Vet Clinic Employer of Choice: VetsOne - Hawke's Bay NZ - Vet Nurses Brooke and Abi - ep.1013

Julie South [00:00:05]: Welcome to Veterinary Voices Employer brand conversations that help veterinary clinics hire great people. I'm Julie South and this is episode 1013. Veterinary Voices is brought to you by VetClinicJobs. Build your employer brand. Do your own recruitment. Better.

Continuing our VetsOne Employer of Choice series, today you'll hear from two veterinary nurses, Brooke and Abi. Brooke's been at VetsOne for two years.

Julie South [00:00:42]: It's her second clinic. She'll tell you what changed when she moved from somewhere without support to somewhere with it.

Abi's a vet tech grad, originally from Malaysia, studied at Massey University here in New Zealand. She relocated to the Hawke's Bay knowing no one and had an idea she wasn't sure how to put forward to management until she was.

Both will answer a question that matters. What does support really and actually look like when it's not just something written in a job ad?

VetsOne in Hastings is currently looking for their next small animal veterinarian, someone with leadership potential who wants to help guide their companion animal team. If that sounds like you, you can find the direct link for more info in the show notes. Now let's join that chat with Brooke.

Brooke [00:01:49]: I'm Brooke. I've been a veterinary nurse for two years at VetsOne. This is my second job as a vet nurse.

Julie South [00:01:56]: The difference between your first job and life at VetsOne, can you talk about some of those differences that you have especially noticed?

Brooke [00:02:06]: At my first clinic job, I didn't have a lot of support, but at VetsOne, I've noticed a big step up. There's been a lot of support, a lot of good banter as well, a lot of which I didn't have at my previous clinic. I've really enjoyed learning and growing as a vet nurse and I have had that support to be able to do that.

Julie South [00:02:27]: Can you tell me what that support looks like, please?

Brooke [00:02:31]: If I'm having a rough day, I know that my other teammates will help support me. They'll pick up in areas where I'm not feeling 100% and they'll just make sure that I'm okay. They'll make sure that everything's looked after and that I'm looked after as well.

Julie South [00:02:47]: What does CPD look like and upskilling look like for you as a vet nurse at VetsOne?

Brooke [00:02:56]: With CPD, I really enjoy being able to have time to be able to do that. I have had a lot of courses available, so at the moment I'm doing palliative care and hospice care for our patients.

I've had a lot of support from my team members doing that. The directors are really on board in helping with that and I've recently been to a course in Auckland for emergency care and I really enjoyed that and I was able to do that through VetsOne.

Julie South [00:03:26]: Palliative care. Sounds pretty special, pretty sad.

Brooke [00:03:31]: It is, but it's definitely something that I love. I didn't realise I had such a passion for it when I started my vet nurse journey. But especially working at VetsOne, I've come to love it and it's amazing. So I'm hoping that I can further my passion and interest in it.

Julie South [00:03:51]: Is there anybody else in the clinic that has an interest like that or are you it?

Brooke [00:03:56]: There are other vets and another nurse that's interested in that. And so we all get together and share our ideas on what we can do to better the palliative care process and protocols for the clinic.

Julie South [00:04:07]: How are your clients receiving that?

Brooke [00:04:09]: I think they're really appreciative of it. Obviously in the moment it can be hard to express how they feel, but at the end of the day they know that we've done our best and that we've done what we can for them.

Julie South [00:04:22]: I read that you are contemplating a bachelor's degree. Have you started that? Are you still contemplating?

Brooke [00:04:30]: I haven't started that yet, just because I do have major life events coming up. But it's still in my plans to do that and I think VetsOne will definitely support me in that sort of process.

Julie South [00:04:42]: Might one of those major life events be a wedding?

Brooke [00:04:46]: Yes.

Julie South [00:04:48]: When is that?

Brooke [00:04:49]: That is November next year, 2026.

Julie South [00:04:52]: It's going to be on you before you even know it.

