About us

Lort Smith is Australia’s largest not for profit animal hospital, vet clinic and adoption centre. Combining warm welcome and compassion, our mission is to improve the health and happiness of animals and the people who care for them. For 85 years, the communities we serve benefit from accessible quality animal healthcare and wellbeing.

Through its people, Lort Smith Animal Hospital is a brains-trust of enormous talent and skills. We are a highly-educated and well-trained cohort, joining a team that is equal parts passionate, professional, and curious.

About the role

Based at North Melbourne, our redeveloped hospital will allow you to enjoy all the benefits of working in a contemporary facility specifically designed to optimise animal health and wellbeing. You will work together with a team of Vets and Nurses to deliver high quality, affordable animal care to all members of the community.

About you

You are confident in your knowledge and skills to care for our patients alongside your supportive team. We empower you to deliver a high level of communication and professionalism. You find motivation in delivering quality veterinary nursing and a genuine commitment to helping people and the animals they love.

You will also have:

• Formal qualifications in Veterinary Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing or Certificate IV Vet Nurse
• Additional study such as NCert (ECC/anaesthesia), VTS (ECC/surgery/anaesthesia & analgesia) will be highly regarded
• Proven experience nursing in an ECC department or equivalent emergency setting
• Minimum of 4 years in an animal shelter, veterinary practice or hospital environment and must have been actively working in this setting as recently as the last 3 months
• Triage skills – Being able to manage multiple emergency cases concurrently - patients may vary in species from domestic small animals, to Exotics and wildlife
• Ability to communicate clearly with the Veterinary team on best plan for triaged patients
• Proven ability to monitor waiting patients, while also triaging incoming patients
• Anaesthesia experience with critical patients such as FLUTD cats, enterectomy and enterotomy procedures
• Specific experience, knowledge and understanding of capnography, doppler and oscillometric blood pressure monitoring
• Experience in monitoring anaesthetics for general procedures and/or emergency procedures (must have been monitoring anaesthetics consistently as a minimum for the last 2 years)
• High emotional intelligence and self-awareness
• Ability to work well in a large diverse team

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• Choice of flexible and varied rosters
• Outstanding support from a highly skilled team
• Wellbeing support, EAP and in-house chaplaincy
• Generous CPD & study leave allowances, ongoing professional development & regular learning forums
• Interesting and diverse caseloads – it’s never boring
• Access to our own high-quality equipment to perform top level veterinary practices
• Great discounts on veterinary treatment, products and pet insurance
• NFP Salary sacrificing & leave loading
• Pet friendly policies – you can bring your pet to work
• A diverse team environment – we offer sponsorship for the right applicants, including professional visa application assistance for international vets and nurses

To learn more about Lort Smith and the work we do, please visit: lortsmith.com or look us up on Instagram.

Contact us via [email protected], using the subject line: Vet Nurse - Emergency & Critical Care enquiry via EthicalJobs, if you'd like us to send you a position description.

If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and making a difference, please apply directly via this ad.

Lort Smith is a great place to work. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively support workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Preferred applicants will be asked to consent in writing for Lort Smith Animal Hospital to conduct a police check and each application will be individually considered on its merits.

Please contact [email protected], using the subject line: Vet Nurse - Emergency & Critical Care enquiry via EthicalJobs, if you would like further information.