Evaluation of Dog Presence as a Therapeutic Classroom Intervention

Abstract

Background: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has called on nurse educators to increase mental health support for nursing students. Animal visit programs reduce stress, anxiety, and negative mental health feelings; however, most are intermittent and occasional. This pilot study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes of integrating a therapy dog into the classroom. Method: This pretest-posttest, two-group design study included 67 baccalaureate nursing students. Two sections of a course were taught: one section included a therapy dog and one section did not. Results: At the end of the course, participants in the intervention group showed improvement in stress, anxiety, and happiness, whereas participants in the control group did not demonstrate any improvement. Students reported positive feelings and benefits from the presence of the therapy dog. Conclusion: Integrating a trained therapy dog into the classroom is both feasible and acceptable, with students identifying positively with the experience. [ J Nurs Educ . 2023;62(6):355–358.]