Brooke [00:04:55]: I know, I'm very excited, but it's coming about pretty quickly.

Julie South [00:05:00]: What would you describe as your favourite piece of equipment or kit that you really enjoy using?

Brooke [00:05:09]: This is not an electronic piece of equipment, but it's definitely the vet nurses. I think we don't see ourselves as sort of pieces of equipment, but without us we wouldn't be able to do what we can for the patients and everything. So I think definitely the team of vet nurses.

Julie South [00:05:29]: That's the second time I've heard that vet nurses are the favourite piece of kit. It's good to hear. Has vet nursing lived up to your expectations as a career?

Brooke [00:05:38]: Well, to be honest, I didn't really know what I wanted to do outside of high school. I've always loved animals, as I'm sure many of us do in the industry. Otherwise why would we be doing it. But I didn't really have a sort of plan when I wanted to leave high school and then I took a gap year and then I stumbled across the course at EIT and I thought, that seems like me.

And so I didn't really know what to expect. But I have had probably the best four years of my life so far.

Julie South [00:06:09]: How would you describe the vets at VetsOne?

Brooke [00:06:13]: They're good to get along with. They honour what we say, they understand that we have a job to advocate for the patients and so they really do listen to us and I appreciate that they do take into consideration what we have to say.

Julie South [00:06:28]: What sort of vet do you think would fit best into the team?

Brooke [00:06:34]: I think a vet that would best suit our team would be one that can have a good laugh but can also get the job done. One that has experience and, yeah, is a good laugh, knows what they're doing and just can get along with everyone. One is willing to share their knowledge.

Julie South [00:07:00]: Just got one more question. Is there anything that you think would be good for a new employee, somebody thinking about applying for a job, to know that I haven't asked you?

Brooke [00:07:15]: The vet nursing team is great.

Julie South [00:07:17]: You have to say that.

Brooke [00:07:19]: No, but we're pretty cool.

Julie South [00:07:21]: What does pretty cool mean? Come on, tell me.

Brooke [00:07:24]: We get the job done but we give each other a hard time, but in a good way. So if we really want someone that can join us and just slot in and be as if they've been with us for years, I think we just need someone that will gel with us pretty well.

Julie South [00:07:41]: Can you remember back two years and what it was like when you joined VetsOne?

Brooke [00:07:47]: It was pretty daunting at first, but in my first IDR, my first check in, I remember my supervisor saying that it's been as if I've been here for years. That's just how well I've slotted in, but also how accommodating everyone's been.

Julie South [00:08:05]: Did it feel like you had been there that long as well?

Brooke [00:08:08]: Yeah, it felt like I was just part of the team. Even though I'd been there for one to three months. Yeah, I think it was between the one to three months. Felt like I'd been there for quite a long time.

Julie South [00:08:21]: You've just heard Brooke talk about the difference support makes—teammates who pick up the slack on rough days, directors who back your training goals, and discovering a passion for palliative care she didn't know she had.

Coming up next is Abi. She's a Massey vet tech graduate who relocated from Palmerston North to Hawke's Bay knowing no one. She'll tell you about an idea that sat in her head for months because she thought it might flop.

Let's continue the conversation.

Abi [00:08:48]: I am Abi and I am a veterinary nurse and I work primarily with small animals. Sometimes I do do a little bit of large animal work because that's also one of my interests.

Julie South [00:08:59]: You have a veterinary technician qualification from Massey University. Why are you... Traditionally vet techs are usually large animal nurses. I use air quotes here. How did you end up as a small animal nurse?

Abi [00:09:17]: I did vet tech. So pretty much the entire degree you kind of learn three different things, which is small animals, large animals, equine. And I actually decided to pursue the more large animal side of stuff because I had no prior experience with anything production animals and I just wanted to have that little bit of experience.

