Internal Medicine Veterinary Nurse

Job Description Summary

The University of Pennsylvania's Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital is seeking a skilled, compassionate, and highly motivated Internal Medicine Veterinary Nurse to join the Outpatient Internal Medicine Service. This role supports the delivery of advanced specialty care in a fast-paced, academic teaching hospital environment.

The Internal Medicine Veterinary Nurse provides high-level technical nursing care, assists with complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and serves as a key liaison between clinicians, clients, and the broader hospital team. This position plays a vital role in patient advocacy, clinical workflow coordination, and the education of veterinary students, interns, and residents.

This role includes participation in the hospital's holiday schedule and isolation/wards coverage as part of shared clinical responsibilities.

Job Responsibilities

Patient Care & Clinical Support

• Provide advanced nursing care for outpatient internal medicine patients across a range of specialty services, including gastroenterology, endocrinology, hepatology, nephrology, and immune-mediated disease.
• Perform technical procedures including venipuncture, IV catheter placement, ECG placement, blood pressure measurement, and collection of blood, urine, fecal, and cytology samples.
• Assist clinicians with advanced diagnostics and procedures such as ultrasound preparation, endoscopy support, fine needle aspirates, and biopsies.
• Prepare, administer, and monitor sedation and anesthetic protocols for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• Continuously monitor patients during and post-procedure and respond appropriately to changes in patient condition.

Client Communication & Case Coordination

• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients by providing intake, discharge education, and follow-up communication.
• Review treatment plans and medication instructions with clients and manage prescription refill requests.
• Coordinate diagnostic results, referrals, and ongoing case updates in collaboration with clinicians and house officers.

Clinic Operations & Workflow

• Support daily clinic operations by coordinating patient transport, case triage, room readiness, and patient flow.
• Maintain accurate and detailed documentation in the hospital's electronic medical record system.
• Ensure proper handling, labeling, and submission of laboratory samples.
• Adhere to hospital safety standards, infection control protocols, and isolation procedures.

Teaching & Team Collaboration

• Support the hospital's academic mission by assisting in the clinical instruction of veterinary students, interns, and residents.
• Model best practices in patient handling, technical skill execution, and client communication.
• Collaborate with nursing leadership and specialty teams to improve clinical standards, workflow efficiency, and patient outcomes.
• Participate in service meetings, training initiatives, and professional development activities.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum of 1 year of experience working with hospitalized small animals in a specialty or emergency setting.
• Demonstrated proficiency in sedation monitoring, diagnostic support, and advanced technical nursing skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environment.
• Must be a certified veterinary nurse- CVT/RVT/LVT

Preferred

• Experience in internal medicine, specialty practice, or academic teaching hospitals.
• Familiarity with electronic medical records and complex case coordination.
• Interest in mentorship, clinical education, and professional development.