As with all practices, nurses and vets are reliant on a symbiotic relationship to be able to offer the best level of care to our clients and their companion pets.  Wey Referrals is no different in this respect and prides itself on having a team of twelve motivated and knowledgeable nurses  who, in conjunction with the Wey clinicians, are able to deliver an  exceptional standard of nursing care day and night.

The Wey nursing structure comprises of a head nurse and 6 team leaders.  They are responsible for different clinical areas which encompass orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, inpatient care, laboratory, equipment maintenance and internal medicine.

From 8am to 8pm,  four nurses are responsible for monitoring in-patient care in our separate dog and cat wards.  To help us effectively monitor our patients and for maximum comfort, we have several additional aids.  Our walk-in kennels have the ability to take fitted spinal beds for suspected disc protusions, or recumbent animals.  For the hypothermic patient we have 'Bair Huggers' which produce hot air through a thin paper blanket which rapidly increases core body temperature, without the risk of thermal burns. 

We have a large supply of drip pumps for accurate fluid administration and an oxygen cage,  or nasal oxygen administration, for the dyspnoeic patient.  In relation to the latter we are able to take arterial blood gases to indicate respiratory or metabolic acidosis or alkalosis, and a coagulation machine which will give us immediate results, so we can take immediate action on the patients.

We regularly apply nasogastric tubes, peg, or pharangostomy tubes to meet the nutritional requirements of the anorexic patient which are very well tolerated.  Of course it has to be said, none of these 'toys' would be of much use without the dedicated monitoring that our nurses provide to detect subtle changes in our patients.  Temperature, pulse and respiration are monitored twice daily, as is general demeanour and walks outside for the dogs every 2 hours.   In conjunction with ward rounds the clients are kept informed of any changes at regular intervals.

Of the remaining nurses, 2 assist internal medicine with endoscopy, bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasonography and ultrasound guided biopsies.  These procedures usually produce a vast amount of samples, which are linked to Greendales and other external labs, and we have the ability to do our own in-house urinalysis.

Soft tissue surgery involves 2 nurses, one to monitor the anaesthetic, and one to scrub to assist the soft tissue surgeon.  We monitor anaesthetics with a 'Kontron' machine that incorporates the following functions, ecg, non invasive blood pressure, expired carbon dioxide, respiratory rate, core body temperature, and pulse oximetry.  We have diathermy, suction, and circulating water beds to help prevent heat loss.  All animals are administered with intravenous fluids during surgery to assist with maintaining blood pressure.

Orthopaedics is also allocated 2 nurses who are responsible for radiography of the patients prior to surgery,  and preparation for surgery.  The equipment involved is extensive incorporating TPLO's, spinals, internal and external fracture fixation.  The nurses are trained to a high standard to be familiar with the various equipment which is required for these procedures, and are responsible for post op bandaging.  In the case of spinals, physiotherapy needs and bladder expression requirements are handed over to the ward nurses.

The nursing team would not be complete without the 2 night nurses who often have the busiest job of all,  monitoring and meeting the needs of all the in-patients from 8pm until 8am.  This requires effective time management, dedication and observation.  It has to be said we'd be lost without them!