And my goal coming out of it was that I wanted to ideally work in a mixed animal practice so do a bit of small animal work. And I thought VetsOne kind of offered both mostly small animals, which is something I like and I'm used to and I do kind of get to dip my toes into the large animal world a little bit and I do like that.

Julie South [00:09:58]: I hear an accent.

Abi [00:10:02]: Yes.

Julie South [00:10:03]: Tell me about your accent.

Abi [00:10:06]: I am from Malaysia. I was born and raised there and when I was 18, so about nine years ago I decided to move here to pursue my studies and live here.

Julie South [00:10:16]: You came to New Zealand as a student, is that correct?

Abi [00:10:20]: Yeah.

Julie South [00:10:22]: I've got two questions. What did you know about New Zealand before you moved here and what was it like as a student?

Abi [00:10:32]: What I knew about was mostly the countryside. That was the main reason why I wanted to move here. I was fortunate enough to actually come to New Zealand years prior for a holiday because my sister was moving here and we kind of explored the place and went on a road trip and I fell in love with the place so I decided I would also do the same thing.

Coming here as a student was quite beneficial that I had my sister with me. She did look after me a little bit and she had a car to take me places, grocery shopping and things like that. It was a little bit scary at first it was like a huge culture shock for me. But I found the right friends and then started just becoming like one of the Kiwis. So I love it. No regrets.

Julie South [00:11:20]: What sort of culture shocks did you experience?

Abi [00:11:23]: I think the biggest one is the party culture because it's pretty much non existent back home or you know, you're meant to be studious and study and work but here was a little bit more laid back and you prioritise yourself not really anything else, which is something I like here.

Back home is just a little bit of a different mindset. And here is just something that speaks to me a bit more.

Julie South [00:11:46]: Would you say that we still have the party culture? I'm kind of getting the impression that it's a bit sort of boozy.

Abi [00:11:56]: Well, not too boozy. But we do have a bit more fun. I mean, despite no matter how old you are or your relationship status. Yeah, you can go out and have fun. It doesn't mean you have to drink, but...

Julie South [00:12:10]: And that's different to how you grew up, is that what you're saying?

Abi [00:12:13]: Yeah.

Julie South [00:12:14]: I'm presuming you would have grown up in a city much bigger than either Palmerston North, where you did your studies, or in the Hawke's Bay where you're living now. How was that as a transition?

Abi [00:12:32]: It actually wasn't too bad. Well, moving into Palmy. Palmy is a lot smaller than the Hawke's Bay, to me, I think. And it's not much to do. Palmy's Palmy.

Moving to Hawke's Bay, I really enjoyed it. At first it was a little bit scary because I didn't know anyone in Hawke's Bay. I've been in Palmy for five years. I had my friends. It felt like my second home. So moving to Hawke's Bay seemed quite far away.

But I was lucky enough that I found a flat and that person that lives in the flat became my best friend. And then I met other people through there. It's quite a nice social place. It's not too social, but you can find your friend groups, which is quite nice.

I really loved the fact that there's a lot to do outdoors. You've got the mountains close by and you've got the ocean close by. It's the best of both worlds. And it's not too busy, but busy enough that you can have fun and make friends and do different things. Lots of hobbies and sports that you can do. It's great.

Julie South [00:13:33]: So what do you do?

Abi [00:13:34]: So I play tennis, I do a bit of pottery, I do a bit of running and I do a bit of pole dancing, which I'm learning. So, yeah, there's lots of different things that you can find.

Julie South [00:13:47]: Is there a pole dancing studio in where you are?

Abi [00:13:52]: Yeah, yeah, there's one in Napier.

Julie South [00:13:54]: And do you live in Napier or Hastings?

Abi [00:13:59]: I live in Napier, but obviously I work in Hastings.

Julie South [00:14:02]: What's the commute like for you?

Abi [00:14:04]: I would say a normal commute, if you're not talking about peak hours, would probably take about 20 minutes or so. If you're going through in the morning traffic or after traffic might take about half an hour.

