Veterinary Nurse (Out of Hours)

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Location:Small Animal Hospital, University of Glasgow

Hours: Compressed shift pattern - 70 hours over 6 shifts every two weeks - full time hours (part - time hours to be discussed)

This post is open ended (permanent).

Ready for a new challenge in a fast-paced, state-of-the-art hospital? Are you an experienced nurse looking to expand your skills? This may be your opportunity to thrive in a dynamic Out-of-Hours (OOH) environment.

We're looking for a dedicated and compassionate nurse to join our OOH team at theSmall Animal Hospital. You'll work alongside a skilled team of vets, nurses, and care assistants, delivering exceptional clinical treatment to both referral and first opinion in-patients and emergencies.

What you'll do: You'll rotate through a variety of clinical areas, including:

• Medical and surgical wards
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Theatre and anaesthesia

This role offers the chance to fully utilise your nursing skills-and develop new ones-while making a real difference to patient outcomes.

What's in it for you? We offer a fantastic benefits package, including:

• 35-hour compressed working week
• 41 days of leave (including public holidays)
• Shift workers' annual leave totalling 287 hours
• Competitive pension scheme
• 20% staff discount on veterinary services and products
• CPD allowance and subsidised further education
• A supportive and inclusive working environment
• 24/7 confidential employee support service and wellbeing app
• Exclusive staff discounts from high street retailers

Job Purpose

To carry out nursing duties to the highest standard in accordance with hospital systems of work to ensure all animal needs are met and excellent standards are maintained within the Small Animal Hospital. Provide a focus between clients, veterinary surgeons, nursing staff, and students. Contribute to the examination, treatment, and care of both in and out-patients to facilitate the smooth running of the Hospital.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Responsible for providing and overseeing the complete nursing care of patients within a busy hospital environment. Prioritising patient care and managing an unpredictable and busy workload. Problem-solving to ensure the best patient care outcomes.

2. Perform a variety of advanced nursing skills including but not limited to monitoring and maintenance of general anaesthesia, radiography, Schedule 3 procedures, dispensing controlled drugs (CD) and maintaining the CD register and operating a range of laboratory, monitoring and diagnostic equipment.

3. Perform nursing clinical examinations for in-patients and for patients arriving for emergency appointments. Provide first aid interventions pending clinician assessment. Recognise deterioration and improvement in patient status and know when to adjust care plan requirements and when to communicate changes to the clinician in charge. Disseminate information gathered at daily rounds to team members.

4. Communicate with external and internal parties including referring vets, clients, clinical pathology laboratory and the postmortem room. Respond to advice calls and either deal with the call where appropriate or collect the appropriate information and pass it to the relevant clinician. Triage out-of-hours emergency calls and make appropriate decisions regarding emergency cases, liaising with the duty vet as required.

5. Responsible for ensuring stock levels of drugs and consumables are maintained, ensuring the best value source is used for drug supplies and add new stock items to the computer pricing system. Maintain appropriate stock levels in the clinic, theatres and stable areas. Maintain both the pharmacy records and Controlled Drug registers.

6. Dispense prescribed medications and have a good understanding of VMD regulations and administration issues for commonly prescribed veterinary medicines including controlled and cytotoxic drugs.

7. Ensure hospital equipment and instrumentation are handled correctly, cleaned, and maintained to ensure they are kept in good working order. Maintain a high standard of hygiene, cleanliness and organisation throughout area(s) of responsibility.

8. Ensure patients are dealt with correctly and in accordance with the owners' instructions and hospital policy.

9. Ensure all tasks are carried out to the highest standard and that Health and Safety protocols are adhered to.

10. Create accurate and complete client invoices in time for patient discharge to ensure prompt payment is received. Monitor outstanding invoices and bring large outstanding debts to the attention of finance administrators.

11. Maintain RCVS registered status by completing approx. 15 hours CPD each year and by ensuring RCVS retention fee is paid in a timely manner.

12. Ongoing supervision, assessment and training of non-academic staff and students to develop their skills and ensure patient wellbeing at all times. This includes performing staff and student inductions when they first enter an area of responsibility.

13. Any other tasks within the level of responsibility to their role as deemed suitable by their line manager.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

A1 RCVS Veterinary Nursing qualification and fully registered.

A2 Knowledge of many aspects of veterinary nursing, protocols and procedures to ensure the highest standard of care.

A3 Knowledge of current Health & Safety Legislation.

Desirable

B1 Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing or Degree in Veterinary Nursing

B2 Clinical Coach experience or be willing to undertake this training if required.

Skills

Essential

C1 Evidenced ability to perform a range of nursing skills.

C2 Evidenced ability to work largely unsupervised.

C3 Evidenced ability to work well within a team.

C4 High degree of initiative and forward planning.

C5 Excellent communication skills.

C6 Excellent organisational skills.

C7 Evidenced ability to adapt nursing techniques/skills to incorporate latest developments.

Desirable

D1 Good IT skills.

D2 Ability to operate a range of laboratory and diagnostic equipment.

Experience

Essential

E1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the knowledge and skills in a previous veterinary nurse role.

Desirable

F1 Experience of working in a veterinary hospital.

F2 Experience supervising and instructing veterinary or veterinary nursing students.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 5, £28,031 - £31,236 per annum, pro rata+ 33% allowance for Out of hours work

This post is open ended.

Hours: Compressed shift pattern - 70 hours over 6 shifts every two weeks - full time hours (part - time hours to be discussed)

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook , benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

Closing date: 23:45 on 8th September 2026