G38(P) How much is that doggy in the picu? the role of a registered therapy dog in paediatric intensive care

Abstract

The objective of the paper is to share our experiences using a Therapy Dog in our service and to demonstrate the benefits it can bring to patients and staff.Animals can play a valuable part in alleviating stress in many situations. Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine poses a unique set of challenges, not only in terms of clinical management but also in terms of the amount of emotional support that patients, their families and staff members require. The North West and North Wales Paediatric Transport Service (NWTS) is a specialised team that deals with the stabilisation and transfer of critically ill children. Communicating with families during transit and after arrival to PICU can be challenging, clinical information needs to be relayed during a very stressful period. To address this problem, we have produced a photo book for families to read to their children. It tells the story of a curious pug, Alfie, who is invited to join the NWTS team to find out what happens when a child is ill and needs to go to intensive care.Alfie is a therapy dog registered with Pets As Therapy UK, he has been assisting the critical care team in communicating with children and their families. He also has sessions whereby staff members who need help and support coping with stressful situations can spend time with him. Alfie also frequently visits the PICU and wards at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and offers support to numerous children undergoing treatment.In order to assess how the information booklet was perceived and the impact that Alfie’s sessions have had on individuals we handed out feedback questionnaires to families and staff. The feedback was universally positive, leading to the conclusion that a registered therapy animal can be beneficial to both staff and patients in a PICU setting.