Eden Alternative

Tookie · Aug 13, 2003

ktwlpn

I know you started thhis thread some time ago and l wanted to ask if your facility did indeed introduce the concept and how successful it was

If you could spare a few thoughts l would appreciate this - Also if any others who have previously answered or who may be expereincing this now l would appreciate your thoughts as well.

Cheers Tookie

debralynn · Aug 13, 2003

I will have to say, I did not go to school to clean up after animals. If I am going to do that, I will get a house dog of my own.

Also I am glad that I have never looked upon my patients as dumb or ignorant. I look upon them as someone who may not have had the same opportunities as me, or someone who is just different!

donmurray · Aug 13, 2003

Wasn't there something similar, but without the livestock, called "Planetree"? 10 years or so back.

Katnip, RN · Aug 13, 2003

How do they address the issues of residents or staff who have allergies to animals? Will residents have to take another med to control it?

I'm allergic to just about any kind of animal with fur. (Yes, I have a dog, and cat, and plan to get a horse but I keep the allergy under tight control, so it doesn't bother me)

ktwlpn, LPN · Aug 21, 2003

Originally posted by Tookie
ktwlpn
I know you started thhis thread some time ago and l wanted to ask if your facility did indeed introduce the concept and how successful it was
If you could spare a few thoughts l would appreciate this - Also if any others who have previously answered or who may be expereincing this now l would appreciate your thoughts as well.
Cheers Tookie

Well-September 11 came-and I left that miserable understaffed facility 2 weeks later.Life is too short to be unhappy for 40 +hours a week.....They have gotten another new DON and ADON and I have not heard anything about them going forward with the Eden program...The LTC I am in now welcomes visits from pets that have proof of current vacs-and many of the staff bring their own pets in regulalry to spend the day(resident assessment staff and social services and activities-none of the nurses on the floors can count on having the time) Have you worked with the Eden alternative,Tookie?

ktwlpn, LPN · Aug 21, 2003

Originally posted by debralynn
Also I am glad that I have never looked upon my patients as dumb or ignorant. I look upon them as someone who may not have had the same opportunities as me, or someone who is just different!

I'll address this post since I believe it refers to my comments>>>>>>> I said>.............I have seen the best and the worst over the years..and am still amazed by the ignorance and rudeness some patients and their loved ones are capable of displaying.I am not a cynical person at all-just a nurse that knows how hard patient education can be when the patient is dumb as a doorknob-and I am not being cruel-just stating a fact.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I must respectfully say to you that when you have been in nursing as many tears as some of us have and seen the best and the worst you will understand the REALITY of working with PEOPLE....from all socio-economic levels..In my experience the nastiest rudest people I have dealt with have overwhelmingly been "advantaged" (wealthy and educated) But they are still often rude and ignorant to the staff-AKA "service people" which is how many view nurses.In this area the poorer folk with less advantages generally seem to "look up to" the nurses and treat us with some respect...So debralynn-lpnto be-I hope all of your patients are nice,polite,well-spoken,educated and clean....It is the reality that we deal with all kinds of people-we need to face it and learn how to do it.It takes some experience to learn how to tactfully handle a difficult situation involving a dis-satisfied, disgruntled,rude,ignorant unhappy patient or S.O. You certainly need to prepare yourself to handle these people or you will cause even more problems.These people are out there-and growing in numbers due to the nursing shortage.An aide or tech often has NO idea what the nurses are dealing with in regards to the famiies and patients complaints about their care......Good luck...PS-I am no angel of mercy-or Nurse Nancy-I admit I have dealt with many patients whom have pushed me to the limits of my patience-I will admit that I have met patients that I abhorred-and some that I loved..I am human....

gwenith, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2003

One Central Queensland hospital I worked at had pets for the rehabilation patients and the only real problem was that the dog was a labrador and so constantly as round as he was long from gorging on biscuits fed to him by the doting patients. I know of a few places that use pet therapy One the pet is a "failed" guide dog not quite good enough to make it through the guide dog program but in every other way a good dog this animal was in a facility for the severly mentally handicapped children and was in danger of being loved to death.

Cubby · Aug 23, 2003

We are fully engrossed in this PIA project. We started this about a year ago. It started with just one small dog, then we progressed to Birds in our Activities area, then we added two more dogs (The facility decided we could not handle these two dogs so they were going to send them back to the pound-guess where they ended up?), now we have an aviary. I do think that is all we have. I refuse to clean up dog poo, I am a Nurse-NOT A VETERINARIAN. They are cute and fun to play with but not in a Health Care setting. The diseases from the birds alone..................

:(

momrn50 · Sep 1, 2003

the facility I work for has recently started Edenizing...we have 4 totally annoying birds and a cat that about half our residents claim they're allergic to...also one family called in state to investigate the cat....sounds like the Eden people are old hippies (I'm one myself) who have lost sight of what our job entails...I love animals as much as the next person, but not when you're told you have to clean out the litter box at the end of the shift and you find fortified cat milk in the med fridge next to the novasource..get real people!!!!