Registered Veterinary Nurse - Lead Theatre Nurse

Kernow Vet Group; London; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Kernow Vet Group is seeking a skilled Registered Veterinary Nurse to take on the role of Lead Theatre Nurse in Barnet. This full-time position involves overseeing surgical activities, supporting the nursing team, and ensuring exceptional patient care in a progressive veterinary hospital. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience, strong organisational skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Along with a competitive salary up to £35,000, the position offers multiple benefits including CPD support, annual leave, and a relocation allowance.

Benefits

6.6 weeks annual leave

Private Medical Insurance

Cycle to Work scheme

£550 CPD allowance

Discounted gym membership

Pension scheme

Birthday paid day off

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years experience in a hospital or surgical setting.
• Confident in anaesthesia, surgical preparation, and post-op care.
• Excellent communication skills with a passion for continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate surgical activities and mentor the nursing team.
• Ensure the smooth running of surgical theatres and optimize scheduling.
• Maintain surgical equipment and manage stock.

Skills

Anaesthesia

Surgical Preparation

Post-op Care

Leadership

Communication Skills

Education

Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN)

Job description

Registered Veterinary Nurse - Lead Theatre Nurse

Are you a skilled and organised Registered Veterinary Nurse with a passion for surgery? We’re looking for an exceptional Lead Theatre Nurse to join our busy, multi-disciplinary veterinary hospital in Barnet. This is a fantastic opportunity to combine hands-on clinical work with leadership and coordination responsibilities in a supportive, forward-thinking environment.

As our Lead Theatre Nurse, you’ll be responsible for the smooth, efficient running of our surgical theatres, ensuring gold-standard care for every patient. This is a full-time role working 40 hours per week across 8-hour shifts. Shifts typically start at 8:00am, with an occasional later shift required approximately once every six weeks. You will also take part in our Saturday rota, working one in six weekends.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll coordinate surgical activities, mentor and support the nursing team, maintain surgical equipment, and manage stock and consumables. Your role will involve liaising with vets and reception to optimise scheduling, maintaining accurate theatre records, and ensuring patient flow is seamless. This is an exciting opportunity to work across a varied caseload including orthopaedics, soft tissue, and emergency surgery.

About You

We’re looking for an experienced RVN (minimum 3 years, ideally in a hospital or surgical setting) who thrives on organisation and leadership. You’ll need to be confident in anaesthesia, surgical preparation, and post-op care, with excellent communication skills and a passion for continuous improvement. Previous leadership experience is an advantage, but training and support will be provided for the right candidate.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be part of a collaborative, highly skilled team in a hospital setting that offers access to advanced equipment and technology. We actively encourage CPD and professional development, with opportunities to take on further training and responsibilities.

We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary of up to £35,000 DOE and a £2,000 relocation allowance, you will benefit from:

Work Life Balance

• 6.6 weeks annual leave
• Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
• Your birthday as a paid day off
• Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Private Medical Insurance
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing, including discounted gym membership
• Non-accidental injury support

Development

• £550 CPD allowance with 24 hours paid pro rata
• Certificate Support
• Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
• Access to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia provider
• All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding
• Infection Prevention and Control Programme
• Quality Improvement Programme

Professional Memberships

• VDS cover
• RCVS fees

Additional

• Pawsome Benefits – reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with 100’s of retailers
• Pension – 5% Employee/3% Employer
• Discounted staff pet care

Wood Street Veterinary Group, Wood Street Vet Hospital

74 Wood Street, Barnet, Barnet, EN5 4BW, United Kingdom

At IVC Evidensia we are a committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

Any questions before applying?

Speak to Elliott Burgin from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.