Registered Veterinary Nurse – Wards and Theatre

About the Role

Dick White Referrals is seeking a dedicated Registered Veterinary Nurse to join the Wards and Theatre team in a permanent or fixed-term full-time position working 40 hours per week across 5 x 8-hour shifts. Based at their flagship Cambridge facility, you’ll work on an alternating rotation between inpatient wards and operating theatre, providing care across one of Europe’s most comprehensive referral services.

This role is equally suited to newly qualified RVNs stepping into referral practice or experienced nurses seeking to develop theatre and inpatient skills in a fast-paced, rewarding environment. You’ll gain exposure to multiple specialisms—Surgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Medicine, Feline and Dermatology—supported by structured training and mentorship. The practice offers clear progression into ECC wards rotations, clinical supervisory roles, or mentoring positions once training is complete.

Theatre on-call duties form part of the rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays alongside your standard daytime shifts (06:30–19:00, Monday to Friday).

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver inpatient nursing care across all wards and disciplines, working within small coordinated teams to maintain clear communication and high standards of patient monitoring and recovery
• Perform theatre nursing duties including anaesthesia monitoring, surgical preparation, scrub and circulating roles, and surgical equipment maintenance (laparoscopy, fluoroscopy)
• Independently carry out core nursing procedures: patient restraint and handling, blood sampling, IV catheter placement, feeding tube and urinary catheter management, chest drain handling
• Accurately calculate, prepare and administer medications in various forms; dispense drugs in line with professional guidelines
• Monitor and support patients under general anaesthesia and sedation through recovery and post-procedure care
• Maintain comprehensive clinical records, anaesthetic documentation and hospitalisation invoicing with precision
• Participate actively in ward rounds, team briefings and clinical meetings with effective communication at all levels
• Prepare surgical patients thoroughly and timelily; assist colleagues including PCAs and SVNs as required
• Manage sterilisation and diagnostic equipment following standard operating procedures; support stock control within your department
• Undertake continuous professional development and required in-house training to expand your knowledge and skills
• Maintain excellent infection control practices and health & safety compliance in all clinical activities

Requirements

• Current Registration as a Veterinary Nurse (essential)
• Demonstrable previous veterinary nursing experience (essential)
• IT literacy and strong organisational skills; ability to multitask and manage competing priorities effectively
• Confident, articulate communicator able to build rapport quickly with colleagues, specialists and clients
• Excellent all-round nursing capability with passion for outstanding patient and client care
• Team-oriented, positive and enthusiastic with the initiative to challenge and improve practice
• Willingness to learn and develop within a referral setting; referral experience is preferred but not essential
• Diploma AVN, ECC qualification or VTS qualification (preferred)

Benefits

• Competitive salary: £28,500–£32,000 per annum DOE, plus theatre on-call bonus
• Dedicated CPD allowance and organised in-house professional development programmes
• Generous annual leave entitlement with enhanced sick leave
• Pension scheme and life assurance
• Private medical cover and personal health insurance
• Enhanced equal family leave provisions
• Childcare vouchers and Cycle to Work Scheme
• Comprehensive wellbeing support including Mental Health First Aiders and confidential Employee Assistance Programme

About the Practice

Dick White Referrals (DWR) is one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-disciplinary veterinary referral centres, operating from state-of-the-art facilities in Cambridgeshire. The practice accepts referrals across Anaesthesia, Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Physiotherapy and Soft Tissue Surgery. Many of the clinician team are nationally or internationally recognised specialists bringing unique expertise to patient care.

DWR is part of Linnaeus, a company of Mars Veterinary Health. The practice maintains comprehensive clinical and non-clinical training programmes, CPD opportunities and a commitment to staff physical and mental health, creating a supportive culture where excellence and passion for pet care are shared values across the 6,000+ strong Linnaeus associate community.