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WRAPPING UP. LUKE WILL BE BACK WITH YOUR FULL FORECAST IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. THERAPY DOGS ARE COMMONLY SEEN COMFORTING PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS, HELPING THEM FEEL MORE AT EASE AS THEY WORK THROUGH AN ILLNESS. NOW, CHI HEALTH IS SHOWING THAT THEY CAN HELP MORE THAN JUST THE PATIENTS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MARY REGLI SHOWS US HOW IN THIS KETV EXCLUSIVE. WORKING IN HEALTHCARE CAN BE STRESSFUL TO SAY THE LEAST. THEY’RE THE ONES THAT ARE FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY’RE THE ONES THAT TAKE PATIENTS IN THAT, YOU KNOW THEIR MOST VULNERABLE TIMES, AND THEY’VE GOT TO TAKE ALL THAT STRESS FROM THAT PATIENT, THEIR FAMILIES, GUEST SERVICES VOLUNTEERS AT CHI HAVE FOUND A CUDDLY WAY TO MITIGATE THAT STRESS. THEY COULD BE HAVING THE WORST DAY, AND AS SOON AS THEY SEE ONE OF OUR PET THERAPY DOGS, THEY SAID THAT IT TOTALLY HELPS THEIR IMPROVE THEIR DAY IN THEIR OUTLOOK, WHICH THEN REFLECTS ON THEIR THEIR PATIENTS. NOW, A NEW GRANT FROM THE BARREL INSTITUTE HAS MADE IT EVEN EASIER TO HAVE FURRY FRIENDS IN THE HOSPITAL. CHI WAS ONE OF THREE HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD SELECTED FOR THE GRANT. THERE WAS ONE IN SAN DIEGO, ONE IN BARCELONA, SPAIN, AND THEN HERE IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA. THE GRANT ALLOWS CHI EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS TO BRING THEIR DOGS TO WORK FOR A FIVE WEEK TRAINING SESSION. THE TRAINING HELPS GET THE DOGS ACCLIMATED TO A HOSPITAL SETTING. THERE’S LOTS OF BEEPING, LOTS OF DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT, THINGS THAT ARE ROLLING, THINGS THAT ARE BIG AND KIND OF TOWERING OVER THE DOGS. AND SO THERE’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THEM TO GET USED TO. NURSE JOYCE MILLER ANDERSON HAS EXPERIENCED THE BENEFITS OF THERAPY DOGS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOPES HER DOG, PEACHES, CAN HELP MORALE, TOO. SHE JUST LOVES TO BE AROUND PEOPLE, SO WE’RE GOING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD FIT. CHI STAFF SAYS THEIR PROGRAM HAS NOW BECOME A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER HOSPITALS, BUT ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO HELPING THE COMMUNITY. IF WE CAN PROVIDE A DOG JUST TO HELP RELIEVE THAT BURNOUT, I MEAN, IT’LL HELP OUR STAFF BE ABLE TO STAY LONGER IN THEIR
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Volunteers in guest services at CHI Health in Omaha have found a cuddly way to mitigate the stress of working in health care, thanks to a new grant from the Beryl Institute that supports the integration of therapy dogs into the hospital environment.”They’re the ones and first responders. They’re the ones (who) take patients in that, you know, their most vulnerable times. And they’ve got to take all that stress from that patient, their families,” said Tammy Rivera.The grant allows CHI employees and volunteers to bring their dogs to work for a five-week training session, helping the dogs acclimate to a hospital setting. “There’s lots of BP, lots of different equipment, things that are rolling, things that are big and kind of towering over the dogs. And so there’s a lot of different things for them to get used to,” said Julie Cobos.Nurse Joyce Miller Andersen has experienced the benefits of therapy dogs in the workplace and hopes her dog, Peaches, can help boost morale, too. “She just loves to be around people. So we’re going to see whether or not this is going to be a good fit,” Andersen said.CHI staff said their program has now become a blueprint for other hospitals, but ultimately, it comes down to helping the community. “If we can provide a dog just to help relieve that burnout, I mean, it’ll help our staff be able to stay longer in their careers and be able to help their patients,” Rivera said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Volunteers in guest services at CHI Health in Omaha have found a cuddly way to mitigate the stress of working in health care, thanks to a new grant from the Beryl Institute that supports the integration of therapy dogs into the hospital environment.
“They’re the ones and first responders. They’re the ones (who) take patients in that, you know, their most vulnerable times. And they’ve got to take all that stress from that patient, their families,” said Tammy Rivera.
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The grant allows CHI employees and volunteers to bring their dogs to work for a five-week training session, helping the dogs acclimate to a hospital setting.
“There’s lots of BP, lots of different equipment, things that are rolling, things that are big and kind of towering over the dogs. And so there’s a lot of different things for them to get used to,” said Julie Cobos.
Nurse Joyce Miller Andersen has experienced the benefits of therapy dogs in the workplace and hopes her dog, Peaches, can help boost morale, too.
“She just loves to be around people. So we’re going to see whether or not this is going to be a good fit,” Andersen said.
CHI staff said their program has now become a blueprint for other hospitals, but ultimately, it comes down to helping the community.
“If we can provide a dog just to help relieve that burnout, I mean, it’ll help our staff be able to stay longer in their careers and be able to help their patients,” Rivera said.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
