Diabetic Alert Dog at work in Hospital

Brookieakorsie · Sep 11, 2015

It just crossed my mind, and I wanted to question it. Thats the reason I asked on here. I'm sure I won't get one. I know all this stuff, like allergies and parts of a hospital a dog can't go, I know all of this stuff. I was just wanting to ask if anyone has heard of anyone bring a service dog to work. I am not going to change my career choice because of a dog. I won't get the dog if I decide it's not the best thing for my career. I don't have a dog now, I don't need one later. I was just curious if some people bring service dogs to work. I tried Googling it, and found zip.

OCNRN63, RN · Sep 11, 2015

Maybe because it's more interesting to play the ADA card and see how far you can push the definition of "reasonable accommodations"?
I have asthma and a dog allergy. I can walk into an immaculate home, and within 15 minutes I'm sucking my rescue inhaler. The answer to my question "Do you have a dog?" Is always "Yes".
So, would I be willing to have a nurse with a service dog take care of me? Nope. Because in addition to the allergy, I would also be wondering about her health, and if she's that fragile, should we maybe change places?

I would be right with you on the inhalers, depending on what breed of dog. I'm also afraid of dogs, so I would be worrying about my breathing, the health of my co-worker, and the dog.

I know they are highly trained, but in the final analysis, they are still animals.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 11, 2015

It just crossed my mind, and I wanted to question it. Thats the reason I asked on here. I'm sure I won't get one. I know all this stuff, like allergies and parts of a hospital a dog can't go, I know all of this stuff. I was just wanting to ask if anyone has heard of anyone bring a service dog to work. I am not going to change my career choice because of a dog. I won't get the dog if I decide it's not the best thing for my career. I don't have a dog now, I don't need one later. I was just curious if some people bring service dogs to work. I tried Googling it, and found zip.

And thats totally cool, in fact what we are here for. I'd love to have a job where I could bring my mutt but I'd probably rather play with them than take care of patients, lol. The problem where I see it lies in getting snippy and act like you knew the answer after not getting the answer you wanted.

Well I have found some one who had a diabetic alert dog at work at a hospital. And I have a dexcom. But thanks.

I also didn't think anyone had been rude to you. Please keep posting if you decide to become a nurse but also remember that the blessing and curse of an open forum is that once you put it out there it is no longer in your control. FWIW over the years the posts that irritated me the most are the ones I try to be thoughtful about and in most cases its my stuff not the poster or their message and I have ended up learning something through self reflection. Good luck to you.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2015

Something else to consider -- not only would you need approval from potential employers, but from every single clinical site your school uses. Students have zero say which hospitals or units they do clinicals in. I don't know what area you are in, but as a student I had clinicals in...thinking...at least 10 units in two hospitals, a CD treatment center, and one nursing home. Oh, and a jail. That's not counting the community health unit where we spent a day or two each with a school RN, family clinic, travel clinic, home visits with a day surgery pt, home care, private duty, teaching project which we also met in client's home... I'm probably forgetting some.

Of the hospitals, units included L&D/mother baby, and nursery, ICU, ED, OR, and PACU.

Just wanted to share that, since you seem to be focused on the employer aspect.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Sep 11, 2015

I don't think the question the OP asked was a stupid one. I know plenty of people who use service dogs due to poorly managed diabetes. Their service dog alerts MUCH faster than their pump does. Plus the dogs are able to wake that person up if they are sleeping and they have a drop. From my experience the service dog has been very helpful for them. I'm not sure about bringing one into the hospital, but as a nurse you don't HAVE to work in acute inpatient care. There are limitless options.

elkpark · Sep 11, 2015

I'm not sure about bringing one into the hospital, but as a nurse you don't HAVE to work in acute inpatient care. There are limitless options.

That is true, but one does have to get through nursing school first, and we all know that the vast majority of those cool jobs in other, nonacute settings requires some amount of acute inpatient care experience to be considered qualified.

Brookieakorsie · Sep 11, 2015

That is true, but one does have to get through nursing school first, and we all know that the vast majority of those cool jobs in other, nonacute settings requires some amount of acute inpatient care experience to be considered qualified.

I am going through nursing school dogless.

