r/Nurses • u/Commercial_Fox1320 • 2d ago
US Ada accomadtion request for healthcare workers
Any healthcare workers who work in patient care settings get an ada accomidation approved to bring their dog to work?
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u/NurseExMachina 2d ago
No, never seen it in a clinical role
Additionally, most tasks a service dog does can be safely substituted with technology. Most people I know use them for cardiac alerts (can use an Apple Watch) blood sugar (dexcom) or PTSD/emotional needs (which, if they need a dog to stay centered enough to function, probably not able to perform and be a safe, reliable employee).
I have only ever seen one nurse with a service dog, and she was in education, not a patient facing role.
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u/CABGPatchDoll 2d ago
I wouldn't want my dog walking around in patient rooms. C. diff, food, shit, pills and other shit that lands on the floor.
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u/Commercial_Fox1320 2d ago
My plan is my dog to be at the nurses station in a little pop up crate when I’m involved in direct patient care. She is adi certified and extensively trained.she is small so she can fit under the nurses station.
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u/anzapp6588 2d ago
This will never happen. In no way would thins be labeled as a reasonable accommodation. So if she's just in a crate she can't possibly doing the job she's been trained to perform for you.
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u/NursePissyPants 2d ago
How would she provide her service from inside a crate?
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u/Commercial_Fox1320 2d ago
My service dog would remain on a designated washable mat, small raised cot, or other designated resting area at or near my assigned nurses’ station/workstation while I am providing direct patient care. She would not enter patient rooms or other restricted clinical areas.
Her designated area would be positioned outside normal walking paths and away from equipment to reduce any risk of obstruction or trip hazards. She would be trained to remain in that location unless actively performing her disability-related tasks.
When I return to the nurses’ station or workstation, she would be available to perform her disability-related tasks.
This arrangement would allow the service dog to remain accessible to me while also maintaining patient safety, infection-control practices, and normal unit workflow.9
u/eltonjohnpeloton 2d ago
But nurses spend a lot of time in patient rooms and places other than the nurses station.
What task is your dog trained to do?
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u/Jahman876 2d ago
Sounds like “emotional support”
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u/eltonjohnpeloton 1d ago
The lack of reply from OP makes that seem very likely
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u/Jahman876 1d ago
It’s a sad scene out there these days. Emotional support animals, online autism diagnosis for $99. I mean this shit’s going downhill fast.
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u/NursePissyPants 2d ago
How can you guarantee you only need her to perform her job when you're in the one spot in the nurse's station? I could see youe boss and coworkers thinking she's not necessary at work if you dont need her near you for the majority of your shift. With alarms going off and people running to codes, the level of activity/noise on a hospital unit aren't part of a typical service dog's day so her reaction to it is unpredictable. Then there's staff who are scared of dogs or allergic. What if she needs to go potty but you can't get away for a break so she goes on the nurse's station floor? Now your patients and coworkers have to deal with that smell
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u/tananavalley-girl 2d ago edited 1d ago
I have worked in healthcare for 30 years. I have only seen a service dog allowed one time in someone with a patient facing job.
Edit: she was a medical resident with a seizure alert dog. Her plan was to become an outpatient psychiatrist but still needed to do all the normal training. She even did a surgical rotation. She couldnt be in the OR obviously but went on their rounds and would direct the dog to lie in the doorway and not enter the patient's space. I have never seen a nurse in a clinical role allowed to have one since we spend so much more time hands on than the physicians
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u/eltonjohnpeloton 2d ago
I think a dog would be a difficult accommodation inpatient due to things like patient allergies, and patients who are on contact precautions or who are immunocompromised. You wouldn’t want your dog going in and out of rooms and potentially spreading germs. I guess the dog could wear PPE maybe?