseload from emergencies to critically ill patients while maintaining high standards of

Qualifications

• Qualified Veterinary Nurse with substantial Emergency and Critical Care experience.
• Proven leadership and mentoring abilities in a clinical setting.
• Strong communication and organisational skills essential for a senior ECC role.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a consistently high standard of nursing care to critically ill and injured patients.
• Act as a senior clinical resource during shifts, providing leadership and support to nursing and veterinary teams.
• Assist with advanced anaesthesia, emergency procedures and surgery.
• Mentor, coach and develop less experienced nurses.

Skills

ECC experience

Clinical leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Organisational skills

Education

Qualified Veterinary Nurse

Registration with veterinary board

Tools

RxWorks

Smartflow

Job description

Senior Emergency & Critical Care Veterinary Nurse

ARH Essendon Fields | Full-time | $40-$48 p/hour base rate

This role is approximately 70% clinical and 30% leadership/administered, allowing you to continue developing your advanced nursing skills gaining valuable leadership experience in one of Melbourne's leading multidisciplinary referral hospitals.

This is more than a clinical nursing role. As a Senior ECC Veterinary Nurse, you'll have the opportunity to mentor and support junior nurses, contribute to departmental improvements, and work closely with the Head Nurse to help shape the future of the ECC service - all while remaining predominantly hands‑on in clinical practice.

If you're an experienced Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nurse looking to take the next step in your career, we'd love to hear from you.

At ARH Essendon, our nurses are trusted to practice advanced ECC nursing every day. You'll work alongside experienced emergency veterinarians, specialists in Surgery and Internal Medicine, and highly skilled nursing teams, managing a diverse caseload ranging from emergency presentations to some of the most critically ill patients in veterinary medicine.

Why join ARH Essendon?

• Practice advanced Emergency and Critical Care nursing in a busy multidisciplinary referral hospital.
• Work alongside specialists in Emergency and Critical Care, Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Diagnostic Imaging.
• Manage a diverse and rewarding caseload including critical care, trauma, mechanical ventilation, advanced anaesthesia and complex medical and surgical patients.
• Mentor and coach junior nurses while helping foster a positive learning culture.
• Play an active role in departmental development, quality improvement initiatives and clinical leadership.
• Maintain a healthy work‑life balance through supportive rostering.
• Competitive remuneration, including generous shift loadings for evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.
• Up to five weeks annual leave for shift workers, plus personal and cars leave in accordance with the Award.
• Staff discounts across Greencross Veterinary Hospitals and GP clinics, plus Petbarn retail stores.
• Regular in‑house continuing education and ongoing professional development opportunities.

About our hospital

ARH Essendon Fields is equipped with advanced referral facilities including CT, MRI, digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, in‑house laboratory, mechanical ventilation and advanced patient monitoring. We utilise fully integrated RxWorks practice management software alongside Smartflow electronic treatment sheets to support exceptional patient care.

Our multidisciplinary environment allows seamless collaboration with Surgery, Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging, ensuring outstanding outcomes for both patients and clients.

About the role

• Deliver a consistently high standard of nursing care to critically ill and injured patients.
• Act as a senior clinical resource during shifts, providing leadership and support to nursing and veterinary teams.
• Assist with advanced anaesthesia, emergency procedures and surgery.
• Perform and interpret in‑house laboratory testing alongside advanced diagnostic procedures.
• Mentor, coach and develop less experienced nurses, building their confidence, skills and clinical judgement.
• Support the Head Nurse with departmental administration, rostering, workflow management and quality improvement initiatives.
• Promote a collaborative, positive and professional team culture while maintaining exceptional standards of patient care.

About you

We're looking for someone who:

• Is a qualified Veterinary Nurse with substantial Emergency and Critical Care experience.
• Demonstrates excellent clinical judgement and remains calm under pressure.
• Enjoys mentoring others and sharing knowledge.
• Has strong communication and organisational skills.
• Takes pride in delivering exceptional patient care.
• Is ready to contribute to the ongoing growth and development of a high‑performing ECC team.

Whether you're already working in a senior ECC nursing role or is ready to step confidently into one, this is an exciting opportunity to grow your career within one of Melbourne's leading referral hospitals.

If you're passionate about advanced nursing, enjoy mentoring others, and want to be part of a collaborative team that genuinely values its nurses, we'd love to hear from you.