Lead Registered Veterinary Nurse - Wards

DWR Veterinary Specialists is one of the largest specialist multi-disciplinary veterinary referral centres in Europe, offering outstanding levels of clinical care in state‑of‑the‑art facilities. Our dedicated vets, nurses and nursing assistants, supported by the client care teams, are committed to providing the highest quality surgical and medical care for pets. We accept referrals in Anaesthesia, Cardiology, Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Oncology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Physiotherapy, Dentistry and Soft Tissue Surgery. We have comprehensive and established clinical and non‑clinical programmes for training, development and CPD.

The Lead RVN Wards will be responsible for assisting with the efficient and effective leadership of the wards team. This is an opportunity to progress your nursing career, learning from and working alongside experienced leaders whilst still being able to advance your clinical skills. Sharing your skills and knowledge, you will work closely and collaboratively with the Nursing Team Leaders and Head of Nursing Services across the practice to ensure the efficient delivery of outstanding patient care. You will work enthusiastically with the nursing team to help maintain a happy and effective working environment, whilst ensuring practice and group policies are always adhered to. This role is mostly clinical, ensuring the provision of high standards of patient care whilst supporting the needs of the team, with a leadership and coordination focus.

Main purpose & responsibilities:

• Maintain an overview of the wards department and provision of patient care across the team that you supervise, including areas of concerns and potential risk relating to staffing and patient conditions and make decisions to positively impact the situation as required e.g. rota changes.
• Work closely with the wider nursing leadership team to promote positive inter‑team relationships, assist in other areas as required and request your team to do the same, act as a point of contact for wards.
• Demonstrate an excellent work ethic and capability in all nursing duties relevant to inpatient nursing, delivering high standards, working in a systematic way with a holistic approach towards patient care.
• Provide practical training, support and leadership to those working within the wards team and to other associates as required.
• Promote effective communication within the wards and wider clinical teams, to ensure accurate patient treatment plans, transfer of information and thorough handovers.
• Role model appropriate professional behaviours to promote a positive workplace culture.
• Be an approachable point of contact for associates.
• Ensure all associates within the wards team are aware of their roles and are clear on their objectives, implement and support with training plans, CPD and mentoring as required to aid this.
• Take responsibility for the management of isolation cases, including supporting other members of the nursing team about infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases and barrier nursing.
• Promote infection control initiatives to support patient safety and best practice e.g. bare below the elbows policy.
• Ensure the risks of nosocomial infections and cross contamination are minimised by practicing good hygiene.
• Work with the HoNS and Team Leaders to ensure all new nurses entering the business are supported to complete their induction and have a positive experience.
• Complete Performance Development Reviews, Return to Work and other necessary meetings for assigned associates.
• Assist with implementation of PSS and patient welfare initiatives e.g. feline and canine friendly practice schemes.
• Encourage the use of Halo reporting and lead by example in this area, promoting a blame free culture with patient safety at the forefront.
• Support with the creation and implementation of new SOPs as required.
• Work with leadership, purchasing and maintenance teams regarding stock management and to ensure that the required equipment is available and in a usable condition.
• Liaise with HoNS and Team Leaders regarding the cascade of information and feedback, attend leadership, practice and clinical team meetings to ensure that you are kept up to date.
• Encourage your team to also participate and engage with correspondence.
• Comply with the Health and Safety policies.
• Adhere to all H&S and GDPR compliance policies.
• To carry out and be accountable for any specific tasks or responsibilities allocated by the Team Leaders or HoNS, delegating tasks as and when appropriate.

This role would ideally suit an experienced RVN who is looking to progress within leadership, we would consider applicants new to leadership or those who have prior experience. Referral wards nursing experience is not essential but would be desirable, the main attributes would require you to remain calm under pressure, work from own initiative, utilise problem solving capabilities and have excellent communication skills.

DWR is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family‑owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long‑term as opposed to being focused solely on short‑term profits.