Veterinary Nurse

Job Purpose

Provide a focus between clients, veterinary surgeons, nursing staff and students.  Carry out nursing duties to the highest standard.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Nursing:

Responsible for providing and overseeing the complete nursing care of patients within a recognised specialism in a busy hospital environment.

Prioritise patient care and manage an unpredictable and high intensity workload. Problem solve to ensure best patient care outcomes.

Perform a variety of advanced nursing skills including 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.

Perform nursing clinical examination to 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.

Interpret a range of laboratory test results and know when results need to be immediately reported to clinician in charge of case.

Disseminate information gathered at daily rounds to team members.

Responsible for performing and assisting with prescribed treatment regimens under the direction of the clinician or senior veterinary nurse.

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.

Responsible for co-ordinating, where appropriate, out-patient clinics or clinical investigations. Support services by performing nursing consultations within area of specialism, providing expert nursing advice to clients.

Assist referring vets in managing patients and contact practices to get further information on cases as required by the clinicians.

Deputising for Senior Nurse when absent as directed by the line manager, by supervising area(s) and performing senior nursing tasks with regard to the clinics and inpatients as required.

Employ effective use of consumables within the SAH and ensure appropriate stock levels are maintained.

Ensure hospital equipment and instrumentation is handled correctly, cleaned, and maintained to ensure it is kept in good working order.

Ensure deceased patients are dealt with correctly and in accordance with the owners’ instructions and hospital policy.

Provide clinical nursing cover in all areas of the SAH at weekends & Bank Holidays on a rotational basis.

Maintain a high standard of hygiene, cleanliness and organisation throughout area(s) of responsibility.

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

Supervise and direct veterinary care assistants and students working in area(s) of responsibility.

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

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.

Maintain RCVS registered status by completing approx. 15 hours CPD each year (45 hours in 3 years) and by ensuring RCVS retention fee is paid in a timely manner.

2.Teaching/Training:

Ongoing supervision and training of non-academic staff & students to develop their skills and ensure patient wellbeing at all times.

Assist and support student veterinary nurses with completion of their Nursing Progress Log (NPL)

Assessment of veterinary students during DOPs and OSCE assessments.

Perform the staff and student inductions when they first enter area of responsibility.

Supervise all non-academic staff & students within area of responsibility.

3. Administration:

Maintain paper and electronic patient records, ensuring that all documents are completed fully and in a timely manner.

Responsible for ensuring Health & Safety regulations are adhered to by all staff and students at all times when performing all duties to reduce the risk of infection or injury.

Develop protocols, standard operating procedures and information booklets for the clinic and for clients, keeping abreast of new developments.  Ensure staff and students are familiar with such protocols.

Perform administrative duties out-of-hours including registering new clients, making appointments, creating client invoices and taking payments.

Responsible for updating invoices and ensuring clinicians and clients are notified when agreed quotation limits are being reached.

To accurately complete insurance forms within an area of appropriate specialism as required.

Communicate with clients and insurance companies regarding claims when required.

When delegated by the Line Manager, take responsibility for ensuring that there is an adequate staffing level in area(s) of responsibility in the event of sickness or absence of a Senior Nurse.

4. Research:(where appropriate)

Assist with data collection for teaching and research purposes.

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.

Dimensions

This is a very busy veterinary referral and teaching hospital which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The hospital has a caseload of > 18,000 cases per annum and a turnover in excess of £10M. The hospital is serviced by 83 nursing associated staff, 56 clinicians and 17 management/administrative staff, supporting over 12 clinical specialities and an emergency out of hours first opinion clinic.

Supervision of veterinary care assistants within area(s) of responsibility.

Teaching and supervision of ~ 40 veterinary undergraduate students who are on clinical rotations within the hospital.

Responsible for the individual assessment of a quota of Level 3 Diploma veterinary nursing students each year.

Oversee the smooth running of a nursing service for the referral clients and patients of the Small Animal Hospital.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 5, £25,138 - £29,605 per annum (plus 33% out of hours shift allowance).

This post is open ended and has a compressed hours shift pattern working 6 shifts (70 hours total) every two weeks as follows:

Either 3 shifts on, 1 off, 3 shifts on and 7 shifts off or 2 shifts on, one off, 4 shifts on then 7 shifts off.

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

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.

3 A flexible approach to working.

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

https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/

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