Veterinary Dermatology Nurse, Brisbane (Albany Creek, Kenmore, Underwood)

Veterinary Dermatology Nurse, Brisbane (Albany Creek, Kenmore, Underwood)

Animal Dermatology Specialist - Albany Creek QLD

If you have nursed in dermatology before, or you are an experienced veterinary nurse curious about the field, we would like to hear from you.

Skin and ear problems are familiar to almost every veterinary nurse. In referral dermatology, you work with skin and ear cases in much greater depth, and many of the patients referred are those with complex or chronic disease that needs ongoing management rather than a single course of treatment. You may follow the same dog or cat for years, see them through flare-ups, help their owners make treatment manageable at home, and see the difference as a patient who has lived with ongoing discomfort or pain becomes comfortable again.

The clinical nursing component of the role is both hands-on and technically varied, combining diagnostic work with sedation, anaesthesia and specialist procedures. As much of what is treated is long term, it is also a role built on relationships with owners and referring clinics.

Key responsibilities

Depending on your experience and progress through training, responsibilities will include:

• Perform intradermal allergy testing under direction of dermatology vets
• Initiate and manage allergen-specific immunotherapy, including rush induction protocols
• Nurse sedated and anaesthetised patients through preparation, monitoring and recovery of video otoscopy, complex ear flushing, biopsies and CO2 laser procedures
• Collect and prepare cytology samples and help identify common findings
• Help owners understand and follow their pet's treatment plan, including medication and skin and ear treatments at home
• Perform administration duties, including record keeping, bookings, updates to referring vets and GapOnly claims

About you

• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or an equivalent qualification
• Sound clinical nursing skills, with two or more years of experience preferred
• Clear, professional communication with owners, colleagues and veterinarians
• An interest in client education, which is an important part of dermatology nursing
• Organisational skills to balance procedures, nurse appointments and case administration
• A current driver's licence and willingness to work across the three clinic locations

About us

Dermatology is all we do. Animal Dermatology Specialist is an independently owned and operated referral practice led by Dr Evie Knight, a dual board-certified veterinary dermatologist. Our clinical team includes two specialists, a registrar, a resident and an experienced dermatology nursing team working across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Townsville. We work alongside general practices and multidisciplinary specialist hospitals across Queensland, and they trust us with complex skin and ear cases.

We work alongside general practices and multidisciplinary specialist hospitals across Queensland, and they trust us with complex skin and ear cases. We are looking to expand and are recruiting two nurses as a result. This is the Brisbane position, with a separate Gold Coast position being advertised.

This role works across our Underwood, Kenmore and Albany Creek clinics. Your schedule will be discussed with you during the recruitment process.

How we'll train you

We have a structured dermatology nurse training program in place, which starts with understanding what you already know and plans your training from there. You will have time and supervision for unfamiliar work, and the skills you already have will be recognised. Training is organised around how much supervision you need: routine checking at first, then limited oversight as you take on the full range of dermatology nursing and become fluent in our systems and processes. Your pay band follows that progression.

You will work alongside an experienced and supportive dermatology nursing team who are used to bringing new nurses into the specialty. Our senior nurses each have between four and nine years of dermatology experience. If dermatology is new to you, they will take you through it step by step. If you already have dermatology experience, your onboarding will focus on our systems, equipment and the areas you would like to develop further, and you will work across the full breadth of the specialty, including rush immunotherapy, venom desensitisation and CO2 laser surgery, alongside our clinicians.

Hours and benefits

• Full-time hours are preferred for this role, and they can be worked over four or five weekdays. However, part-time arrangements with a minimum of three days per week will also be considered
• No weekend, public holiday, after-hours or on-call work.
• FIGS uniform provided
• Access to a comprehensive staff discount app covering a wide range of everyday stores
• Employee Assistance Program
• Access to colleagues trained in Mental Health First Aid
• Several other benefits we can talk through with you
• Experienced nurse new to dermatology: $35 to $37 per hour. The step to the next band comes when you are carrying out the full range of dermatology nursing responsibilities with limited supervision and without routine checking of your work, and you are working confidently within our systems and processes. That step and its expected timing will be set out in your offer, so the general guide for your progression is provided before you start
• Specialty dermatology-experienced nurse: $38 to $40 per hour, for nurses who already work independently across dermatology nursing. The upper end is reserved for our most senior dermatology nurses, who understand our systems and processes, own an area of our clinical work or operations, and can guide and lead the development of other nurses new to dermatology across our sites
• Plus 12% super and 17.5% annual leave loading
• Where you start within a band depends on the dermatology and general nursing experience you bring and how much supervision you will need at the outset, and we will talk that through with you before an offer is made.
• If you are a nurse who is open to working across all of our locations on a more flexible roster, let us know. It is not a requirement of the role, but a flexibility loading is paid on top of your hourly rate for as long as that arrangement is in place, and it is set out in your offer.

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