The Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital (QVSH) is seeking an experienced and motivated Small Animal Head Nurse to lead our inpatient nursing team. QVSH provides 24-hour multidisciplinary small animal referral care, alongside supporting a growing first opinion practice. Our inpatient nursing team plays a central role in ensuring safe inpatient care, effective patient flow, and high-quality support for clinical teams and students.
Role
As Head Nurse, you will lead and develop the inpatient nursing and Veterinary Care Assistant (VCA) teams, ensuring consistently high standards of care across all inpatient areas. You will hold professional oversight of nursing practice, driving operational efficiency and fostering a positive, collaborative working and learning environment. Working as part of the hospital’s operational leadership structure, you will be responsible for ensuring that nursing provision, staffing models, and patient care processes support the effective delivery of clinical services.
Responsibilities
- Ensure high standards of patient care and smooth day-to-day operations.
- Oversee workforce planning, staffing, and patient flow with clinical and leadership teams.
- Support service delivery, continuous improvement, and compliance.
- Foster a positive learning environment and support staff and student development.
- Provide flexibility to support a 24/7, 365-day service, including weekend rota participation.
Qualifications
- Experience as a Registered Veterinary Nurse.
- Strong background in small animal practice.
- Demonstrable leadership experience.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills.
- Commitment to high standards of care, collaborative working, and service improvement.
Benefits
- 41 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays.
- Generous defined benefit pension scheme.
- Flexible working arrangements, with scope for informal hybrid working.
- On-site parking (subject to need/availability).
- Enhanced family friendly policies.
- Access to a dedicated Personal and Professional Development team.
- Wellness programme including Occupational Health team and staff counselling.
- Staff discount scheme including shopping vouchers.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Travel to work loans.
- Eye care voucher scheme.
- Discounted gym membership.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…