Registered Veterinary Nurse – Out of Hours

About the Role

This is a dedicated out-of-hours nursing position working nights (7pm–8am) on a rolling rota of approximately three nights per week, including weekends on occasion. You’ll be part of Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists’ dynamic night team, providing high-quality ward-based nursing care to hospitalised medical and surgical inpatients across multiple specialist wards. This is never a sole-charge role—you’ll work alongside veterinary surgeons, anaesthetists, specialists on call, other RVNs, and veterinary care assistants, creating a genuinely supportive clinical environment.

SCVS is a busy, specialist-led small animal referral hospital in Ringwood, Hampshire, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including purpose-built theatres, dedicated ICU/high-dependency care, separate dog and cat wards, and a rehabilitation centre offering physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. The team champions high clinical standards and personal development for every nursing team member.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver exceptional nursing care to complex cases across two primary dog wards, a dedicated cat ward, and an ICU/high-dependency unit
• Provide wards-based care for medical and surgical inpatients during out-of-hours shifts
• Support the on-call anaesthesia team and emergency procedures throughout the night
• Work collaboratively with veterinary surgeons, specialists, and care assistants to ensure comprehensive patient care
• Monitor patient comfort and recovery, particularly post-operative and critical cases
• Contribute to the maintenance of SCVS’s high clinical standards and culture of excellence

Requirements

• RCVS Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN)
• Passion for delivering exceptional clinical care to patients and clients
• Confidence nursing a variety of complex cases in a wards setting
• Experience in OOH (out-of-hours) or ECC (emergency & critical care) environments is advantageous
• Referral hospital experience is beneficial
• Ability to work flexibly within a team environment, including occasional weekends

Benefits

• Salary & Remuneration: Up to £37,000 DOE; CPD allowance paid pro-rata; 5% employee/3% employer pension contribution
• Leave & Work-Life Balance: 6.6 weeks annual leave inclusive of bank holidays; increasing holiday allowance based on length of service; additional holiday for your birthday; accommodation available on request at a pre-agreed discounted rate
• Wellbeing & Family Support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, and surrogacy pay; private medical insurance; cycle to work scheme; employee wellbeing initiatives
• Professional Development: Certificate support; learning and development via IVC Evidensia Academy; access to Vetlexicon online encyclopaedia; research funding opportunities; infection prevention and control training; quality improvement programmes
• Professional Memberships: VDS cover; RCVS fees paid
• Additional Perks: Relocation allowance; Pawsome Benefits reward gateway (discounts and cashback with 100s of retailers); discounted staff pet care

About the Practice

Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists is a large, multidisciplinary specialist-led small animal referral hospital based in Ringwood, Hampshire. As part of IVC Evidensia, the practice combines cutting-edge facilities with a team of recognised specialists across multiple disciplines. Recent expansion has delivered a purpose-built theatre complex, an expanded client reception with 10 new consulting rooms, and a dedicated rehabilitation centre providing physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. The practice is supported by an advanced nursing team and veterinary care assistants dedicated to patient comfort and recovery.

SCVS is conveniently located just off the A31 and has established itself as a centre of excellence for complex small animal cases, with round-the-clock anaesthesia availability and specialist on-call support for emergency inpatient care.