Senior Registered Veterinary Nurse - Small Animal

Alder Veterinary Practice - Bourne; Bourne; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A veterinary practice in Bourne seeks a Senior Veterinary Nurse to join their supportive team. This hands-on role involves patient care, including surgery and consultations, along with the development of nursing protocols. Candidates should be qualified RVNs with strong nursing skills and a passion for animal care. The position offers a flexible 40-hour work week, competitive salary, professional development opportunities, and generous employee benefits.

Benefits

6.6 weeks annual leave

Private Medical Insurance

£550 CPD allowance

Company pension scheme

Discounted pet treatment

Qualifications

• Strong work ethic and genuine passion for animal care.
• Enjoys variety in roles such as surgery and consultations.
• Thrive in a busy environment while supporting team members.

Responsibilities

• Involve in all aspects of patient care, including theatre and consults.
• Develop nursing protocols to maintain high standards.
• Work closely with Head Nurse and team.

Skills

Confidence in nursing skills

Proactive team player

Variety enjoyment

Education

Qualified RVN

Job description

Overview

Are you a passionate and experienced RVN looking for your next step? We’re currently seeking a Senior Veterinary Nurse to join our friendly, close-knit team at our busy first opinion practice. We may be a small team, but we’re big on teamwork, clinical standards, and supporting one another. With a wide range of experience across the team, this is a hands-on nursing role where you’ll be fully involved in all aspects of patient care. Whether you're scrubbing in for surgery, running a packed consult room, or helping to develop nursing protocols, this role offers the opportunity to truly make your mark. You’ll also work closely with our Head Nurse and the wider team to help drive forward the quality of both patient and client care.

Responsibilities

The role is hands-on and involves involvement in all aspects of patient care, including surgery and busy consults. You’ll contribute to developing nursing protocols and work closely with the Head Nurse and the team to maintain high standards of patient and client care.

Qualifications

• Qualified RVN who brings a strong work ethic, confidence in their nursing skills, and a genuine passion for animal care.
• Ability to enjoy variety; one day in theatre, the next leading our nurse consultations.
• Friendly, proactive team player who thrives in a busy environment and is always willing to support others.

Working hours

Ideally, we’re looking for someone to work around 40 hours per week, but we’re open to being flexible for the right candidate. The working week can be structured as four 10-hour days, or shorter shifts spread across five days. Shifts fall between 8:00am and 7:00pm, and our nursing team shares a Saturday morning rota (1 in 5). There are no Sundays, no out-of-hours, and no bank holiday work, offering a great work-life balance.

Team and culture

We believe in creating a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and happy. We spend a lot of time together in this profession, so it’s important to us that we enjoy our time both in and out of work. We regularly organise team-building events, enjoy plenty of food-based celebrations (cake features highly in our weekly routine!), and recently escaped from an escape room together on a team night out. We work hard, but we make sure to have fun along the way.

Our Practice

We operate two well-established practices in the Lincolnshire market towns of Spalding and Bourne, each serving a loyal client base built over more than 20 years. Both locations are ideally situated, with easy access to the historic town of Stamford, home to attractions such as Burghley House, the Burghley Horse Trials, and Rutland Water.

Our practices are well-equipped to support high-quality first opinion care. Both sites feature digital radiography as well as modern ultrasound machines, endoscopy, and in-house laboratory equipment. We also have spacious theatres and consulting rooms to accommodate our varied caseload.

Facilities and benefits

Because our people matter. We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from:

• Work-life balance: 6.6 weeks annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays; additional holiday entitlement for your birthday
• Wellbeing: Private Medical Insurance; Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential helpline); enhanced family-friendly policies (maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay); wellbeing initiatives
• Development: £550 CPD allowance with 24 hours paid CPD leave; certificate support; learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy; access to Vetlexicon; research funding opportunities; Infection Prevention and Control Programme; Quality Improvement Programme
• Professional Memberships: VDS cover; RCVS fees
• Colleague Benefits: Company pension scheme with employer contribution; Cycle to Work and Green Cars schemes ( eligibility ); voluntary benefits; discounts with retailers; discounted pet treatment at an IVC Evidensia practice

Salary up to £31,616 DOE