Veterinary Charge Nurse

Veterinary Specialty Charge Nurse

ARISE Veterinary Center | Full-Time | $29–$36/hour

Schedule: Four 10-hour shifts — Monday–Thursday or Tuesday–Friday
Department: Specialty
Reports to: Specialty Department Head

Join ARISE Veterinary Center, a 24-hour emergency and specialty animal hospital providing advanced care for complex veterinary cases. As a Veterinary Specialty Charge Nurse, you will provide hands-on veterinary nursing care while serving as a leader, mentor, and resource for the specialty support team.

This role combines veterinary patient care, team leadership, staff development, specialty medicine, and hospital operations. You will help ensure the specialty department runs efficiently, patients receive high-quality care, and team members have the training, support, and direction they need to succeed.

What’s in it for you

• $29–$36/hour, based on experience and qualifications.

• Full-time schedule with four 10-hour shifts.

• Choose from a Monday–Thursday or Tuesday–Friday schedule.

• Work in a 24-hour emergency and specialty veterinary hospital.

• Partner with highly skilled veterinarians and specialty teams caring for complex cases.

• Play an active role in training, mentoring, and developing veterinary support staff.

• Grow your leadership skills while remaining connected to hands-on veterinary medicine.

• Participate in developing hospital processes, policies, and standard operating procedures.

• Work in a collaborative environment focused on patient care, team development, and continuous improvement.

In your day-to-day you will

Specialty Veterinary Leadership

• Serve as a hands-on leader and resource for the specialty veterinary team.

• Help organize daily department workflow to ensure patients, clients, veterinarians, and support staff are appropriately supported.

• Lead by example in patient care, professionalism, communication, teamwork, and client service.

• Conduct beginning-of-shift huddles and communicate priorities, updates, and operational needs.

• Monitor department operations and help ensure responsibilities and workflows are completed appropriately.

• Identify opportunities to improve patient care, team efficiency, and departmental processes.

• Work collaboratively with the Specialty Department Head and hospital leadership to address challenges and implement solutions.

Veterinary Technician Training & Development

• Partner with the Training & Development team to ensure new and existing support staff receive effective training.

• Participate in interviewing and selecting veterinary support staff, including Veterinary Technicians, Veterinary Technician Assistants, Client Service team members, Laboratory Technicians, Kennel Assistants, and Doctor’s Assistants.

• Mentor and coach team members in veterinary nursing techniques, patient care, hospital procedures, and professional development.

• Ensure appropriate veterinary medical techniques and hospital protocols are consistently followed.

• Identify individual training needs and coordinate additional education or coaching when needed.

• Document training, coaching, and performance-related conversations.

• Support staff leveling and advancement by reviewing established criteria and benchmarks.

• Participate in mid-year and annual performance reviews.

Team Engagement & Leadership

• Build a positive, supportive, and collaborative specialty team environment.

• Encourage professional growth and identify opportunities for team members to develop their skills and careers.

• Recognize team members' strengths and identify areas where additional support or development may be beneficial.

• Proactively address disengagement, communication challenges, or behaviors that may negatively impact team morale and retention.

• Address performance concerns appropriately and partner with hospital leadership on coaching and corrective action when necessary.

• Follow up on coaching and performance expectations to ensure progress is being made.

• Model professionalism and discourage negative behaviors, gossip, and unproductive workplace dynamics.

• Participate in leadership development opportunities and continue building veterinary and supervisory knowledge through continuing education and professional development.

Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as a communication bridge between specialty support staff, veterinarians, hospital leadership, and other departments.

• Hold regular check-ins with team members to promote open communication and engagement.

• Participate in leadership and hospital meetings to identify opportunities for improvement and promote consistency across departments.

• Communicate hospital policies, procedures, and organizational updates clearly to the specialty team.

• Build strong working relationships with other department leaders to support a cohesive hospital environment.

• Communicate effectively with clients and help resolve questions, concerns, or complaints when appropriate.

Hospital Operations

• Help ensure the specialty department has the supplies and equipment needed to provide uninterrupted patient care.

• Partner with the Inventory Specialist to maintain appropriate inventory levels while staying within departmental budget expectations.

• Monitor department needs and identify potential shortages or operational concerns.

• Help ensure hospital policies, procedures, and safety standards are consistently followed.

• Support compliance with applicable OSHA and workplace safety requirements.

• Participate in the development and implementation of department policies and standard operating procedures.

• Approach operational challenges with a solution-oriented mindset and advocate for improvements that benefit patients, clients, and team members.

What You Bring

• Veterinary technician experience in specialty, emergency, critical care, surgery, internal medicine, or another advanced veterinary setting.

• Strong clinical veterinary nursing skills and a commitment to high-quality patient care.

• Previous experience leading, mentoring, training, or supervising veterinary technicians or veterinary support staff.

• Ability to coach team members and provide constructive feedback.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with veterinarians, veterinary technicians, support staff, clients, and hospital leadership.

• Ability to organize priorities and maintain effective workflow in a fast-paced veterinary hospital.

• Strong judgment and the ability to make appropriate decisions while knowing when to escalate concerns.

• A collaborative, professional, and solution-oriented approach to leadership.

• Commitment to compassionate patient care and exceptional client service.

• Ability to adapt to changing hospital needs and competing priorities.

• Interest in continued professional development and veterinary leadership.

About ARISE Veterinary Center

ARISE Veterinary Center is a 24-hour emergency and specialty animal hospital providing advanced veterinary care for complex cases throughout the Western United States. Our highly skilled clinical team works collaboratively across specialties including neurology, internal medicine, dermatology, oncology, and surgery to provide exceptional care for our patients.

At ARISE, you'll work alongside experienced veterinary professionals in a collaborative environment where clinical excellence, teamwork, compassionate patient care, and continued learning are valued.

Perks & Benefits 

• Competitive compensation 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 

• Paid time off, including vacation and sick leave 

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage 

• Life insurance 

• Retirement savings options 

• Continuing education (CE) allowance and professional development support 

• Employee assistance program (EAP) 

Ethos Veterinary Health, part of the NVA Group, is where you come to practice world-class medicine, and help shape what veterinary care becomes next.  Across our network of 140 specialty and emergency hospitals, science moves forward, standards are elevated, and innovation is put into practice every day. You’ll work alongside respected veterinary leaders in academic-caliber hospitals designed for learning, teaching, and discovery. Here, mentorship is a two-way street. You’ll share your expertise, learn from others, and continue togrow, clinically, professionally, and personally. 

At Ethos, you inspire hope, deliver exceptional care, and pursue veterinary medicine at its highest level, together. This isn’t just a job, it’s an opportunity to practice medicine at the highest level and help shape the future of veterinary care. 

Candidates can confidentially submit their CV to Talent Acquisition Partner Myrna Flores at [email protected] 

Equal Opportunity Employer 
Ethos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Ethos does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, competence, merit, and business need.