A survey on health professionals’ understanding of federal protections regarding service dogs in clinical settings

Abstract

Context Research has been scarce on health professionals’ knowledge about guidelines regulating service dogs in a clinical setting. Gaining insight into health professionals’ understanding of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations concerning service dogs is critical for navigating compliance and reducing risk. Misinformation about service dogs could influence decisions affecting policy and care, leading to poor treatment and suboptimal health outcomes for patients with service animals. Objectives To assess health professionals’ knowledge about ADA regulations and beliefs about workplace protocols and training related to service dogs. Methods The study used snowball sampling to distribute surveys to health professionals from around the United States. Initial outreach occurred using mailing lists, investigators’ personal networks, and social media. The survey contained 24 items. True and false questions were used to test ADA knowledge and then coded as correct or incorrect. Most closed-end questions were measured on a 5-point Likert scale using frequencies and descriptive statistics. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to test whether variables, such as encounters to service dogs, affected knowledge of ADA requirements. Results The survey was completed by 441 health professionals from around the country. Most (234; 53.1%) worked in a hospital and came from a range of professional backgrounds (nurses, 155 [35.2%]; physicians, 71 [16.1%]). While nearly three-quarters (318 [73.1%]) of participants said their workplace had a policy on service animals, 113 (34.9%) of those said they were unfamiliar with the policy and 236 (54.5%) said they had not received adequate training on the topic. Most participants did not know basic ADA policy requirements related to service dogs. Only those who were extremely familiar with policy (F=4.613; p=0.001) and those who strongly agreed that they knew the differences between service dogs and other classes of animals (F=5.906; p=0.000) scored higher on the knowledge test than those who disagreed. Conclusions Our results suggest that increased familiarity and training leads to higher knowledge about service dogs and ADA policy. Health professionals need additional education on ADA service dog regulations and hospital policy in order to minimize risk and ensure patients with service dogs receive optimal care.

Care of Patients with Service or Therapy Animals

“…Nurses may be unsure how to incorporate the animal into care. Other patients may have concerns about allergens or animal behavior (Bondi, 2020; Merk et al, 2021). Patients with service animals should be treated like any other patient (Bondi, 2020).…”

“…Patients with service animals should be treated like any other patient (Bondi, 2020). Nurses should be informed about purpose of the animal in patient care and what questions they can ask (Bondi, 2020; Merk et al, 2021). Some sources recommend that health facilities employ a liaison to facilitate the smooth transition of service animals within these clinical settings (Merk et al, 2021).…”

“…Many hospital staff and nurses do not feel adequately prepared or educated about animals in clinical settings (Bondi, 2020; Merk et al, 2021; Rodriguez et al, 2020). Nurses may wish to initiate care by identifying the animal's role in its owner's care.…”

“…Care of the animal in a clinical setting is the responsibility of the patient or patient's family (Bondi, 2020; Merk et al, 2021). If a patient cannot keep the service animal with him or her, the patient should be allowed to plan with the family or a local veterinarian for care of the animal.…”

“…Roles of animals in healthcare have expanded to include tasks such as guiding the visually impaired, assisting individuals with mobility limitations, performing tasks to help patients manage chronic diseases, and providing comforting presence and emotional support for those with mental health concerns (Turkington & West, 2021). Despite the increasing prevalence of animals in various aspects of patient care, most healthcare staff have only a vague understanding of the care of patients with service animals (Krawczyk, 2016; Lamontagne et al, 2020; Merk et al, 2021). This article synthesizes current literature and recommendations regarding service and therapy animals in healthcare settings, explaining how nurses can help accommodate care of service animals during medical care.…”