Registered Veterinary Nurse

About the Role

This is a full-time position within the Surgical Nursing Team at a leading multi-disciplinary referral hospital in the north east. You’ll be part of a well-established surgical unit supporting both Orthopaedic and Soft Tissue departments, working within a rolling rota that includes weekend and bank holiday cover. The hospital operates 24/7, 365 days a year, delivering exceptional referral and emergency care.

Your day-to-day work will be varied and clinically rich: managing complex inpatient care, delivering anaesthesia for diagnostic imaging and a wide range of surgical procedures, and gaining regular opportunities to scrub into advanced surgeries. You’ll collaborate closely with anaesthesia, ICU, neurology, oncology, and internal medicine teams, working with cases including abdominal and thoracic surgery, fracture repairs, cruciate surgery, joint replacements, and advanced wound management. External CPD is fully encouraged and funded, including opportunities for further academic study.

Located near Durham and within easy reach of Newcastle, the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, and Scotland, this role offers both professional challenge and excellent lifestyle access. Previous referral experience is advantageous but not essential—full training and support are provided for RVNs transitioning from primary care practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide complex inpatient nursing care across surgical departments
• Deliver anaesthesia for diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures
• Support advanced surgical cases including orthopaedic and soft tissue procedures
• Scrub into advanced surgeries and assist specialist surgical teams
• Collaborate with anaesthesia, ICU, neurology, oncology, and internal medicine services
• Contribute to day-to-day running of both surgical departments
• Participate in ongoing professional development and specialist training
• Work within a rolling rota including weekend and bank holiday cover

Requirements

• Current RCVS registration as a Registered Veterinary Nurse
• Excellent clinical ability and strong communication skills
• Ability to work confidently within a rolling rota including weekends and bank holidays
• Previous referral experience (advantageous but not essential)
• Willingness to engage in ongoing training and specialist development

Benefits

• Competitive salary (£27,000 per annum, depending on experience)
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and your birthday day off
• Payment of professional RCVS registration fees
• Generous external CPD allowance with CPD leave
• Enhanced sick pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• Life assurance
• Employer contribution pension scheme
• Professional indemnity cover
• Health care and purchasing scheme
• Staff discount for your own pet’s treatment
• E-car salary sacrifice scheme
• Wellness programme including free annual flu jab and employee assistance programme
• Uniform, shoe allowance, and free onsite parking
• Real opportunities for career development through clinical specialism or managerial progression within a leading UK veterinary referral chain

About the Practice

Wear Referrals is a multi-disciplinary specialist veterinary referral hospital in the north east of England, part of Linnaeus Veterinary Limited (owned by Mars Veterinary Health). The award-winning hospital is home to over 20 specialists and provides services including neurology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, anaesthesia, oncology, diagnostic imaging, and cardiology, alongside a busy primary care out-of-hours emergency service and in-house physiotherapy and hydrotherapy facilities. The nursing team comprises over 60 Registered Veterinary Nurses specialising alongside the veterinary team, including a dedicated night nurse team.

The practice is recognised as a leading training facility dedicated to developing talent and promoting from within. Being part of the Mars family provides significant development opportunities across a global network of veterinary health associates and specialists.