But I do actually come to Hastings quite early in the morning because I gym in Hastings before work, so I kind of avoid that entire morning traffic. But you get used to it. I personally like driving, and I find the longer commutes, you've got a lot of time to kind of think about your day and just wind down, and it's nice. I don't mind it.

Julie South [00:14:40]: This isn't your first job, is it?

Abi [00:14:43]: No.

Julie South [00:14:44]: How does it compare working at VetsOne to your former job?

Abi [00:14:50]: I think VetsOne, it gave me a lot more opportunities to kind of expand into my interest, and I felt a lot more supported here. It definitely kind of made my learning skyrocket a lot faster than it did in my previous place.

At my previous place, I kind of felt a little bit stagnant because there wasn't anything much to keep learning. So that's when I decided, okay, I need to move on and find another place, just because I considered, at that time, myself a new graduate. And there was a lot more stuff I didn't know, and I just wasn't getting the opportunity.

Julie South [00:15:26]: Can you describe to me or tell me, please, what you mentioned? Two words there that clicked with me or stuck with me. One is being supported in your professional interests, and the other was the support that you've received. So what does that look like at VetsOne?

Abi [00:15:47]: I would say this, like, different teams. So within the nursing team, a lot of them are a bit more senior than I am, and they taught me new things, and not just teaching me how to do stuff, but explaining why they do things a certain way and the outcome and how to correct things if things go wrong or, you know, things like that.

And the other one is my higher ups, I would say, like Sharon or my team leader. They kind of... I went to them with ideas that I wanted to start, and they kind of helped me bring that to life pretty much. So, yeah.

Julie South [00:16:23]: What does a good day look like?

Abi [00:16:26]: I think this question just depends on the person. I love a busy day. I like to be running on just adrenaline or, like, not having my breaks or doing lots of emergency stuff. I thrive off of that, and it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

So I love a good, busy day. But obviously also being able to have my breaks, my scheduled breaks and things like that, and just having a bit of banter within your teammates, like it's not too serious here. We joke around, we talk about personal stuff and we have some laughs.

Julie South [00:17:00]: What's your favourite procedure?

Abi [00:17:03]: I find myself leaning a lot towards anaesthesia and surgery. I just like being a part of monitoring them. I don't know. There's just like. There's just something about keeping something alive whilst it's cut up that I really like. I really enjoy that role specifically.

Julie South [00:17:22]: Do you have any pets of your own?

Abi [00:17:25]: I don't. Unfortunately, living situation wise, I can't. My landlord doesn't allow me to, which is so unfortunate. I just moved to this flat a few months ago, and I was hoping that because it had a backyard that I could potentially get a dog. Nope, that is not the case. But when I did live in Palmy, I did have a dog.

Julie South [00:17:46]: What was the dog?

Abi [00:17:48]: I had a rottweiler.

Julie South [00:17:50]: Oh, cool.

Abi [00:17:51]: Yeah.

Julie South [00:17:52]: Loved rottweilers. So I haven't had one, but one of my neighbours when I was growing up had two. Oh, wow.

Abi [00:17:58]: Yeah.

Julie South [00:17:58]: They were just... They weren't particularly large. One was 32 kilos and the other one was 35.

Abi [00:18:07]: Yeah.

Julie South [00:18:07]: They were the biggest, softest, wussiest, and most amazing, loyal...

Abi [00:18:15]: Yep.

Julie South [00:18:15]: Yeah.

Abi [00:18:16]: I couldn't agree more.

Julie South [00:18:17]: Loved them. Yes. Unfortunately, rottweilers have a bad rep.

Abi [00:18:22]: Yes, they do. But I try to stand up for them as much as I can just because I understand that and I know why people conceive them or perceive them in a bad way. But I try to educate people as much as I can.

Julie South [00:18:35]: Abi, what would you describe as your favourite piece of equipment or kit as a vet nurse?

