Head Veterinary Nurse
About The Position
Animal Eye Care, Australia’s premier veterinary ophthalmology referral practice, is seeking an experienced Veterinary Nurse for a permanent, full-time position. This role offers a rare opportunity to work in a specialist environment with excellent work-life balance, structured support, and above-award remuneration. The clinic, based in Melbourne, has been a leader in veterinary ophthalmology for over 30 years, known for its gold-standard care and commitment to continuing education. The culture emphasizes professionalism, kindness, collaboration, and respect, with a strong belief that great patient care starts with looking after its people. The position involves a 38-hour work week across a 4-day schedule, Monday to Friday, with no routine weekend work and only a rotating on-call roster averaging one weekend every six weeks. Dedicated reception and Vet Nurse Assistant support are provided, allowing the nurse to focus on patient care and clinical excellence. The role includes training and development of other staff, anaesthesia monitoring, medication administration, surgical and medical procedure support, client communication, maintaining cleanliness, instrument sterilization, light reception duties including triage, and training others to be ophthalmic assistants.
Requirements
- Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent)
- Minimum 5 years’ nursing experience
- Strong interest in anaesthesia and surgical nursing
- Excellent communication and client-care skills
- Calm, mature, and professional approach
- Strong organisation and time-management abilities
- A team-first mindset and commitment to high standards of patient care
- Australian citizenship or valid working visa
Responsibilities
- Training and developing Vet Nurses and Receptionists
- Monitoring anaesthesia and maintaining accurate anaesthetic records
- Administering medications and managing IV catheters
- Supporting surgical and medical ophthalmology procedures
- Communicating clearly with clients, including detailed discharge instructions
- Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and organisation in wards and theatre
- Instrument cleaning and sterilisation with assistant support
- Light reception duties, including emergency triage and appointment coordination
- Training others to be an ophthalmic assistant, including: Ophthalmic histories and basic eye examinations, PLR, menace response, Schirmer Tear Tests, and tonometry
- Working closely with veterinarians, nurses, and reception staff to deliver exceptional care
Benefits
- Above-award remuneration
- Specialist ophthalmology training and skill development
- Dedicated Vet Nurse Assistant support
- Experienced reception team to minimise non-clinical workload
- Advanced equipment
- Regular team meetings, training sessions, and professional development support
- Monthly check-ins with the Practice Manager
- Paid parental leave for primary and secondary carers, plus a return-to-work bonus
- Health & wellbeing support including 24/7 EAP with Sonder and Mental Health First Aid networks
- 100+ everyday discounts on fuel, groceries, travel, entertainment, and health insurance
- Pet benefits including savings on pet care and insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
