Raising the Bar for Veterinary Nursing: The Urgent Care Veterinary Nurse Role
August 13, 2025
At Pet+ER in Hunt Valley, Maryland, an innovative new role is reshaping how veterinary teams deliver care. By introducing an Urgent Care Veterinary Nurse, the hospital has elevated the impact of credentialed veterinary nurses while improving patient flow, reducing wait times, and enhancing the client experience.
Why it Matters
In busy emergency and specialty hospitals, stable patients often wait long hours while doctors focus on critical cases. This can lead to client frustration, team stress, and missed opportunities for veterinary nurses to fully use their training. The Urgent Care Veterinary Nurse role flips that script—allowing credentialed veterinary nurses to coordinate non-critical cases under DVM oversight. The result: smoother workflows, stronger collaboration, and patients receiving timely, compassionate care.
Impact in Action
Since launching, the program has dramatically reduced the number of clients leaving without care, relieved pressure on doctors, and unlocked new professional growth opportunities for veterinary nurses. Veterinary Nurses in this role have gained confidence and advanced clinical skills while contributing directly to better patient outcomes and client communication.
A Model for the Future
This approach underscores the importance of empowering credentialed veterinary nurses to practice at the top of their license. Our vision is for the Urgent Care Veterinary Nurse position to create opportunities for Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS), whose advanced training allows them to further elevate patient care and professional growth. It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about elevating the profession, fostering collaboration across the care team, and ensuring every patient, whether critical or stable, receives the attention they deserve.
At Ethos, we believe this model offers a glimpse into the future of veterinary medicine: one where veterinary nurses plays an even greater role in driving excellent patient care and exceptional client experiences.