Perceptions of a hospital-based animal assisted intervention program: An exploratory study.

Area of Science:

• Human-Animal Interaction
• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are recognized for patient benefits.
• Impact of AAI on hospital staff, especially in acute care, remains understudied.
• This research addresses a gap in understanding human-animal interaction within healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff involved in an AAI program.
• To contribute novel insights into the effects of therapy animals on healthcare personnel.
• To provide a foundation for future research on AAI in acute care environments.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative pilot study design.
• Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with nine hospital staff participants (nurses, support staff, volunteers).
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Five emergent themes: therapy dog descriptions, workplace contact, out-of-work connection, benefits, and drawbacks.
• Participants reported predominantly positive experiences with the therapy dogs.
• Key benefits included stress reduction and improved morale.

Conclusions:

• Hospital-based AAI programs yield significant positive experiences for staff.
• Further investigation into AAI's impact on healthcare staff well-being is warranted.
• Findings support the integration of AAI to enhance the hospital work environment.