JK1976 · Sep 11, 2015

I have been in nursing for a long time and seen many things once thought impossible now being done as a standard of care. Your question should give experienced nurses something to think about. My suggestion is to explore your opportunities! What area of nursing are you wanting to go into? What area areas of nursing might be able to accommodate you? There are areas such as surgical and Labor and Delivery that are obvious in not having the ability to accommodate, but there are areas that maybe areas that could these days. Talk to a local nursing counselor at your college and hospitals to help give you ideas. Another idea to explore is a INTRODUCTION TO NURSING CLASS at one of the local colleges? My daughter is taking this class at present and part of the class is exploring different areas of nursing. She has been asking me all kinds of questions about forensic nursing. This is an area she has never talked about because she didn't know about it. I am a Labor and Delivery & NICU nurse who has worked as a staff nurse, charge nurse, manager, and educator, etc in my many years but not forensic. She has always thought she wanted to do NICU or pediatrics because this is what she has been exposed to. Don't get discouraged. I went to school in the early 80s and one classmate fainted at the sight of blood. I remember because in our surgical rotation. The nursing program and hospital put her in outpatient surgery doing everything but the OR room after she fainted 3 times. Her dream was to be a home health nurse, which was a very new area back then. They accommodated her. So explore and dream while checking it out. And please update us. Let us old nurses know what you learn so we may learn also! Good luck.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2015

That's what I am thinking. I just applied to my local nursing program last week. I just got off the phone with my local hospital as well. She said she will look into it and give me a call back tomorrow. I was thinking maybe on certain floors. The only reason I am asking ahead of time, is because these dogs can get very expensive. I would have to fundraise a couple years prior to actually getting a dog.
I did find something online saying that a women had a diabetic alert dad in the hospital while she was working and the dog just became the norm, for the employees and patients. Some people are being quite rude on here. It is just a question I am asking. I have a dexcom, but a dog can catch a high or low blood sugar 20 minutes before my glucose monitor or my fancy dexcom. Which in the long run can help prevent serious life threatening complications! I vote dog over dexcom any day.

not rude, just telling it as they see it

I wish you the best. Keep looking, you will find a way to be a nurse and have a service dog, I think. Maybe not in the OR or Isolation or at the bedside in general.

Julius Seizure · Sep 11, 2015

Maybe because it's more interesting to play the ADA card and see how far you can push the definition of "reasonable accommodations"?

I dont think this is very fair to assume. It seems like anyone with an invisible illness is subject to this kind of suspicion and its usually not the case at all. This can happen with handicap parking spaces as well, for example. Sure, some people take advantage of it when they don't need it. But most people actually do need it, even if it isn't obvious to you why they do. I would encourage you to not be one of those people that makes those kind of judgments when you aren't in a position to know enough about the situation to do so.

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2015

I dont think this is very fair to assume. It seems like anyone with an invisible illness is subject to this kind of suspicion and its usually not the case at all. This can happen with handicap parking spaces as well, for example. Sure, some people take advantage of it when they don't need it. But most people actually do need it, even if it isn't obvious to you why they do. I would encourage you to not be one of those people that makes those kind of judgments when you aren't in a position to know enough about the situation to do so.

Ok, assumptions work both ways. If you say I shouldn't assume about OP, then how can you assume about me?

She's already said that she plans on going through school without a dog.

New grads don't usually go straight from school to a non-patient care job. You do need a certain amount of clinical experience, and there are going to be many people in line ahead of her who are more qualified.

Therefore, she's going to be in a patient care setting. If she feels like she can make it through the rigors of school and clinicals with the resources she utilizes now to manage her diabetes, why would she need a dog when she starts working, if not to push the boundary of "reasonable accommodations"?

OCNRN63, RN · Sep 11, 2015

I don't think the question the OP asked was a stupid one. I know plenty of people who use service dogs due to poorly managed diabetes. Their service dog alerts MUCH faster than their pump does. Plus the dogs are able to wake that person up if they are sleeping and they have a drop. From my experience the service dog has been very helpful for them. I'm not sure about bringing one into the hospital, but as a nurse you don't HAVE to work in acute inpatient care. There are limitless options.

You're right: there are plenty of options in nursing. There aren't as many as a new graduate, and as a PP noted, nursing school may be a hurdle due to clinical sites and their different policies.