Canine-Assisted ANxiety Reduction IN Emergency Care IV

Canine-Assisted ANxiety Reduction IN Emergency Care IV (CANINE IV)

Prior literature demonstrates that human stress can be reduced with exposure to animals. This study challenges current dogma by introducing a widely available, low cost method of dog therapy to reduce patient and provider stress. The objectives of this study are to determine if interaction with a certified therapy dog and handler can;

• decrease reported anxiety levels in emergency department (ED) patients,
• decrease salivary cortisol in ED patients,
• decrease total morphine equivalent dosing in the emergency department or at discharge and/or,
• decrease reported stress levels in emergency department providers caring for participating patients

when compared to usual care.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients

• Age 18-89 years
• Chronic pain, defined as pain on most days for >6 weeks
• Triage pain score >6 out of 10

OR

• Age 18-89 years
• Currently experience crisis, including suicidality, or
• Meet the standard of a provider assessment of "severe stress" defined by their identification that the patient meets a score of greater than six on the FACES stress scale

Providers

• Faculty, residents, advanced practitioners, and nurses who work in the ED and identify themselves as being the nurse or physician of record for the enrolled patients.

Therapy Dog Handlers

• Handler of a certified therapy dog and volunteer of Eskenazi's Therapy Dog Program

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients

• Violent behavior
• Overt intoxication
• Non-English speaking
• Any reported prior fear or adverse reaction to dogs

Providers

• Any reported prior fear or adverse reaction to dogs

Therapy Dog Handlers

• None