About the Role
This is a varied and engaging position encompassing all aspects of veterinary nursingānurse consults, inpatient care, anaesthesia, theatre work, and supporting veterinary surgeons with an interesting and diverse caseload. You'll work within flexible rota patterns during opening hours (8amā7pm Monday to Friday, plus Saturday mornings on a 1 in 5 rotation), with no on-call duties as out-of-hours care is managed by Vets Now.
The practice actively encourages clinical freedom and case continuity, allowing you to develop your own specialist interests with full team support. As part of the team, you'll contribute to quality improvement initiativesāthe practice has recently undertaken projects including reducing antibiotic usage and introducing in-house ear cytology.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct nurse consults and provide inpatient care across the practice
- Support anaesthesia and theatre procedures
- Assist veterinary surgeons with case management and diagnostics
- Contribute to ongoing quality improvement projects
- Develop and pursue your own clinical interests within the nursing team
- Occasional cover shifts at the sister Ashurst branch during holiday or sickness periods
Requirements
- RCVS registered veterinary nurse qualification
- Passion for providing high-quality companion animal care
- Willingness to work flexible rota patterns within practice opening hours
Benefits
- Leave & Time Off: 6.6 weeks annual leave with increasing holiday allowance based on length of service, plus your birthday as a paid day off
- Professional Development: Ā£550 CPD allowance with 24 hours paid time pro rata, certificate support, access to IVC Evidensia Academy, Vetlexicon online encyclopaedia, and research funding opportunities
- Wellbeing & Support: Enhanced family-friendly policies including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay, private medical insurance, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym membership, and non-accidental injury support
- Professional Memberships: VDS cover and RCVS fees paid
- Financial & Lifestyle: 5% employee/3% employer pension, discounted staff pet care, Pawsome Benefits reward gateway with 100s of retail discounts and cashback
- Competitive Salary: Up to Ā£30,000 per annum
About the Practice
Orchard Veterinary Surgery is a well-established, friendly practice serving Romsey for 35 years, with a sister branch recently opened in Ashurst. The practice is part of IVC Evidensia, a leading veterinary group. The team comprises 7 veterinary surgeons, 7 RVNs, 2 student veterinary nurses, 1 ACA, and 5 receptionists/administrators.
The practice is well-equipped with dental radiography, laparoscopy, endoscopy, K-Laser, Vetscan Imagyst, cryotherapy, and in-house laboratory and digital x-ray facilities. A local IVC referral centre is available for complex cases. CPD and ongoing learning are core values, with team members currently pursuing Emergency Critical Care and Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Anaesthesia) certificates. The practice welcomes flexible working arrangements for both full-time and part-time applicants.
