Volunteers Needed to Foal Sit
Thursday, December 18, 2003
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
Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the world's premier veterinary schools. Founded in 1884, the School was built on the concept of Many Species, One Medicine™. The birthplace of veterinary specialties, the School serves a distinctly diverse array of animal patients, from pets to horses to farm animals at our two campuses. In Philadelphia, on Penn's campus, are the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital for companion animals, as well as classrooms, laboratories and the School's administrative offices. The large-animal facility, New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square, Pa., encompasses hospital facilities for the care of horses and food animals as well as diagnostic laboratories serving the agriculture industry. The School has successfully integrated scholarship and scientific discovery with all aspects of veterinary medical education.
Visit us on-line at www.vet.upenn.edu