Senior Surgical Veterinary Nurse

Lort Smith Animal Hospital | North Melbourne

Permanent Full-Time | Level 4

Join Australia’s Largest Not-for-Profit Animal Hospital

At Lort Smith, we believe every pet deserves the care they need and every person deserves the joy of animal companionship. Since 1936, we've been dedicated to keeping pets and their people together through accessible, compassionate veterinary care, supporting more than 16,000 animals each year.

We're seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Surgical Veterinary Nurse to join our North Melbourne hospital and play a critical role in delivering exceptional surgical and patient care while supporting and mentoring our nursing team.

About the Role

As the Senior Surgical Veterinary Nurse, you will combine advanced clinical expertise with leadership responsibilities to ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care and support smooth hospital operations. You will act as a clinical leader within the surgical team, mentoring nurses, coordinating workflow, and assisting with complex surgical and anaesthetic procedures. This role is ideal for an experienced veterinary nurse who thrives in a fast-paced hospital environment, enjoys developing others, and is committed to achieving the highest standards of patient care and animal welfare.

Clinical Excellence

- Perform comprehensive pre-anaesthetic assessments and patient preparation.
- Monitor anaesthesia and analgesia for routine, advanced, and critical surgical cases.
- Assist veterinarians with routine, emergency, and advanced surgical procedures.
- Support orthopaedic surgeries, fracture repairs, CT imaging, and fluoroscopy procedures.
- Deliver intensive post-operative nursing care and pain management.




- Maintain accurate nursing records, treatment plans, and clinical documentation.
- Ensure high standards of infection prevention, biosecurity, and aseptic technique.
- Participate in emergency response situations and CPR.

Leadership & Mentoring

- Supervise, train, and mentor veterinary nurses within the surgical department.
- Support the onboarding and development of new team members.
- Act as a role model, promoting clinical excellence, accountability, and professional standards.
- Provide operational support and guidance to staff during clinical shifts.
- Contribute to succession planning and career development across the nursing team.

Operational Support

- Coordinate surgical workflow and patient movement through theatre and recovery.
- Monitor equipment, instruments, stock, and supplies to ensure operational readiness.
- Assist with roster coordination and shift coverage when required.
- Participate in clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives.
- Support the Practice Manager and Head of Surgery in maintaining efficient hospital operations.

Client Care

- Build strong relationships with clients through compassionate communication and support.
- Provide transparent and accurate clinical information to assist owners in making informed decisions about their pets' care.




- Assist in managing and resolving customer concerns professionally and empathetically.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

Essential

- Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or equivalent qualification.
- Minimum 5 years' experience as a veterinary nurse across diverse clinical settings.
- Strong surgical and anaesthetic nursing skills.
- Experience working with advanced monitoring equipment and critical care patients.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- A commitment to continuous professional development and evidence-based practice.

Highly Regarded

- Experience in referral, specialty, emergency, or high-volume surgical environments.
- Demonstrated leadership, mentoring, or supervisory experience.

Why Join Lort Smith?

- The opportunity to work in Australia's largest not-for-profit animal hospital.
- Exposure to a diverse and challenging surgical caseload.
- A collaborative and supportive team culture.
- Opportunities for leadership development and continuing education.
- The chance to contribute to an organisation committed to animal welfare, community support, and accessible veterinary care.

Our Values: Together, C.A.R.E.

- Collaborating and Communicating
- Accessible and Adaptable
- Responsible and Respectful
- Ethical and Empathetic

Lort Smith is a great place to work.

We are an equal opportunity employer and actively support workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

As part of the recruitment process, the preferred candidate will be required to satisfactorily complete a National Police Check.

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📌 Senior Surgical Veterinary Nurse (Melbourne)
🏢 @
📍 Melbourne