[melisgood]

Hey Everyone,
I'm almost half way through nursing school and i have a 6 month old labrador retriever. I've taken her to dog obedience school and now i'm having a private trainer work with us because i want her to be well behaved. Anyone have info on what i need to do so i could bring her to work with me one day to visit my patients? I've seen service dogs come into the hospital before, but I'm not sure on the requirements. I'm going to ask my dog's trainer next week, but i thought maybe someone on here would know? Does she have to be a licensed service dog? Any info appreciated!

[ivanaBEEaRN]

Usually for dogs to be therapy dogs, they have to pass a caine good citzenship test. Your dog trainer would be the one to ask.

[loriangel14]

It would also depend on the workplace.The hospital I work at allows pts families to bring in pts dogs for a visit as long as they are leashed. We even had a leashed cat visit once.

[MiaKea]

This is a great question. I have seen many pets come to visit residents in the long-term care setting, but have never seen one in the hospital setting. I'm anxious to read what everyone else has to say.....what the guidelines are for hospitals, etc.

[Perpetual Student]

Originally Posted by loriangel14

We even had a leashed cat visit once.

Was it a Seeing Eye Cat?

melisgood:
If I were in your shoes I'd read my employer's policies on the matter in their various publications (orientation handbook, p&p book, etc.). I would then speak to someone above me in the chain of command to clear it. I wouldn't consider taking in a dog in a big deal, but there's always some clown that doesn't like furry animals that might hold it against you somehow and look for any minor way possible to mess with you.

[RNperdiem]

Can I bring my kids to work then?

[Elvish]

We have therapy dogs at our hospital & occasionally I see them out & about with the volunteers. I think it is a great idea, though they are restricted from some units. (most days I think visitors bring in more germs than the dogs ever would....) Your trainer would be a good resource. Also the hospital volunteer dept, as they are either the ones who take the dogs around or can tell you who does. I think you have a fab idea.

(p.s. I LOVE Labs.)

[Blee O'Myacin]

Originally Posted by melisgood

Hey Everyone,
I'm almost half way through nursing school and i have a 6 month old labrador retriever. I've taken her to dog obedience school and now i'm having a private trainer work with us because i want her to be well behaved. Anyone have info on what i need to do so i could bring her to work with me one day to visit my patients? I've seen service dogs come into the hospital before, but I'm not sure on the requirements. I'm going to ask my dog's trainer next week, but i thought maybe someone on here would know? Does she have to be a licensed service dog? Any info appreciated!

I wouldn't. What if there was someone allergic to dogs? What if your dog suddenly broke free from the leash and licked someone in the face and the attention was unwanted. You are setting yourself up for trouble. I wouldn't bring my children to work to visit patients.

If you are interested in pet therapy, then you should go for it. But bringing your personal animal to visit people you are dealing with on a professional basis when you are "off the clock" is wrong for a few reasons. I think your intentions are in the right place, but the behavior won't be looked upon as professional. You shouldn't visit patients on your off time, with or without your dog. It contradicts the professional relationship.

Blee

PS - there will come a time when you won't even think of entering your place of work without clocking in. And it has nothing to do with being burnt out - but everything to do with being responsible with your license. If you visit a patient that I think is "nice", and then seen by other patient's showing favoritism, they could complain. If you visit a patient and the roommate recognizes you and asks for the bedpan. Do you just say "no, hit your call light" and leave your coworkers a mess? Or do you help the patient and let's say her freshly pinned hip fracture gets aggrevated, or she falls off and bumps her head into the bedrail... Do you see where this is going?

[IndyGal]

Working therapy dogs are usually certified through either the Delta Society (http://www.deltasociety.org/) or Therapy Dogs International (http://www.tdi-dog.org/). Some hospitals also have their own certification programs.

If you're certified with one of these agencies, they provide liability insurance for the therapy visits.

[ecnav]

No.

I have a dog and a cat but, they stay at home. Animals - pets aren't permitted in eating establishments for good reason. Why do people insist on having animals in hospitals? It's not a barn yard or a kennel. No animals please.