Exploring the implementation of child life services with facility dogs

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare
• Animal-Assisted Interventions
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Children's hospitals utilize facility dogs paired with Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS).
• CCLSs provide evidence-based interventions to manage healthcare-related stress in pediatric patients and families.
• Facility dogs are increasingly integrated into psychosocial support services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how CCLSs incorporate facility dogs into treatment plans.
• To understand CCLSs' perspectives on managing facility dogs in clinical settings.
• To assess the impact of facility dogs on pediatric patient care.

Main Methods:

• Four CCLSs participated in the study.
• A checklist tracked patient demographics and facility dog interactions over 10 workdays.
• Semi-structured interviews gathered qualitative data on CCLS experiences and perspectives.

Main Results:

• Facility dogs primarily interacted with patients aged three to five years.
• Interventions focused on general anxiety and coping support.
• Key factors for successful interactions included the dog's training, therapeutic value, and patient bonding.

Conclusions:

• Facility dogs are a valuable therapeutic modality in child life programs.
• The integration of trained facility dogs can significantly benefit pediatric patients.
• Findings support the adoption of facility dog programs in healthcare settings.