BACKGROUND: Hospitalized patients encounter stressors that impact their experience and recovery. There is a need for theoretically-based, empirically supported nursing interventions to create a therapeutic and healing environment that decrease stress and improve patients' experiences. PURPOSE: To determine whether pet therapy interventions improve physiological, behavioral and mood outcomes and experiences of hospitalized patients. METHODS: A single group pre-post-quasi-experimental design with mixed methods was used in 59 hospitalized patients. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate changes from baseline following a pet therapy intervention. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, patients had significant decreases in pain, respiratory rate and negative mood state and a significant increase in perceived energy level. Quantitative and qualitative findings provide support for decreased tension/anxiety and fatigue/inertia and improved overall mood. CONCLUSIONS: Pet therapy is a low-tech, low-cost therapy that improved mood and was meaningful to hospitalized patients.
BACKGROUND: Hospitalized patients encounter stressors that impact their experience and recovery. There is a need for theoretically-based, empirically supported nursing interventions to create a therapeutic and healing environment that decrease stress and improve patients' experiences. PURPOSE: To determine whether pet therapy interventions improve physiological, behavioral and mood outcomes and experiences of hospitalized patients. METHODS: A single group pre-post-quasi-experimental design with mixed methods was used in 59 hospitalized patients. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate changes from baseline following a pet therapy intervention. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, patients had significant decreases in pain, respiratory rate and negative mood state and a significant increase in perceived energy level. Quantitative and qualitative findings provide support for decreased tension/anxiety and fatigue/inertia and improved overall mood. CONCLUSIONS: Pet therapy is a low-tech, low-cost therapy that improved mood and was meaningful to hospitalized patients.
Authors: C E Lynch; E F Magann; S N Barringer; S T Ounpraseuth; D G Eastham; S D Lewis; Z N Stowe Journal: J Perinatol Date: 2014-06-26 Impact factor: 2.521
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