Work Psychology

DIFFERENCE. AND NOT JUST FOR PATIENTS. SARAH. HELLO? THERES SOMEONE NEW MAKING THE ROUNDS AT MASS GENERAL FOR CHILDREN. GOOD MORNING. HI, LIAM. HOW ARE YOU? HE MAY BE NEW TO THE JOB, BUT CLEARLY HES ALREADY A PROFESSIONAL. LETS GIVE A BIG VISIT. THIS IS ONLY HIS THIRD DAY OF WORK, BUT HES ALREADY DOING SUCH WONDERFUL THINGS HERE. THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER LABRADOR MIX IS THE HOSPITALS FIRST FACILITY DOG. WORKING WITH HANDLER AND CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST EVA MINTZ. HIS ROLE IS TO WORK WITH ME AND REALLY HAVE A LOT OF THERAPEUTIC CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS WITH OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES TO BRING OBVIOUSLY, COMFORT AND TO BRING JOY. MINTZ SAYS SHES READ A LOT ABOUT THE IMPACT DOGS LIKE CASEY CAN HAVE ON PATIENTS, FROM STRESS RELIEF TO EVEN EASING PAIN. BUT SEEING IT FIRSTHAND IS A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME. IVE SEEN WHAT A HUGE IMPACT HE HAS. JUST BY, HELL GO UP TO PATIENTS AND IF THEYRE UPSET OR THEYRE ANXIOUS ABOUT BEING IN THE HOSPITAL, HE HAS THESE BIG GIANT PUPPY PAWS AND HELL HE PUTS HIS PAWS ON THEM AND JUST LIKE THAT PHYSICAL COMFORT HAS BEEN HUGE. HE HOPPED RIGHT INTO BED YESTERDAY WITH A PATIENT WHO HAD JUST TRANSFERRED UP TO OUR FLOOR. SHE SAID TO ME, WOW, I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ALREADY. JUST WITH HIM SNUGGLING BY MY SIDE FOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. CASEY TRAINED AT CANINE ASSISTANCE IN GEORGIA, LEARNING THE SKILLS HELL NEED IN A HOSPITAL SETTING, AND FLEW TO BOSTON WITH MINTZ JUST LAST MONTH. HE LIVES WITH HER FAMILY IN SWAMPSCOTT. MINTZ SAYS GIVING CASEY HIS OFF TIME IS IMPORTANT, TOO. HE GOES RUNNING DOWN THE BEACH AND SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN WHEN HES NOT HERE, BUT WHEN HES WEARING THAT VEST, THIS PUP IS ALL BUSINESS AND ALL HEART. DID HE HELP YOU AT ALL? HE DID. REALLY? I KNOW ITS NOT FUN BEING HERE, BUT AT LEAST IF HE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER THIS MORNING WHEN HE WALKS ONTO THE UNIT AND HES WAGGING HIS TAIL AND HE GOES TO GREET EVERYBODY AND SAY, GOOD MORNING, YOU CANT HELP BUT FEEL GOOD. I MEAN, HOW SWEET IS HE, RIGHT? WELL, WE MENTIONED CASEY IS LIVING WITH HIS HANDLER WHILE SHE ALSO HAS THREE YOUNG KIDS AND A DOG OF HER OWN. SO, YOU KNOW, HES LOVING THE ARRANGEMENT, RIGHT? WELL, IF YOU NOTICE, CASEY WAS PLAYING WITH A FEW DONUT TOYS WHILE HIS TIME AT MGH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GRANT FROM DUNKIN. I LOVE THE PAW. THE PAW WAS OU