Vet Nurse

VetPartners Australia and New Zealand; Mornington; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Southpaws in Mornington is seeking an Overnight Veterinary Nurse to work 7pm–7am, three nights per week. You will be sole charge of inpatients, monitoring recovery and comfort while coordinating with the 24/7 Malvern support for advice as needed.

The role requires confidence working independently, strong clinical judgement, and excellent handover communication to the morning specialist team. Prior surgical or referral experience is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent)
• Minimum 2 years of clinical experience
• Experience in surgical or referral hospital is well regarded but not essential
• Confident working independently and capable of sole charge

Responsibilities

• Monitor patient comfort and vital signs and maintain patient charts
• Administer medications
• Handle patients, toileting and exercise
• Maintain sterility and manage CRIs, fluids, catheters and drains
• Update patient records and communicate with clients as required
• Maintain ward cleanliness and organi­sation
• Process, clean and pack surgical instruments
• Clean theatre and hospital as required
• Restock hospital

Skills

Veterinary nursing

Independent work

Communication

Education

Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent)

Job description

Southpaws is a specialist-led hospital with teams across Surgery, Anaesthesia and Emergency & Critical Care. Our patients receive exceptional care during the day, and our Mornington site is looking for an experienced nurse to continue that standard throughout the night while the hospital is closed.

Overnight Veterinary Nurse – Mornington | Full Time | 3 x 12-hour nights

The role

Working 7pm to 7am, three nights a week, you'll be sole charge of our inpatients, most of whom are stable and recovering from surgery. You'll monitor their progress closely, keep them comfortable and recognise early when something needs attention. You'll also manage sterile supply, cleaning and the general running of the hospital overnight so the day team starts each morning well prepared.

While this is a sole-charge role, you'll have plenty of support on hand with our Malvern site open 24/7 for phone support and advice on patients as needed.

This role suits a nurse who is confident working independently. You'll manage multiple patients with minimal support (however 24/7 phone support is available from our Malvern site), so sound clinical judgement, strong organisation and a calm, methodical approach are essential. Your handover to our specialist team each morning is an important part of the role, so strong communication is a must, as your observations will directly shape each patient's ongoing care.

You will be expected to be able to:

• Monitor patient comfort and vital signs and maintain patient charts
• Administer medications
• Handle patients, toileting and exercise
• Monitor & maintain CRI’s, fluid therapy, urinary catheters, patient drains etc.
• Update patient records and communicate with clients as required
• Maintain a high standard of ward organisation and cleanliness
• Process, clean & pack surgical instruments
• Clean theatre & whole hospital as required
• Restock hospital

About you

• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent)
• Minimum 2 years of clinical experience
• Confidence caring for in-patient and post-operative patients
• Sound knowledge of veterinary nursing procedures
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Clear, professional communication, particularly at handover
• Experience in a surgical or referral hospital is well regarded but not essential

As an Employer

Southpaws are committed to leading the way in creating a workplace that operates the way we believe it should, rather than the way they always have. To help deliver on our goal of becoming an industry employer of choice, we have created career pathways that support year-on-year progression both for your capabilities as a professional, as well as your remuneration.