Nurse Consults: A Strategic Solution for Sustainable Growth in Independent Vet Clinics

In today’s veterinary industry, independent clinics face mounting challenges: overflowing appointment books, rising client expectations, workforce shortages, and financial pressure. Many clinics are looking for practical, scalable ways to improve workflow efficiency, strengthen team engagement, and boost revenue — without burning out their veterinarians.

One of the most effective strategies gaining traction is the intentional implementation of nurse consults — clinical appointments led by trained veterinary nurses that maximise their clinical skills while expanding client care capacity.

This topic was explored in my Independent Vet article, “Nurse Consults: The Missing Link in Vet Clinic Sustainability.”

👉 Read the full published article here:https://independentvet.com.au/nurse-consults-the-missing-link-in-vet-clinic-sustainability/

In this post, I unpack that strategy further, with a focus on an internal competency and wage structure I have personally developed — the Level 4A / Level 4B framework — and how it can be used to combat wage gaps, improve retention, and create meaningful veterinary nurse career pathways.

What Are Nurse Consults and Why They Matter

Nurse consults are client appointments led by veterinary nurses that focus on clinical tasks and client education which do not always require a veterinarian’s direct involvement. These may include:

• triage consultations• post-operative checks• wound and suture checks• behaviour, enrichment, and nutrition education• anal gland expressions• weight management consultations• medication follow-ups and client coaching• patient history gathering

Veterinary nurses in Australia are already trained in many of these skills — yet in many practices, their capabilities are significantly underutilised.

When clinics intentionally offer structured nurse consults, they can:

• increase appointment availability• improve client experience and communication• strengthen preventative and follow-up care• create new billable services and revenue streams• empower nurses with meaningful clinical responsibility

Even reallocating a modest number of consults each day can free up veterinarians for complex cases, reduce stress across the team, and support more sustainable clinic operations.

The Challenge: Wage Competitiveness and Nurse Retention

Across Australia, veterinary nurses are facing:

• low award wages• limited visible career progression• burnout and psychological fatigue• feeling undervalued, despite high contribution

This reality is driving many nurses out of the profession — or into corporate veterinary organisations where structured development frameworks and clearer pay progression are often more defined.

Award wages alone are rarely enough to retain experienced nursing staff long term. Independent clinics need a practical framework that helps them pay nurses fairly, recognise advanced clinical contribution, and provide visible, achievable career advancement opportunities.

The Level 4A & Level 4B Competency Framework

A Model I Have Personally Designed for Independent Vet Clinics

A key highlight of the Independent Vet article is the internal competency and remuneration structure I have developed specifically for independent veterinary practices — the Level 4A and Level 4B framework.

This is not an industry standard, nor a commonly implemented system. It is a strategic model I have created after many years working hands-on in veterinary leadership, operations, and workforce development, to help practices bridge wage gaps, genuinely recognise skill, and retain talented nurses.

Level 4A – Competent Clinical Nurse

This reflects the existing Level 4 award classification for many nurses — acknowledging excellent day-to-day nursing duties and core clinical contribution.

Level 4B – Advanced Nurse Consult Practitioner

Level 4B serves as an internal advancement tier for nurses who:

• are trained and clinically competent• confidently deliver structured nurse consults• take on greater accountability and client interaction• contribute at an advanced clinical level within the practice

By introducing Level 4B, clinics can:

• fairly remunerate higher clinical responsibility• close the pay gap without blowing out wage budgets• provide visible career progression• improve job satisfaction and retention• demonstrate trust and recognition in nursing capability

Instead of “just paying more”, this framework creates fairness, structure, and purpose — aligning remuneration with clearly defined clinical skill and contribution.

How Nurse Consults Improve Operations and Growth

Introducing structured nurse consults alongside a clear competency and pay framework delivers powerful operational and cultural benefits:

Streamlined Workflow

Veterinarians can focus on complex medicine and surgery while nurses manage appropriate clinical appointments — boosting overall clinic capacity.

Better Client Relationships

Nurse-led consults often create space for meaningful conversations, improved education, and stronger long-term client loyalty.

Stronger Team Stability

Recognising and rewarding skill builds pride, ownership, and long-term commitment.

Financial Resilience

Nurse consults create additional billable services with minimal overhead change — helping independent clinics remain sustainable.

Real Results in Clinic Settings

Clinics adopting nurse consult models supported by competency-based frameworks are already seeing:

• higher consult capacity• smoother daily workflow• measurable revenue improvements• reduced stress on veterinarians• stronger team culture• improved retention of experienced nurses

Independent practices, in particular, benefit from being able to offer corporate-level structure while maintaining their independent identity and team culture.

Practical Steps to Implement Nurse Consults and Level 4A/B Frameworks

To successfully introduce this approach in your clinic:

1️⃣ Define Nurse Consult Scope

Identify suitable consult types and create written clinical protocols.

2️⃣ Introduce Structured Competency and Wage Tiers

Implement internal frameworks — like Level 4A and Level 4B — to fairly align pay with contribution.

3️⃣ Train & Support Nurses

Provide confidence, guidance, and structured skill development.

4️⃣ Integrate into Your Booking System

Make nurse consults visible, bookable, and supported operationally.

5️⃣ Communicate the “Why”

Ensure vets, nurses, and clients understand the value of this model.

Read the Full Published Article

For the full discussion and original insights, you can read the Independent Vet article here:

👉 https://independentvet.com.au/nurse-consults-the-missing-link-in-vet-clinic-sustainability/

How I Support Clinics With This Work

Through Unlock Veterinary Consulting, I work directly with independent practices to:

• design and implement nurse consult programs

• review and set wage structures and pay frameworks

• develop competency and tiered progression systems

• support retention and workforce strategy

• improve team sustainability and performance

If your clinic wants to implement nurse consults confidently, improve retention, or create meaningful nursing career progression pathways, I’d love to help.