Registered Veterinary Nurse – Small Animal

About the Role

This is a varied and engaging nursing position encompassing all aspects of veterinary nursing—nurse consults, inpatient care, anaesthesia, theatre work, and supporting veterinary surgeons with a diverse small animal caseload. You’ll have genuine clinical freedom and the opportunity to develop your own specialist interests with full team support. The practice actively pursues quality improvement initiatives and welcomes new ideas. The role is primarily based at the Romsey location, with occasional shifts at the sister branch in Ashurst during holiday or sickness cover. There’s no on-call requirement; out-of-hours coverage is managed by Vets Now, so you can enjoy genuine work-life balance.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake nurse-led consultations and provide primary nursing care
• Manage inpatient cases and monitor patient recovery
• Assist with anaesthesia and support theatre procedures
• Provide nursing support to the 7 veterinary surgeons across varied cases
• Contribute to the practice’s quality improvement initiatives and clinical projects
• Cover occasional shifts at the Ashurst branch as needed
• Support case continuity and develop your own clinical interests within the team

Requirements

• Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) qualification
• Passion for delivering the highest standard of animal care
• Team player with a collaborative approach to practice
• Flexibility to work within practice opening hours (8am–7pm Monday–Friday, plus Saturday mornings on a 1:5 rota)

Benefits

• Work-Life Balance: 6.6 weeks annual leave (increasing with service), your birthday as a paid day off, no on-call commitment
• Wellbeing Support: Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay, private medical insurance, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym membership, non-accidental injury support
• Professional Development: £550 CPD allowance with 24 hours paid pro rata, certificate support, access to IVC Evidensia Academy learning, Vetlexicon encyclopaedia, research funding eligibility, infection prevention and control training, quality improvement programme participation
• Professional Memberships: VDS cover and RCVS fees paid
• Additional Perks: Pawsome Benefits (reward gateway with 100s of retailer discounts and cashback), 5% employee/3% employer pension, discounted staff pet care

About the Practice

Orchard Vets is a well-established small animal practice in Romsey’s heart, serving the community for 35 years with a strong reputation for clinical excellence. The practice has recently expanded with a second branch in Ashurst, reflecting continued growth and success. The team is well-equipped with modern facilities including dental radiography, laparoscopy, endoscopy, K-Laser, Vetscan Imagyst, and cryotherapy, with local access to an IVC referral centre for complex cases.

You’ll join a skilled, supportive team of 7 veterinary surgeons, 7 RVNs, 2 student veterinary nurses, 1 ACA, and 5 receptionists/administrators. The practice is deeply committed to continuous learning—nursing staff are actively encouraged to pursue further training, with current team members undertaking Emergency Critical Care certificates and advanced anaesthesia qualifications. CPD and professional development are genuinely valued.