Overnight Weekday Nursing

     One of the major deficiencies facing veterinary hospitals today is the lack of care provided after the facility closes for the day.  Surgical, as well as critical medical patients are left unsupervised and virtually untreated for up to 12 hours per day.  This is an area we felt we could improve on and have a positive impact on the health and well-being of our patients.  To facilitate this, we have implemented overnight weekday nursing, Monday through Thursday evenings.  By utilizing overnight nursing on these days, we are providing coverage for our post-op patients on days we routinely perform surgeries.  In time, we hope to offer this service Friday evenings through Monday mornings as well.

     This change allows us to better serve our clients by providing care around the clock.  Not only are our patients being monitored closely, but treatments can be performed during the 12 hour period most hospitals are closed and not staffed.  In addition,  because our doctor is in communication with the overnite staff and has access to our computer database which includes records, lab reports, and even radiographs, changes to your pet's treatment plan can be made during that critical overnight period based on changes in status or information received from additional diagnostic procedures.  This can shorten hospital stays by implementing changes sooner.

     This service is not a substitute for emergency services or even critical care offered at the 24-hour referral centers.  We do not have a veterinarian in the hospital during this period; however he is available to the staff for hospitalized cases if a situation warrants it.  Cases that require direct veterinary supervision are referred to those facilities for 24  hour care.  And because of state requirements for the provision of emergency services, all after hour emergencies are still referred to the emergency centers that serve our area.  During the week, those facilities can contact our evening staff for information about your pet's medical or surgical history to provide for better continuity of care.

     For the safety of our personnel, no admissions or discharges are allowed during the overnight period.  However, we encourage people to contact our overnight staff by calling 570-889-5023, extension 29 to check on the status of their pets.  This gives you peace of mind in knowing that they are not alone and are receiving the treatments and care that aid in their recovery.