Pets Help Relieve Stress in ED

The dog days of August have taken on a much friendlier meaning in the CRMH Emergency Department. On Aug. 6, Volunteer Services' Pet Pals program launched the first of regular visits with the ED employees.

The ED is one of the highest-stress areas in the hospital. Patient advocate David Fox approached Volunteer Services about arranging pet visits as a stress-reliever for ED staff. You've probably seen Pet Pal volunteers visiting with patients. But these ED visits are specifically for employees. The visits are scheduled in advance and arranged so that day, night and weekend shifts get at least one visit a month.

Pet Pals volunteer Bob Villamil and his four-year-old Yellow Lab, Jax, arrived one evening about 9 p.m. Even though the visit was past Jax's normal bedtime, he was a hit. He met about 80 staff members. Bob said he heard comments such as "Jax made my night," "I love this dog," and "Jax is better than milkshakes." Some nurses even took selfies with Jax.

Volunteer Services is proud that Pet Pal teams are willing to visit the ED at night and on weekends to provide a friendly time-out for these staff members who often work under stressful circumstances.