Job Title

Lead Late Ward Nurse (RVN) Small Animal Hospital, Wiltshire 34,000 36,000 DOE We are looking for an experienced, compassionate Registered Veterinary Nurse with proven leadership experience to join our incredible nursing team as a Lead Late Ward Nurse at our well-equipped and thriving independent small animal hospital in Wiltshire.This is a unique opportunity to take on a key leadership role within our hospital, supporting both inpatient care and hospital flow during the critical afternoon and evening period. You will work alongside a highly supportive team and benefit from a varied caseload that offers genuine scope for professional growth and development. The Role As our Lead Late Ward Nurse, you will play a central role in ensuring the smooth running of the wards, supporting the discharge team, and preparing the hospital for the out-of-hours period.Working alongside the Lead Ward Nurse, you will take over responsibility later in the day, ensuring continuity of care, strong team coordination, and high clinical standards are maintained through to evening handover.This is a leadership and coordination role with a strong hands-on clinical element. You will not be allocated to a specific ward but will instead: Maintain full oversight of all inpatients across the hospital Delegate and distribute workload fairly across the nursing team Support and guide nurses delivering inpatient care Work alongside the Late Ward Nurse to provide hands-on inpatient care, including treatments and monitoring Support the Discharge Nurse and ANA to ensure efficient patient flow and high standards of client care Key Responsibilities Receive a full inpatient handover from the day Lead Ward Nurse and maintain oversight of all cases Support and coordinate the discharge process, ensuring medications, instructions, and documentation are accurate and timely Allocate nursing resources effectively to support both the Late Consulting Vet and the Out-of-Hours Vet Ensure smooth workflow between wards, consults, and ongoing inpatient careA key part of the role is preparing patients for handover to the out-of-hours team. You will be responsible for ensuring: All treatments, monitoring, and required checks are completed Clinical notes are accurate and up to date Medication, fluid, and monitoring records are fully completed All necessary paperwork is in placeAny omissions in care or documentation must be identified and followed up appropriately to maintain high standards. Working Pattern This is a full-time role of 40 hours per week, working 12:00pm 8:30pm.Weekend duties follow a 1-in-7 rotation, covering an 8-hour shift on both Saturday and Sunday: 7:30am 4:00pm or 10:00am 6:30pm With Monday and Tuesday off in lieuWe have our own dedicated out-of-hours team, so there is no requirement to work OOH. What Were Looking For RCVS Registered Veterinary Nurse Previous leadership experience is essential Strong clinical knowledge, particularly in inpatient care Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills Confident delegation and decision-making ability Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach Ability to remain calm and effective in a fast-paced environmentYou will be working closely with the Lead Ward Nurse, Theatre Lead Nurses, and the Nursing Director, so building strong relationships across the team is key. Your Role in Patient Care Our nurses play an active role in shaping the care we deliver, and your professional opinion will be valued throughout the patient journey.We fully support Schedule 3 procedures and encourage nurses to utilise and develop their skills. Training, CPD & Professional Development 1000 CPD budget + paid CPD leave Fully funded additional CPD (including Schedule 3 training where beneficial) Regular in-house training sessions Monthly 1:1 mentoring to support development and wellbeing About Us We are a fiercely independent practice, with Directors who work within the hospital and know every member of staff personally. With an RVN on our board of Directors, the nursing voice is always represented at management level.We have a clear and supportive management structure, including team leads, managers, and Directors, and we place a strong emphasis on wellbeing and worklife balance.We are proud to have: A Social Committee organising events throughout the year A Sustainability Committee helping reduce our environmental impact A Wellbeing Team focused on mental health and support How to Apply For further information or to submit an application (including CV and covering letter), please contact:Lyndsay Hughes [email protected] Type: Full-timePay: 34,000.00-36,000.00 per yearBenefits: Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Free parking Gym membership Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Sick payLicence/Certification: RCVS Registration (required)Work Location: In person