Research shows therapy dogs improve mood of healthcare providers

Barb Consiglio: These friendly, furry faces are a welcome sight for staff at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Speaker 2: Hi. This is twice in one week.

Barb Consiglio: The Buckeye Paws Therapy Dog Program was created in the throes of COVID-19, a time those here in the ICU will never forget.

Speaker 3: There's parts of it that still remain deep embedded in all the nurses who are in the ICU today.

Speaker 4: Even before COVID-19 hit hospitals so hard, the staff were already struggling with stress, burnout, lack of work engagement.

Barb Consiglio: As the program grew, researchers conducted a pilot study to gauge its impact and found that positive mood nearly doubled among clinicians who engaged with the highly-trained dog handler teams.

Speaker 4: The recruitment for this study was incredibly easy because as soon as you said, "We're going to do a study assessing your response to therapy dog interaction," people were like, "I'm in. I'm in."

Barb Consiglio: Many participants also, self-reported an immediate decrease in perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and burnout.

Speaker 4: We brought the dogs to the units. Many times, we had staff in tears sitting with the dogs telling them about their day.

Barb Consiglio: Amid growing physician and nurse shortages nationwide, it's a solution researchers hope will also improve workplace satisfaction and retention.

Speaker 3: Oh, my goodness.

Barb Consiglio: But what's already clear is Buckeye Paws provides needed support and care for those who support and care for others in their greatest time of need.

Speaker 3: I have to talk myself up and stay committed to what I do daily, regardless of how I feel at the moment, making sure that a patient who doesn't have a voice has a voice and an advocate in me.

Barb Consiglio: At the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, I'm Barb Consiglio.

Speaker 5: No Accu-Cheks.

Speaker 6: Got to say hi to everybody.

Speaker 4: How are you?

Speaker 5: Got to say to everybody.

Speaker 6: Can't play favorites.