Abi [00:18:45]: That's a tough question. I will actually have to say my stethoscope. I probably use that the most. And it was a present from my parents for my 24th birthday. It's just something that means a lot to me. It looks cool. I love it. I use it almost every day.

Julie South [00:19:03]: Before you applied for the position at VetsOne, did you know anything about the clinic at all?

Abi [00:19:11]: I knew a little bit because one of my friends, Brooke, that you would have interviewed before, we actually worked at our previous clinic together and we got really close and then she moved here and a few months later, I decided to come through as well.

So I knew a little bit about the team and their workload and how the people are, and that's what made me actually apply.

Julie South [00:19:35]: So describe the workload.

Abi [00:19:37]: It kind of varies depending on the month season. We tend to find summer leading into spring, summer, it gets a little bit more busier, and then during the winter kind of falls a little bit.

But then even so, like week by week, if you're looking at it, it kind of goes in waves up and down. Like last week, we were a little bit more on the quiet side. This week we're really busy. But yeah, definitely spring, summer, it does get busy. I find over Christmas, New Year period, we do get a lot of puppies and kittens, so it's nice.

Julie South [00:20:09]: How about the clients? What are the clients like?

Abi [00:20:12]: I love the clients that we have here. They are really understanding. They really show their gratitude. We get lots of chocolates and snacks from them or even baking. And they, yeah, they're really good.

Julie South [00:20:26]: The nurses have week about rosters. You're on one thing for a week and the vets rotate day by day. How are you finding that as a nurse? Do you like it?

Abi [00:20:42]: I actually don't mind it at all. I think it's nice that we get to do different rotations because you get to experience different things and you're not just stuck in one. Because a lot of us, we've got our own likes and dislikes about one particular one. We've got different passions that we like to focus on. So just going through that makes it a little bit more even.

And there's, you know, no arguments or anything about, I want to do this or I want to do that. And just working with different vets is quite nice as well because you learn different things because everyone has a different way of going about doing something. So you learn a lot.

Julie South [00:21:17]: Are there any questions that you would like me to ask that you think it's important from somebody outside to know?

Abi [00:21:27]: I think the big thing, especially we're talking about VetsOne is the team culture where we socialise a lot. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a question you might need to ask or just, or maybe let them know, but we do like to plan lots of things, whether it's in work or outside of work.

We also hang out outside of work. So it's just nice to kind of have someone that also wants to be social and do little things.

Julie South [00:21:54]: Would there be pressure on somebody to do that?

Abi [00:21:57]: Oh, absolutely not. A lot of people here, of course they have got families and partners, so they live quite far away. So obviously they don't, unless it's right after work. Then they might join us for a drink or two. But absolutely no pressure.

Julie South [00:22:11]: So if somebody is not a very extrovert person and just wants to separate work from home, yeah, that's okay.

Abi [00:22:21]: Yep. Absolutely no judgement.

Julie South [00:22:24]: What sort of vet do you think would fit in best in the clinic?

Abi [00:22:29]: Someone, I would say, who is friendly. They like to have a bit of banter here and there, lots of team building and definitely respect for your teammates, which I think goes a long way and just being open to different ideas or new ideas and sharing them with your team.

Julie South [00:22:45]: And I hear that the directors are very receptive when the team comes to them with ideas or suggestions. Have you put any of those forward yourself?

Abi [00:22:58]: Yes, I've kind of gone through a few things. I've done a few projects here, recently started my own weight management clinic that I'm offering to clients. So that was a bit of a two month thing in process where I just pretty much mentioned it to Sharon and my team leader and she said, yep, you've got my full support. Plan it out and then we can go from there.

So we've just done that and then we also do a lot of things for our team members. Like next week is Mental Health Awareness Week and also Vet Nurse Appreciation Week. So I'm planning out the Vet Nurse Appreciation Week and I've gone ahead and asked them, can I do this, can I do that, can I do a bit of morning tea? Can the girls wear fun scrubs for the day. And they're like, yep, absolutely.

