PHILADELPHIA -- New Bolton Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) needs volunteers to "foal sit." The NICU operates this volunteer program from January through June, enlisting up to 100 volunteers. The foal sitters are trained to 'sit' with critically ill newborn foals to insure that the patients' tubes and catheters are not pulled out.

Other duties may include assisting with a variety of diagnostic tasks, restocking medical supplies, watching high risk pregnancy mares for signs of foaling, and helping with standing and turning of the foals and other neonates. Volunteers are needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The George D. Widener Hospital, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's teaching hospital for large animals, is located at New Bolton Center, near Kennett Square, Pa.

"Last spring we treated more than 180 neonates, primarily foals, but also calves, kids, lambs, and crias, which are baby llamas or alpacas," says Dr. Jon Palmer, director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. "Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit specializes in treating critically ill farm animal neonates. Young animals less than 30 days old are considered neonates." The NICU staff not only cares for neonates but also attends approximately 100 births and cares for almost 70 high-risk pregnancy cases.

The busy NICU sends 84 percent of the neonates home. "Our high success rate is in large part due to the team approach to our intensive care, and a major part of that team is focused on nursing care. The nursing effort is directed by specialized veterinary nurses who are helped by lay nursing assistants and a large group of community volunteers whom we call 'foal sitters,'" says Palmer.

Foal sitters come from all walks of life. "Although many of our volunteers are college students thinking about becoming veterinarians, or local horse owners wanting to lend us a hand, we also have RNs looking for a different experience, accountants wanting to spend some time with animals, high school students (16 years or older) fulfilling community service assignments, employees from local businesses that encourage community outreach, and even an occasional senior citizen," explains Patti Gillen, volunteer coordinator.

"You don't need horse experience or a medical background. The most important qualifications are compassion and responsibility. This opportunity to 'sit' with these little patients is very gratifying and worthwhile when you see your foals progress from lying in a coma to running and bucking at the side of their dam as they play outside for the first time."

The NICU staff is currently organizing the Foal Sitting program for this spring. For information about joining the Foal Sitting team, contact the Foal Sitter Hotline at New Bolton Center at 610-925-6445 or email foalsitters@vet.upenn.edu