NURSE JOB SPECIFICATION

SUMMARY JOB SPECIFICATION FOR:
EMERGENCY CRITICAL CARE VETERINARY NURSE

REPORTING TO: JULIA M. BONESS
PRIMARY LOCATION: JULIA M. BONESS VETERINARY HOSPITAL, BEDFORDSHIRE

JOB PURPOSE:
· Provide critical and emergency medical and peri-operative care for a full range of small animal patients.
· Provide a full range of diagnostic support.
· Ensure that all clients and patients are managed with a positive and sympathetic approach.

PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES:
· Provide the best emergency care for all patients at all times, appropriate to client’s wishes and with reference to the protocols currently in force.
· Manage the client’s understanding and perception of the patients condition and the available treatment options.
· Document clearly and fully all treatments and communications with the client and user practices.
· Maintain up-to-date knowledge of new and current emergency treatments at all times.

DIMENSIONS:
· The critical care team will initially comprise 2 vets and 2 nurses to work nights in a 1 in 2 rota providing small animal critical and emergency care.
· There will be four weeks paid vacation, this means you will be contracted to work 24 seven-night shifts pro-rata in a calendar year.
· Patients will be diagnosed and stabilised in preparation for their return to either the client or the user practice. Full clinical notes will be forwarded to user practices in respect of each patient.
· Patients will be cared for by day staff where return to the client or user practice the following day is impractical, e.g. weekends.

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS:
· You will be determined to provide high quality critical and emergency care for the small animal patient, with a compassionate and sympathetic demeanour towards client and patient alike.
· Technically skilled you will have a desire to maintain front-line knowledge of the latest techniques and practices for critical and emergency treatment.
· Preferably with a minimum of 2 years experience as a qualified VN in a commercial small animal practice you will ideally have experience in emergency and critical care and will have specific interest in this exciting area of veterinary work.
· As well as attention to detail you will have excellent skills in documenting and communicating case particulars to clients and user practice professionals with regard for both their personal interest and professional knowledge.

RELEVANT SKILLS (in no particular order):
· Monitoring and maintaining clinical performance
· Personal and professional development
· Basic computer skills
· Accurate systems management and invoicing (paper and electronic)
· Information management
· Managing human resources
· Ethical standards
· Outstanding animal handling skills
· Diagnostic support skills
· Use of modern diagnostic and monitoring equipment
· Time and task management

BENEFITS:
· Competitive salary
· Performance based bonus scheme
· Excellent working conditions in RCVS approved hospital
· 4 weeks paid vacation
· BUPA – subject to successful completion of probationary period
· Pension – subject to successful completion of probationary period

JOB APPLICATIONS:
Please obtain an application form in the first instance from:
Julia M. Boness
Julia M. Boness Veterinary Hospital, 125 Bedford Road, Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire, MK45 4LP
recruit@bedsvets.co.uk