Julie South [00:23:42]: Your weight management programme, has that started yet?

Abi [00:23:47]: Yep. So started about mid last month, and it's been going well so far.

Julie South [00:23:52]: What does it feel like to have this idea? And now here it is. It's happening.

Abi [00:24:00]: I wish I would have started it earlier. I think I was a little bit scared and a bit intimidated because my way of thinking was, what if it's a flop? Or what if no one signs up and then it's, like, embarrassing. Or I'll start it tomorrow. That's kind of the most common mindset that I have, and I just wish I actually started sooner and actually was like, no, let's actually do this. Let's plan it now. And because it turned out better than I expected.

Julie South [00:24:29]: So this weight management, I'm presuming it's for cats and dogs that need to trim down. Yes.

Abi [00:24:36]: Yeah. Mostly trimmed down. But if even if we kind of have the opposite where they're trying to put on some healthy weight, I don't mind either. Which is why I named it weight management, not weight loss. Yeah. Most of them.

Julie South [00:24:49]: How have your clients received it?

Abi [00:24:51]: Most of them have received it with a very open mindset, and they're aware of things. Obviously there's a small minority that are like, no, no, I'm not interested. No, my dog's fine. My cat's fine, which is completely fine.

We do try to remind them and, you know, educate them on why it's so important that they're not on the bigger side or not on the smaller side, and why it's important to maintain them at a healthy weight. And at the end of the day, we just do our best and try to educate them.

Julie South [00:25:21]: Are you the new kid on the block?

Abi [00:25:24]: No. No, I'm not. I've been here for a year and eight months, and we've had one other nurse join after me, and we've had two new grad vets that joined.

Julie South [00:25:41]: Two nurses. Different backgrounds, same experience.

Brooke found teammates who pick up the slack on rough days, directors who back her palliative care and emergency training, a supervisor who told her after just a few months, it felt like she'd been there for years.

Abi found a clinic that helps her learn faster by working with different vets every day. And when she finally mentioned her weight management clinic idea, the one she'd been sitting on for months, the director said, yes, you've got our full support.

Support that's real, not just written in job ads. Directors who back your ideas and as Brooke put it, a team where we give each other a hard time, but in a good way.

Coming up next is Dr Sharon Marshall, one of VetsOne's three directors. Dr Sharon knew at age 5 she would be a veterinarian. Never imagined doing anything else. Now she's choosing to step back from clinical work to focus on building the team. You'll hear why that choice made sense and what it means for the vet joining her team.

Julie South [00:26:42]: A quick note about what you're hearing in this series: this depth of employer brand storytelling, multiple team members, genuine stories, cultural specifics beyond just job requirements. This is what makes recruitment really work.

When clinics struggle to get suitable applicants despite advertising for months, it's because they're posting job adverts without showing who they really are. Veterinary professionals can't choose you if they can't see whether they'd actually fit.

VetsOne isn't just posting a job ad hoping the right person sees it. They're showing veterinary professionals what working there genuinely looks like through real veterinary voices sharing real stories. That's employer brand marketing in action and why they attract people who actually want to work there. People who, as you're hearing, choose to work at VetsOne.

If you are responsible for recruitment at your clinic and thinking, yes, we have stories like that, but you don't quite know how to capture or share them, then please email me julie@vetclinicjobs.com. I would be excited, tickled pink, over the moon to chat with you about how we can help you build this kind of genuine and authentic employer brand story through our REAL+STORY framework as well.

And if you're a vet that knows that you have leadership in your bones, you're just waiting for the right clinic to make your next move. You can find the full details for the position at vetclinicjobs.com/vetsone. Link in the show notes.

Until next time, this is Julie South signing off and inviting you to go out there and be your most fantabulous self. Because, like Brooke and Abi, you deserve to work somewhere that backs your ideas and picks you up on rough days.

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