Senior Registered Veterinary Nurse – HDU & Wards

About the Role

You’ll be joining Hamilton Specialist Referrals, a 24/7 specialist referral hospital just outside High Wycombe, as a Senior HDU & Wards Nurse. This is a full-time position across a 4-day working week (07:00–20:30 on rota), with a manageable 1:6 weekend rota. This role blends hands-on clinical nursing with operational leadership, providing the perfect next step for an experienced RVN ready to develop senior skills in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

You’ll work alongside the HDU & Wards Clinical Team Leader, offering both direct patient care and day-to-day leadership to the nursing team. The hospital handles complex orthopaedic, neurology, soft tissue, and internal medicine cases, offering the chance to work with advanced clinical equipment and a genuinely supportive multidisciplinary team.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver exceptional inpatient care across the HDU and wards, maintaining the highest clinical standards and patient welfare
• Provide day-to-day leadership and mentorship to nursing team members, fostering clinical confidence and development
• Support clinical governance through accurate record-keeping, infection control protocols, and equipment upkeep
• Collaborate closely with veterinary clinicians during ward rounds to implement, monitor and escalate treatment plans appropriately
• Act as a communication link between nursing staff, referral clinicians, workflow coordinators and patient coordinators
• Coordinate nursing workflow, including rota support, case prioritisation and continuity of care in a high-acuity setting
• Work collaboratively to optimise patient flow, admissions and discharges throughout the hospital

Requirements

• Registered with the RCVS as a Veterinary Nurse
• Significant experience working in a referral hospital, busy primary care practice, or out-of-hours environment with HDU or inpatient ward exposure
• Confident communicator with the ability to liaise effectively across multidisciplinary teams
• Organised, calm and adaptable, with strong situational awareness in a fast-paced setting
• Passionate about delivering gold-standard patient care and supporting team wellbeing
• Leadership or senior nursing experience desirable
• Advanced nursing qualification advantageous

Benefits

• Salary: Up to £37,500 depending on experience
• Time off: 6.6 weeks annual leave inclusive of bank holidays, with additional holiday accrual based on length of service and birthday allowance
• Wellbeing: Enhanced family-friendly policies (maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay), private medical insurance, cycle to work scheme, and dedicated employee wellbeing initiatives
• Professional development: CPD allowance, certificate support, access to IVC Evidensia Academy learning programmes, Vetlexicon online encyclopaedia, research funding opportunities, and quality improvement programmes
• Professional memberships: VDS cover and RCVS fees covered
• Additional benefits: Relocation allowance, Pawsome Benefits reward gateway (discounts and cashback with 100s of retailers), pension (5% employee/3% employer), and discounted staff pet care

About the Practice

Hamilton Specialist Referrals is a state-of-the-art 24/7 specialist referral hospital delivering world-class clinical services with a strong focus on creating a supportive working environment. Part of IVC Evidensia and Mars Veterinary Health, the practice specialises in orthopaedic, neurology, soft tissue and internal medicine cases, offering advanced treatment options and curating a friendly, close-knit team culture. The hospital is situated just outside High Wycombe (J4, M40) in Buckinghamshire and prioritises both exceptional clinical care and employee development, with a clear belief that investing in people, premises and processes is fundamental to success.