Canine-Assisted Therapy Improves Well-Being in Nurses.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare
• Nursing
• Psychology

Background:

• Nursing is a high-stress occupation globally.
• Effective stress management strategies are crucial for nurse well-being.
• Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a potential intervention for stress reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of AAT with a dog on nurses' stress levels.
• To measure stress using salivary cortisol levels as a biomarker.
• To compare stress levels across different break conditions.

Main Methods:

• Twenty female nurses from physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) and internal medicine and long-term care (IM
• Salivary cortisol was measured at baseline and after 50 minutes during three conditions: normal work, work with a chosen break, and work with AAT.
• Participants experienced all three conditions in a randomized order.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in salivary cortisol levels was observed in the AAT condition (Condition C) (p=0.02).
• This stress reduction was specifically noted in nurses from the IM
• Nurses from the PMR department exhibited low baseline cortisol levels, showing no significant change with AAT.

Conclusions:

• Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can be an effective intervention for reducing stress in nurses, particularly those in high-stress environments like internal medicine and long-term care.
• The findings suggest that AAT may be a valuable addition to stress management programs in healthcare facilities.
• Further research could explore AAT's effectiveness across diverse nursing populations and settings.