The healing power of animals: reducing stress in patients and nursing students

Nursing students are known to experience high levels of stress during nursing programs. Although many researchers have explored various coping mechanisms to assist nursing students manage stress and anxiety, few have explored animal interventions.

I’m a giant fan of animal interventions after seeing the positive impact they’d on patients (and staff) while working on the bedside in a hospital. Frustrated or anxious patients often turn into more accepting of care after a pet visit. Frightened and lonely patients who had withdrawn into themselves became more energetic and open. Guests and employees also benefited from the visits. Again and again, as a therapy animal walked down the hall to a patient’s room, staff members would stop and take a moment to chill out with the animal in a way that visibly refreshed them.

Becoming a therapy animal guardian.

Observing the consequences of animal therapy within the hospital inspired me to proceed working with therapy animals myself. On the hospital where I work, rabbits were bred as a part of an animal therapy program. It was a sufficiently small animal that I could handle and take care of it. I picked up the primary two and was immediately hooked.

Rabbits are very interactive – I prefer to say they’re nosy. All rabbits chosen as therapy animals are very comfortable being petted and interacted with; have to be recertified every two years Animal partners, the voluntary organization through which we’re registered. Even children and other people who find themselves afraid of dogs feel comfortable with them.

I currently have three registered rabbits – together with one retired old lady and two latest children who will hopefully turn into the following generation of therapy rabbits. They’re used to using a litter box, live in my house and have free time to roam daily.

As a team, my rabbits and I visited long-term care facilities, colleges, libraries, clinics, an area hospital, domestic violence shelters, and recovery centers, simply to name a couple of. My passion for animal therapy has spilled over into many various areas of my life, most notably my passion for nursing education.

Stress of nursing students.

Once I first began my nursing education journey, I had a tough time meeting nursing students who were extremely stressed and anxious about each life challenges and the nursing school curriculum, with no strategy to help them. I could make suggestions, but ultimately I had no control over whether or not they can be implemented and used or not. My usual suggestions for coping with stress were meditation, yoga, deep respiratory, and walking.

I started to wonder if the stress and anxiety-relieving effects of animal therapy that I had noticed at outside institutions would work for nursing students. I began taking my rabbits to work with me not less than once per week, and much more often if I knew there was a very necessary exam that day. It was a success. Nursing students would search for me and the rabbits on exam days. Slowly, students began to return to my office during class breaks, lunch, and in between other classes. This gave students a probability to take a break from stress. I liked that I used to be in a position to connect with the scholars and I liked that they felt like they’d a secure place with the bunnies when things got too overwhelming.

A study of animal stress relief.

Eventually, I wrote my dissertation on the impact of animals on stress and anxiety levels amongst nursing students. The outcomes confirmed what I suspected: an animal therapy session lowers stress and anxiety levels amongst nursing students.

I really consider that is one among my callings on this life. I’m very glad that I can share my rabbits with others. They assist so many individuals daily that I plan to proceed taking them to school with me within the near future.

Writer: Karen (Beth) Ballenger, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Shenandoah University Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing