A patient was admitted to the hospital for a procedure and her husband brought in the family’s service dog to provide an extra measure of comfort. Unfortunately, the dog caused difficulties for the patient’s caregivers. It was constantly barking and creating worries about safety. Members of the care team wondered if it was truly a service animal given the dog’s behavior.
Nurse manager Adam King, RN, at Intermountain Medical Center, recently proved compassion also applies to canines.
When Adam discussed the team’s concerns with the patient, the patient’s husband insisted it was a service dog. He then retrieved the dog’s certifying papers from his vehicle.
Adam understood Intermountain’s service animal policy permits him to refuse to allow the service dog if it’s being aggressive or interfering with patient care. Instead, he took the opportunity to explain to the patient and her husband the concerns with the dog’s behavior, as well as the reasons it’s important to provide a safe environment for caregivers.
Rather than telling the couple their dog wouldn’t be allowed, Adam turned to the husband and said, “Let’s see if we can come up with a plan together to make this situation work.”
To resolve the situation, the patient’s husband and Adam agreed that the door to the room would remain closed and caregivers would knock prior to entering. Upon hearing the knock, the patient’s husband would take the dog to the far side of the room in the corner and sit with him until the caregivers had finished performing their duties.
Later that day, the patient’s husband came to Adam’s office to let him know how much he appreciated him taking the time to listen to his concerns and explain the “why” behind the policy, as well as working together to come up with a good solution for everyone.
“It’s important to follow guidelines that are put in place to keep our patients and caregivers safe,” says Sheila Simpson, patient advocate. “It’s also important to use Compassionate Connections to feel empowered to find solutions to barriers that could negatively someone’s experience. Not all situations are black and white. Keeping an open mind and responding with empathy allows caregivers to improve their interactions with patients and families and provide extraordinary experiences, just like Adam King illustrates in this example.”
Learn more and find training on the Compassionate Connections website.