Primary Care Veterinary Nurse – VicVet Primary Care

Primary Care Veterinary Nurse

VicVet | Whittlesea, VIC | Full-time

Great nursing. More autonomy. Exceptional patient care.

Hi, we’re Michaela, Megan, Kate and Josh and we are the management team at VicVet Primary Care.

We’re looking for a passionate and experienced full-time Veterinary Nurse to join our growing team.

Located in Whittlesea, VicVet is a purpose-built veterinary hospital bringing Primary Care and Emergency & Referral services together under one roof. We’re committed to delivering exceptional patient care while creating a supportive, collaborative and progressive workplace where our people can do their best work.

Most importantly, we want our nurses to nurse.

We believe Veterinary Nurses should be empowered to use their skills, develop new ones and work with increasing autonomy. Our philosophy is simple: if it doesn’t need to be done by a veterinarian, we want to train and support our nurses to do it.

Whether that’s taking dental X-rays, performing scale and polishes, placing IV catheters, running nurse consultations, performing local and regional nerve blocks, monitoring anaesthesia or developing more advanced clinical nursing skills — we want our nurses actively involved in patient care.

Within appropriate professional scope and clinical oversight, the sky is the limit.

Why Join VicVet?

Autonomy & Clinical Development: We want to build highly skilled, confident Veterinary Nurses. You’ll be encouraged to take ownership of appropriate aspects of patient care and develop practical skills that genuinely expand what you’re able to do in practice. If there’s a clinical nursing skill you’re interested in learning, we want to have that conversation.

Varied Clinical Nursing: This is a genuinely hands-on nursing role. You’ll work across surgery, anaesthesia, dentistry, hospital care, diagnostics, consultations and preventative healthcare. We don’t want talented nurses spending their careers watching veterinarians perform tasks they’re capable of being trained to do themselves.

Collaboration: Greater autonomy doesn’t mean working alone. We believe great veterinary care comes from great teamwork. Our vets, nurses and reception teamwork with mutual respect, open communication and shared responsibility for our patients.

Wellbeing: We’re committed to creating a people-first, sustainable workplace. Our facilities include on-site accommodation and a dedicated staff lounge, alongside access to our Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health First Aid support.

About the Position

As a Primary Care Veterinary Nurse, you’ll work closely with our veterinarians and nursing team to deliver excellent clinical and patient care across the department.

This is a hands-on clinical nursing position. You’ll be encouraged to use your existing skills, learn new ones and progressively take greater ownership of appropriate clinical responsibilities.

We want to create an environment where our nurses can work towards the top of their scope and where veterinarians and nurses complement one another rather than unnecessarily duplicating skills.

Your role may include:

• Providing high-quality nursing care to hospitalised and day patients.
• Preparing patients for surgical and diagnostic procedures.
• Assisting veterinarians with routine and advanced surgical procedures.
• Anaesthetic preparation, induction assistance, monitoring and recovery.
• Providing pre- and post-operative patient care.
• Performing dental scale and polishes and take dental x rays.
• Performing local and regional nerve blocks where appropriately trained and under veterinary direction.
• Supporting diagnostic procedures, including blood collection, laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging.
• Placing intravenous catheters and performing other appropriate clinical procedures.
• Assisting veterinarians during consultations and procedures.
• Performing nurse consultations within your scope of practice.
• Providing preventative healthcare and client education, including nutrition, parasite prevention, weight management and post-operative care.
• Administering medications and treatments as directed by the treating veterinarian.
• Monitoring patients and promptly communicating changes in their clinical condition.
• Maintaining accurate patient records and clinical documentation.
• Preparing and maintaining surgical, dental, treatment and consultation areas.
• Maintaining high standards of infection control, hygiene and biosecurity.
• Supporting efficient patient flow and day-to-day clinical workflow.
• Communicating professionally and compassionately with clients about their pets’ care.
• Working collaboratively with veterinarians, nurses, reception and the wider VicVet team.
• Supporting smooth patient transfers between Primary Care and Emergency & Referral when required.
• Contributing ideas and constructive feedback to support continuous improvement across the hospital.
• Participating in ongoing training and professional development.

And this list isn’t intended to define the limit of the role. If there are additional nursing skills you’d like to develop, we want to support you to learn them.

About You

We’re looking for a Veterinary Nurse who:

• Holds a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or equivalent qualification.
• Has experience working in a general practice veterinary nursing environment.
• Is confident with surgical nursing and anaesthetic monitoring.
• Takes pride in excellent patient care and attention to detail.
• Wants to use their nursing skills rather than simply assist from the sidelines.
• Is excited by the opportunity to develop greater clinical autonomy.
• Is keen to learn new practical skills and continue expanding their capabilities.
• Is comfortable working across consultations, surgery, dentistry and hospital nursing.
• Communicates professionally and compassionately with clients and colleagues.
• Enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Is organised and able to prioritise competing clinical demands.
• Is proactive and willing to help wherever needed during a busy shift.
• Brings a positive and respectful approach to teamwork.
• Is committed to maintaining high clinical, hygiene and patient-care standards.

You don’t need to arrive already knowing how to do everything. We’re looking for someone with a strong foundation, the right attitude and a genuine appetite to learn.

What We Offer

At VicVet, we believe great patient outcomes start with great people.

You’ll have access to:

• Competitive hourly rates reflecting your experience.
• Generous clinic discounts for your own pets.
• VNCA membership paid for, with AVNAT registration encouraged.
• VetEducation membership and ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Structured opportunities to develop practical clinical nursing skills and greater autonomy.
• Opportunities to develop across surgery, anaesthesia, dentistry, diagnostics, consultations and hospital patient care.
• Exposure to a multidisciplinary hospital environment, with Emergency & Referral services on site.
• Discounts across a range of retail, travel, fitness and health providers.
• Free, confidential Employee Assistance Program support for you and your family.
• A supportive workplace focused on collaboration, learning and delivering excellent veterinary care.

Location & Lifestyle

VicVet is located in Whittlesea, in Melbourne’s northern growth corridor.

Whittlesea combines a relaxed, semi-rural lifestyle with convenient access to Melbourne. With local parks, walking trails and a strong community atmosphere, you can enjoy life outside the city while remaining connected to major shopping hubs, schools and transport links.

Join Us

If you’re a Veterinary Nurse who loves general practice, wants greater clinical autonomy, enjoys being hands-on with your patients and wants to keep developing what you’re capable of doing as a nurse, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now with your resume and cover letter, or contact Stef at [email protected] or 0400 825 105 for a confidential chat.

VicVet – There for you. There for them.