General Nursing (wards)
The Wards department functions as an area to house all non-critical, non-infectious animals during their hospitalization and to provide an environment conducive to student education. These areas include Internal Medicine, Orthopedics, Soft Tissue Surgery, Fluid Therapy, and Isolation.
The Wards Nursing Staff is presently is available Monday through Friday during clinic hours. Additional nursing staff provides 24 hour nursing coverage for evenings and weekends as well as rotating staff nurses who supplement shifts in Wards and ICU.
The objective of the staff is to provide the stability and continuity necessary to ensure quality patient care and to teach the veterinary and nursing students how to deliver the same level of care. In addition to nursing care, the nurses are skilled in a variety of techniques and specialized procedures. The University of Pennsylvania has developed nurse practitionerships in areas such as transfusion therapy, endoscopy, orthopedics, and nutrition. Each nurse is certified and is involved in a continuing education program.