GAPNA SectionPets impact on quality of life, a case study
Section snippets
Pets and medicine
There are many stories of how animals can be integrated into nursing and medicine. On Ripley's Believe It or Not, there was a story about cancer smelling dog. This story was on television and showed how a dog was able to detect cancerous melanoma on several occasions with a high accuracy rate. One way that they tested the dog was by taking a small biopsy slice of known melanoma and put it under one of twenty band aids applied in various places on a person and let the dog find the one with the
Institutional policies and procedures
I bring my dog with me to work often. This is not as simple as it may seem. Some people may think this is an unofficial act or that animals are forbidden, but it is not the case. I have been stopped by some staff and security asking me about this and telling me this is not allowed. This is where the education comes in. There is a process for bringing animals into the work place and this is explained to anyone who may have questions or reservations about this. Education is a key to these
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) vs. Animal Assisted Activities (AAA)
Many people call this pet therapy. However there are some distinctions one must consider before calling pets at work or living in facilities “pet therapy.” There are marked differences in Animal Assisted Therapy vs. Animal Assisted Activities. AAT is ordered by the provider, goals and limits are set with therapeutic advances expected i.e. increased ROM and mobility. AAA are activities where a group would gather around an animal and enjoy the interaction, but there are no formal orders or
Culture transformational initiatives and quality measures
Pets are an integral part of culture transformation efforts that are under way. For those who do not know about culture transformation, it is an effort to make long term care settings more like home environments. There are different things that facilities can do to achieve this. Animals definitely help to do this and our leaders recognize and appreciate this. There is a tool that facilities are now using to measure the facilities accomplishments in meeting culture transformation efforts.
Cultural considerations
Cultural differences are a special and important consideration when undertaking a pet program. There are many different beliefs in other countries and cultures. With America being the melting pot that it is, to neglect to consider and abide by others beliefs would be remiss and could cause a failure in the programs that are intended to add to peoples QOL. Many cultures do not hold the pet as near and dear as many of us do. Some of us feel the “pets are people too.” We kiss our dogs, dress our
Servant leadership
Finally, servant leadership must be discussed.11 Without the awareness and blessings of our leaders these program cannot exist and prevail. Before undertaking any pet project program it must be discussed and evaluated by the leadership teams. There are many considerations and planning that must take place before a program like this can be undertaken. I talked to people at work about my new puppy and how happy she made me when I would go home after a long day. They knew how special she was to
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(2010)Pets: Motivation for Smokers to Quit
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- Bob Goldsborough. Special to the Tribune, Dogs Lift Patients' Spirits at Edward Hospital. chicagotribune.com; July...
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2020, Aging and Mental Health