Registered Veterinary Nurse

About the Role

You’ll be joining Abivale Vets, a well-established small animal practice with a reputation for strong teamwork and clinical excellence. This full-time role (40 hours over 5 days, 8-hour shifts) offers the chance to develop a broad range of nursing skills in a 24-hour emergency care environment—but here’s the catch: you won’t be working the nights. The dedicated night team covers all out-of-hours work, so you’ll enjoy a daytime rota with weekend and bank holiday cover on rotation.

The practice is perfectly positioned in Abingdon, just a short walk from the historic town centre and 15 minutes from Oxford, offering excellent local amenities and transport links. You’ll be working alongside experienced vets and nurses in a collaborative, values-led environment where your development is genuinely prioritized.

This role also includes a welcome bonus of £1,500 to help you settle in, and the practice is open to both newly qualified nurses and those with experience—part-time arrangements are also considered.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality nursing care to a varied caseload of small animal patients across first opinion and emergency cases
• Support surgical procedures, including anaesthesia monitoring and theatre nursing
• Assist with diagnostic imaging including radiography and ultrasonography
• Provide excellent inpatient care and support patient recovery
• Work collaboratively with veterinary surgeons and the wider practice team to maintain clinical standards
• Contribute to the ongoing development of patient care protocols within the practice
• Manage workload effectively whilst maintaining organisational standards

Requirements

• Registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS (or nearly qualified candidates welcome)
• Experience working in clinical practice with growing confidence in medical and surgical nursing
• Strong communication skills and ability to build positive relationships with clients and colleagues
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage workload effectively
• A proactive approach to learning, reflection, and continuous improvement
• Team-oriented mindset with enthusiasm for delivering high standards of care

Benefits

• Leave: 6.6 weeks’ annual leave plus your birthday off, with increasing allowance based on length of service
• Professional Development: £550 CPD allowance plus 24 hours paid leave; certificate support; RCVS and VDS fees covered
• Healthcare: Private Medical Insurance; Healthcare Cash Plan
• Family Support: Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Wellness: Employee wellbeing initiatives; Cycle to Work scheme
• Pension: Workplace pension scheme
• Perks: Discounted veterinary care; voluntary benefits including Green Cars salary sacrifice and access to discounts with hundreds of retailers
• Welcome Bonus: £1,500 upon joining
• Career Pathways: Clear progression opportunities into Senior Nurse, Referral, leadership roles, and clinical supervisors/mentors positions

About the Practice

Abivale Veterinary Group is a well-established small animal practice committed to teamwork, clinical excellence, and outstanding patient care. The practice operates as a 24-hour emergency care provider, giving nurses exposure to a wide and interesting caseload. It’s well-equipped with ultrasound, digital x-ray, endoscopy, dental x-ray, and an in-house laboratory—enabling high-level diagnostic and clinical care.

The practice is part of IVC Evidensia, the UK and Europe’s leading veterinary care group comprising over 900 practices and referral hospitals. IVC Evidensia is committed to supporting careers without limits, with investment in learning, innovation, and wellbeing so teams can grow in confidence, capability, and professional fulfilment at every career stage.