Each hospital's infection control committee and medical staff must develop an animal-assisted therapy policy that follows CDC Guidelines.
Diane Doty-Brown, RN, BSN, is a nurse with a dogged determination. Six years ago, she and a group of colleagues at Centegra Health System in McHenry, Ill., wanted to improve the hospital's animal-assisted therapy program. At that time, the program consisted of one therapy dog that visited the rehabilitation gym once a week. The group knew offering AAT in more ways and more settings would benefit a greater number of patients, but an outdated Illinois law stood in their way.
"We had visited another hospital and saw how it ran its AAT program," says Doty-Brown, who also works as a communicable disease nurse at the McHenry County Department of Health. "And we saw how the patients responded to the dogs."
Besides taking more dogs to more common areas of the hospital, the Centegra group wanted to be able to take animals up to patient rooms.
"I went to our legal department to find out what we needed to do," says Doty-Brown. "They told me dogs couldn't come into the units."
When she asked what needed to change to allow dogs in patient care areas, she was told, "If you can get the law changed, then they can come on the unit."
"We had visited another hospital and saw how it ran its AAT program," says Doty-Brown, who also works as a communicable disease nurse at the McHenry County Department of Health. "And we saw how the patients responded to the dogs."
Besides taking more dogs to more common areas of the hospital, the Centegra group wanted to be able to take animals up to patient rooms.
"I went to our legal department to find out what we needed to do," says Doty-Brown. "They told me dogs couldn't come into the units."
When she asked what needed to change to allow dogs in patient care areas, she was told, "If you can get the law changed, then they can come on the unit."
Doty-Brown and the other group members stepped up to the challenge, lobbied the Illinois Department of Public Health, and thanks to their tenacity and hard work, the law was changed in August 2008. Under the previous law, animals could visit patients only in common areas of the hospital. The new legislation allows them to visit patient care areas and patient rooms.
According to the new law, each hospital's infection control committee and medical staff must develop an AAT policy that follows the CDC's Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities: Recommendations — Animals in Health Care Facilities.
"We want to make sure they don't have any extra 'friends' coming with them," says Karen VanBuren, RN, infection prevention and control practitioner at Centegra. Along with fleas and ringworm, animals also can carry MRSA.
Centegra is developing its AAT policy in accordance with the new Illinois law. Once that is complete in early 2009, animals will make their debut on the units.
"We understand how wonderful it will be," says Bonnie Saban, manager of volunteer services at Centegra.
Saban, who was part of the committee that worked to change the law, says the change will allow them to use AAT in ways they hadn't been able to before. For example, to help patients stay calm during extubation, ICU patients will be able to wrap their arms around a dog. Pet therapists also are valuable in distracting pediatric patients during procedures such as IV starts.
"It enhances everything," says Katherine Feuillan, recreational therapist at Centegra Hospital-McHenry. "It's motivating for the patients. They'll do much more with the dogs."
Patients often will go to therapy just to get a chance to interact with the canines.
"Sometimes the patients will say, 'Oh, I don't want to go down to therapy,'" says Feuillan. "But when you tell them the dog is down there, they change their minds."
Barbara Oakes is one Centegra patient benefiting from the AAT offered in the therapy gym. Oakes, who lives in Wauconda, Ill., had a stroke on Oct. 31. In November, she started rehab work with Tia, a 10-year-old Portuguese water dog.
"She's a good teacher," Oakes says of Tia, a retired show dog.
In addition to practicing range of motion by petting the dogs, patients practice balance, endurance, and cognitive skills with the animals.
But it's not just the patients who enjoy being part of AAT. The dogs' owners get satisfaction, as well.
"I wanted to use her where she was useful," said Tia's owner, Terry Brunks of Mundelein, Ill. "She helps a great deal, and that helps me."
All of the 25 dogs in Centegra's AAT program work on a volunteer basis. The pups and their handlers go through extensive training with Delta Society instructors.
Now that the group's efforts to change the law have paid off, they are setting their sights on adding more dogs to the program. Their goal is to have dogs at every Centegra facility and a dog available on every shift seven days a week. Those interested in the AAT program can contact Bonnie Saban in volunteer services at 815-759-4203.
According to the new law, each hospital's infection control committee and medical staff must develop an AAT policy that follows the CDC's Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities: Recommendations — Animals in Health Care Facilities.
"We want to make sure they don't have any extra 'friends' coming with them," says Karen VanBuren, RN, infection prevention and control practitioner at Centegra. Along with fleas and ringworm, animals also can carry MRSA.
Centegra is developing its AAT policy in accordance with the new Illinois law. Once that is complete in early 2009, animals will make their debut on the units.
"We understand how wonderful it will be," says Bonnie Saban, manager of volunteer services at Centegra.
Saban, who was part of the committee that worked to change the law, says the change will allow them to use AAT in ways they hadn't been able to before. For example, to help patients stay calm during extubation, ICU patients will be able to wrap their arms around a dog. Pet therapists also are valuable in distracting pediatric patients during procedures such as IV starts.
"It enhances everything," says Katherine Feuillan, recreational therapist at Centegra Hospital-McHenry. "It's motivating for the patients. They'll do much more with the dogs."
Patients often will go to therapy just to get a chance to interact with the canines.
"Sometimes the patients will say, 'Oh, I don't want to go down to therapy,'" says Feuillan. "But when you tell them the dog is down there, they change their minds."
Barbara Oakes is one Centegra patient benefiting from the AAT offered in the therapy gym. Oakes, who lives in Wauconda, Ill., had a stroke on Oct. 31. In November, she started rehab work with Tia, a 10-year-old Portuguese water dog.
"She's a good teacher," Oakes says of Tia, a retired show dog.
In addition to practicing range of motion by petting the dogs, patients practice balance, endurance, and cognitive skills with the animals.
But it's not just the patients who enjoy being part of AAT. The dogs' owners get satisfaction, as well.
"I wanted to use her where she was useful," said Tia's owner, Terry Brunks of Mundelein, Ill. "She helps a great deal, and that helps me."
All of the 25 dogs in Centegra's AAT program work on a volunteer basis. The pups and their handlers go through extensive training with Delta Society instructors.
Now that the group's efforts to change the law have paid off, they are setting their sights on adding more dogs to the program. Their goal is to have dogs at every Centegra facility and a dog available on every shift seven days a week. Those interested in the AAT program can contact Bonnie Saban in volunteer services at 815-759-4203.
Jennifer Thew, RN, BSN, MSJ, is the editorial director of the Greater Chicago and Heartland editions of Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek magazines. To comment, e-mail editorIL@nursingspectrum.com.
