From the fast-paced wards of a busy Glasgow hospital to leading referral teams at a national level, Arlene Connor’s career has been shaped by her love of teamwork, adaptability and purpose-driven leadership. Qualifying as a veterinary nurse in 2003, Arlene quickly found her home in hospital practice, thriving on the unpredictability and shared determination that define referral work. Over the past two decades, she has progressed through senior clinical and leadership roles with Vets Now and IVC Evidensia, championing high standards, developing people, and supporting teams to deliver exceptional care – even on the toughest days. Now back where her referrals journey began as Hospital Director at Vets Now Glasgow, Arlene continues to lead with heart, honesty and an unwavering commitment to her teams.
Please give a brief summary of your career path so far:
I qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003 and worked in a variety of small animal practices across central Scotland, including one of the large PDSA hospitals in Glasgow. It didn’t take me long to realise I was a “hospital person”, I loved the pace, the variety, the size of the team, and the unpredictable nature of each day.
In 2013 I joined Vets Now’s 24/7 Specialist Referral and Out of Hours Hospital in Glasgow as a surgery nurse, before becoming Clinical Nurse Manager in 2014. Alongside people leadership, the role included workflow co-ordination of a busy clinic floor, which taught me to lead with agility, adaptability and calm decision-making under pressure. I genuinely thrived in that environment, some of my most rewarding days were when plans changed completely to make way for ECC referrals and OOH cases, and the team still delivered to an exceptional standard, while making sure everyone had what they needed (including lunch).
In 2017 I became Head of Clinical Operations across Vets Now’s Specialist Referral Hospital sites, leading on clinical and professional standards, standardising processes, education programmes and new site development. In 2021 I joined IVC Evidensia as National Referral Nursing Lead, supporting referral hospitals across the UK and helping establish the first UK Referrals Board. In 2023 I undertook a secondment as Interim Hospital Director at Hamilton Specialist Referrals and joined the RCVS RVN Preliminary Investigation Committee. In 2024 I returned home to Vets Now Glasgow as Hospital Director, where my referrals journey began, and I couldn’t be happier.
What is it about your work that enthuses you and brings you satisfaction?
For me it has always been about the team. I thrive in large referral hospitals with an unpredictable caseload, I love the buzz and the sense of shared purpose. When I still worked clinically, the days that often seemed impossible were the days I enjoyed most, because that’s when you see the best of people and teamwork coming through. Now, the satisfaction comes from supporting teams to do their best work, removing barriers, and creating an environment where both patients and colleagues feel cared for and supported, even on the hardest days.
What is the biggest challenge to staying passionate in your veterinary career you’ve overcome, and how did you approach it?
I started student nursing in 2000, so after almost 26 years I’ve definitely faced challenges. Early on, as someone who is naturally a perfectionist and always striving to do better, I struggled with the gap between what we were taught and what was sometimes possible in practice. I found it frustrating when standards felt inconsistent. Over time I learned that not everyone shares the same expectations, and that wider pressures, staffing, workflow, leadership, resources, often shape what teams are able to deliver.
Around eight years into the profession, I also genuinely thought I’d reached my limit. I left the profession completely and retrained in another sector, but it didn’t take long to realise it wasn’t right for me. What I missed was the purpose, the pace and the people. I returned to nursing with a stronger sense of what mattered.
The turning point was referrals, I found my niche in that environment. One ongoing challenge now is learning to “stay in my lane” in non-clinical leadership roles. I’m someone who finds it hard to see a team struggle without stepping in, but I’ve learned that lasting impact comes from improving systems and support, not just personally jumping in. I still get the same buzz I always did, and I can’t imagine leaving referrals.
What advice can you share with others embarking on similar paths about finding fulfilment in their veterinary career?
I think fulfilment in your career is very personal. Progression isn’t always about climbing a ladder, it can be moving sideways, learning something new, deepening clinical skills, or finding the right environment and culture. For me, the team is everything. Even when I moved into central roles, leaving the team I’d grown with was one of the hardest parts, and returning to the hospital where my referrals journey started has genuinely felt like coming home.
No workplace is perfect and the profession is under real pressure. If you spend years chasing the “perfect job”, it can drain your passion. Instead, focus on what matters most to you, values, team connection, development and impact.
My biggest advice is to say yes. Try things. Push yourself even when you don’t feel ready. Most of us experience imposter syndrome in some form and I certainly do, but growth often comes from taking opportunities before you feel fully confident. Work hard, be curious, and don’t be afraid to move roles to find your niche. Often it isn’t the profession that people fall out of love with, it’s the situation they are in.
What best sums up your approach to keeping yourself and your team motivated and engaged within veterinary careers?
I’m very people-led, I believe motivation comes from teams feeling supported, valued and listened to. I lead by being present, and when times are tough I will step in and help, I think teams need to see that their leaders are willing to get involved and support them in reality, not from a distance. I also believe in honest communication, even when it’s not the news people want to hear. Transparency builds trust. Ultimately, I want people to feel they belong, that their wellbeing matters, and that we are working towards something together.
What do you feel would most benefit job satisfaction in the veterinary professions, and how could we work towards implementing this?
Ensuring time and energy is invested into developing clearer pathways, particularly for those who want to remain in the profession but move into non-clinical roles. We are losing vets and nurses at an alarming rate, and with them we lose invaluable skill and experience. By creating structured development pathways, mentorship, and training opportunities beyond traditional clinical routes, we can retain talented people and protect the depth of knowledge the profession relies on.
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