Therapy dogs regularly visit patients in hospitals to comfort them and help them heal. However, have you ever thought about who comforts the staff? Well, in the case of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center based in Columbus, Ohio, it is Shiloh who does this important job.
The three-year-old golden retriever dons a uniform and also wears an official name tag, just like the rest of the medical employees. Shiloh is a member of Buckeye Paws, and his role is to assist doctors and nurses in high-trauma sections of the hospital. Buckeye Paws is an assisted therapy program that uses animals.
Shiloh’s mother, Mary Justice, is the hospital’s administrator. She and Beth Steinberg, the associate chief nursing officer of the hospital, co-founded the program. When their young pet dogs completed training to become therapy animals, that was when they thought of starting such a program.
According to Mary, Beth discussed her experience working with therapy dogs for hospital patients and those in nursing homes while they were in class. She had also taken them to schools to observe children. She was also aware that there is a large group of hospital employees who are extremely stressed.
Shiloh’s mission since birth has been to assist people. According to Mary, he is exceptional at reading people and evaluating situations. Shiloh knows how to find individuals in need. People frequently tell Mary that Shiloh is aware of how poorly their day is going.
In March, the Buckeye Paws initiative was established. However, it was shortly shut down due to the rising COVID-19 bases. After getting a consultation the current dean of veterinary medicine, the excited dogs were able to return to the hospital. The workers missed them terribly, particularly during that difficult period.
With preventive steps, the staff can already schedule a session with Shiloh or the other program participants. Mary reported that their units breathed a sigh of relief after the return of the dogs. The dogs pay special attention to the personnel who interact with COVID-19 patients.
Mary recalled a weekend interaction between Shiloh and a young woman. Mary told Shiloh that the young woman needed his help. The woman began to cry when she hugged him.
Shiloh takes his work really seriously. However, when his name tag and special harness are removed, he reverts to a typical dog who enjoys playing and running.
Mary understands how fortunate she is to have Shiloh in her life.
My hospital hired an employee whose only job is to go around saying hi to other employees while they work pic.twitter.com/WWXNeEiWne
— Dr. Hoops, MD 🧠(@DoctorHoopsMD) November 20, 2020
Source: Dr. Hoops™
