Animal-Assisted Therapy Evaluation and Implementation of a Complementary Therapy to Improve the Psychological and Physiological Health of Critically Ill Patients Mary DeCourcey, BA; Anne C. Russell, PhD, RN, CNS-BC; Kathy J. Keister, PhD, RN, CNE Animal-assisted therapy has gained widespread support in a variety of health care settings, including critical care units. This article seeks to review some of the current animal-assisted therapy, define a structured program, and evaluate the potential ability of the therapy to enhance the progress and health of our patients. Keywords: Animal-assisted therapy, Healthy People 2010, Pet visitation [DIMENS CRIT CARE NURS. 2010;29(5):211/214] In the past few decades, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has gained widespread support in a variety of health care settings, including critical care units, long-term-care facil- ities, coronary intensive care units, psychiatric inpatient units, and children’s hospitals. This alternative healing modality serves as a cost-effective means to assist patients with mental, physical, and social recovery. In addition, it often boosts the morale of the health care professionals and staff interacting with the animal therapists and pa- tients. In acute-care settings, nurses use therapy animals to help reorient patients to reality, improve body image, reduce stress, stimulate comatose patients, provide emo- tional support, increase social interaction, decrease de- pression, provide comfort to both patients and families, and make the hospital environment seem more home- like. Patients and families with pain and stress, altered physical and emotional comfort, ineffective individual and family coping, caregiver role strain, self-concept and self-esteem issues, impaired social interactions, social isolation, and altered thought processes may benefit from the human-animal bonding experience. The animal therapists also serve as great distracters during anxiety- provoking interventions, such as ventilator weaning, and provide the motivation needed for patients to recover and return to the joys of life awaiting them outside the hospital setting. 1 This article seeks to (1) review current AAT evidence- based practice literature; (2) outline what a safe, struc- tured AAT program entails; and (3) evaluate AAT’s potential ability to enhance the progress of our nation’s health goals in critical care settings. LITERATURE REVIEW So what is AAT, and how does it differ from pet visitation therapy? Animal-assisted therapy is a scheduled intervention that uses specially trained therapy animals, not the patient’s personal pet, to improve specific cog- nitive and physical health goals. 1 Animal-assisted therapy is designed to improve cognition and physical function- ing. 1 Pet visitation therapy, on the other hand, usually involves the patient’s personal pet, attempts to improve the patient’s sense of well-being and loneliness, and can be accomplished by a single or group of animals in a group or one-on-one setting and is usually a short-term intervention. 1 Simply put, AAT is more specific in its goals, does not involve personal pets, and requires more intensive training, both of the pet therapist and the handler. DOI: 10.1097/DCC.0b013e3181e6c71a September/October 2010 211 Animal-Assisted Therapy in Critical Care Copyright @ 20 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. 10