service dogs

[Vtachy1]

At your workplace, have you had healthcare workers that use service dogs?

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Healthcare workers? Nope. Lots of patients bringing them in though and our facility policy is that the dog is what the patient says it is. This has been known to cause problems.

[Emergent, RN]

At my side job we have a doctor with a service dog. She is hearing impaired. The dog is trained to alert her for codes, phone calls, etc. It's a tiny place and the ER doc has a sleep room, works 24 or 48 hr shifts.

We adore the dog, she's very well trained. We're allow to pet her. She stays at the doctor's desk when she goes to treat patients, but sometimes will be called in to meet a child patient.

[JKL33]

the dog is what the patient says it is.

Of course it is!!

I love it. Where's Davey??

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

our facility policy is that the dog is what the patient says it is.

At my facility, you can ask if the dog (or miniature horse) is needed because of the owner's disability, and you can ask what task(s) has the animal been trained to do. You cannot ask for proof that the animal is a service animal. I believe this is all written into the law, and it is not "just" facility policy.

The animal can be removed if it is not well behaved, not house broken, etc., and it is not on the staff to provide care for the animal.