Head Veterinary Nurse
Alora Vets, Bathgate
Salary up to £36,000 depending on experience plus a relocation allowance up to £1,000
Alora Vets are looking for an enthusiastic Head Nurse to lead and inspire our close-knit team. As our new Head Nurse, you will be responsible for maintaining and improving our high standards of patient and client care whilst working together alongside your team, performing clinical duties as required. We would love you to help us continue to progress together as a practice, bringing new ideas and you will have full autonomy to create protocols and make team improvements whilst being fully supported by our management team.
This role will include:
1. Managerial and clinical work
2. Expand client facing clinical aspects of nurse role such as nurse clinics.
3. Effectively manage nurse rotas to maximise utilisation of individuals skills and interests.
4. Assist in training of our Student Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Care Assistants.
5. Laisse with all roles within the practice to enable smooth running of day-to-day clinical work.
6. To attend management meetings, both locally and at an area/regional level, as well as run local nurse team meetings.
7. Perform routine performance reviews with all members of nursing team.
8. Develop and drive hygiene practices within the surgery.
9. Have a proven track record in developing client and patient care particularly improving and driving inpatient care.
10. Stock control of both consumables and drugs with an ordering role.
11. Management of controlled drugs.
12. Effectively manage equipment maintenance and purchasing.
13. Developing practice SOPs with an eye on SVN training and PSS assessments.
We care about your work/life balance
We offer flexible working patterns that flex with you and your lifestyle. Whether you are looking to flex your rota hours to balance the school holidays, fix to navigate the school runs or just looking to strike that balance between home and work life. We can offer flexibility that actually works for you.
This is ideally a full-time role (40hours) over 4-5 days however we understand that work life balance is important, and we are happy to be flexible with your work pattern for the right candidate. We would require you to take an equal share in the 1:6 weekends (Saturday 8.30-1.30) with TOIL the following week. Whilst Vets Now cover our OOH provision, we do look after some of our more stable in-patients and you would be expected to participate in a 1 in 5 rota for this however as our Veterinary Surgeon team take the lead on cases, this aspect is minimised.
About our practice
Alora Vets is based within a modern, purpose-built premises situated in Whitburn, just off the M8 and almost exactly halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh making us very convenient for travel. We are a busy first opinion practice with a broad range of cases. We have five full time Veterinary Surgeons who have a wide variety of clinical interests from laparoscopic surgery to acupuncture and even the occasional work for the nearby Owl Sanctuary!
Join our friendly and supportive team!
Our nursing team consists of two full time and one part time RVN’s, two second year SVN’s which are soon to qualify and two first year SVN’s. We are lucky to have two RVN clinical coaches who are instrumental in the continuing education of our keen and very able students. We are eager to encourage further nurse led clinics and schedule 3 procedures where appropriate and as our Head Nurse you would be actively involved in promoting learning throughout our team within an open and honest working environment. Our two ACA’s are vital to our team providing plenty of TLC to our patients and team alike. Our support team is made up of our Practice Manager, Insurance Co-ordinator and our amazing five strong reception team ran by our Head Receptionist who are instrumental in the smooth running of our day.
We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from –
Work-life balance
14. 6.8 weeks annual leave
15. Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
16. Your birthday as a paid day off
Wellbeing
17. Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
18. Private Medical Insurance
19. Cycle to Work scheme
20. Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing, including discounted gym membership
21. Non-accidental injury support
Development
22. £550 CPD allowance with 24 hours paid pro rata
23. Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
24. Access to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia provider
25. All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding
26. Infection Prevention and Control Programme
27. Quality Improvement Programme
Professional Memberships
28. VDS cover
29. RCVS fees
Additional
30. Pawsome Benefits – reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with 100’s of retailers
31. Pension 5% Employee/3% Employer
32. Discounted staff pet care
As a BAME and LGBTQ+ inclusive employer, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.