We report herein the enhancement of output power and optical efficiency of a quasi-three-level Nd:YVO₄ laser through a double-end polarized pumping scheme, which improves the usually insufficient pump absorption of the short laser gain medium with low doping concentration, and meanwhile alleviates the influence of thermal effect. 17.7 W laser output at 914 nm is obtained under the launched 808-nm pump of 53.0 W, corresponding to an optical efficiency of 33.4%.