Welcome to the Rainbow Equine Hospital.  We are pleased that you will be coming to take part in the work that goes on here both at and outside of the hospital setting and we aim to make sure that your experience here enables you to put into practice some of what you have been learning in theory during your veterinary degree.  There are a few things that we expect of our extra-mural students which are outlined below.

The clinic has both an ambulatory and a hospital component.  The ambulatory component of the clinic services both the local and wider area and on a Monday and Thursday four vets in the practice are out on the road all day doing calls in East Humberside and the Hull area. Mondays and Thursdays are good opportunities to see the variety of cases seen in first opinion equine veterinary work and we would encourage you to go out on the road with any of the vets and gain from this experience. On Tuesday, Wednesdays and Fridays all the vets in the practice operate from the practice base working up cases referred to the hospital or servicing more local clients.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The hospital caters for a whole cross section of variety, breeds and uses of horse that should give you a wide exposure to the different aspects of equine veterinary medicine and surgery. There are 13 boxes used for inpatients and another two that are used for horses undergoing nuclear scintigraphy. All inpatients have hospital tags attached to their manes when they come in and can be identified using these.

You will be expected to take an active part in all inpatient duties during your time here. These include:

Physical Examination: All inpatients have a TPR done by 8.30am and are checked throughout the day and prior to closing time. You will assist nursing staff in doing TPRs on the inpatients in the morning.

Treatments: You will be expected to draw up and help the nurses and veterinarians administer treatments to those horses in the hospital. Unless otherwise indicated all medications should be given to the horse with a nurse or veterinarian present. All treatments are written up on a board in the office and should be completed by 9am. Evening treatment times will be written up on the board but will mostly be done between 5 and 6pm.

Intensive Care: You will assist in the monitoring of intensive care patients during the day when at the hospital. This will include the changing of fluids, flushing of catheters, physical examinations and administration of treatments.

Diagnostic Imaging: You will be expected to help out in the taking and development of radiographs and be part of the discussion about findings of nuclear scintigraphic and CT studies.

ACCOMMODATION

There are several options for B&B within a close proximity to the Hospital for those students who need accommodation. The local Pub has offered special discounted rates for students and accommodation can be booked via the practice manager.

TIMES

SURGERY OPENING: The surgery is open from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 12noon on Saturday. The hospital is an RCVS accredited Tier 3 hospital meaning that it is able to receive emergencies 24 hours a day.  When seeing practice here you will be expected to take an active part in receiving emergencies and assisting in working them up and monitoring them.

VETERINARY STUDENTS: We expect students to be present by 8am to assist in the inpatient duties and drawing up of drugs. There are nurses on the yard from 7.00am who can assist in holding horses for treatments and doing physical examinations. <

HOSPITAL ROUNDS: 8am: Monday and Friday

Informal evening rounds will happen depending on the numbers of horses in the hospital. This will be to review the cases and their management that remain in the hospital and update on progress of cases throughout the day.

CASE ROUNDS: 7.30am, Wednesday mornings – informal case rounds discussion

You are more than welcome to come and be part of case rounds and are expected to be actively involved in the hospital rounds on Monday and Friday. The days vary in length and we would encourage active participation in all emergency cases that come in after hours if at all possible.

COME PREPARED

Equipment: Stethoscope, overalls, warm jacket (especially during the winter time), steel toe caps , pocketbook for recording physical examinations.

Questions: Be ready to ask questions, be asked questions and contribute to discussions about cases on the road and at the hospital.

Speaking up: Be ready to present updates on the cases each morning. The nursing staff will always be available to help out.

WEEKEND DUTY

We encourage you to be here over the weekend to participate in the emergency cover both at the hospital and on the road. We prefer if possible for students to stay for a minimum of two weeks including a weekend. We are flexible with this arrangement, however, feel that you will maximise your EMS time at the clinic by being exposed to and helping with the emergencies.

RECORDS

Records are legal documents and as such all treatments, diagnostics and updates on patient status should be recorded. We will familiarize you with the record system so that you can be involved in maintaining patient records when they are hospitalized.

FINAL TIPS

We are here to help you put into practice what you have been taught in a clinical setting. We expect you to be responsible as part of the hospital when you are here, courteous to both clients and staff and most importantly practicing the highest standards of safety at all times. If you feel in any way uncomfortable about doing a particular procedure, treating a horse or being asked to do any other duty during your time here, please make sure that you make this known. We do not expect you to be 100% knowledgeable both in the practical and veterinary management of horses and make no assumptions to your ability prior to you being here. Thus please ensure that you make it clear if you are experiencing difficulties, do not understand what you have been asked to do, or generally feel out of your depth in any way at all. We hope that you enjoy your time at the Rainbow Equine Hospital and look forward to including you as part of the team.