If advanced nurse practitioner Caroline hears a child crying in the GP reception area where she works, she’ll often ask if they’d like to borrow her Springerpoo for five minutes. Enter four-year-old assistance dog Luna with her top knot, bobble and bushy tail. This usually does the trick.
“It’s hard to be upset when there’s something so soft and tactile trying to perk you up,” says Caroline.
While Luna comforting patients is a lovely benefit to her being around, her main job is to help Caroline at home and at the surgery, as well as on house calls. “She’s a little superstar, and very sassy too,” says Caroline, who registered as a nurse in 2018 and finished her master’s degree in advanced clinical practice last year.
Luna’s tasks to help make Caroline’s mobility issues more manageable include assisting her to get dressed, picking things up, loading and unloading the washing machine, fetching the post or the phone and opening and closing doors and drawers. “She can even help me to walk in a straight line,” she adds.
It's having that reassurance that she can get help should I need it
It was back during the first COVID lockdown when Caroline borrowed her neighbour’s dog that she first realised the potential benefits a dog could bring to her. “I decided I wanted to get my own dog, despite being allergic.
“Fortunately, Luna’s fur is hypoallergenic, so it isn’t an issue for me,” she says. “I didn’t really know what I was doing at first as Luna is my first dog, but I’ve never looked back."
When Luna was 12 months old, Caroline put her forward to be trained by the national Support Dogs charity, which trains and provides assistance dogs for autism, epilepsy and disability, to help her with her mobility issues.
Helping at work and at home
“Before I had Luna, I didn’t go out as much, as my general mobility isn’t so good,” says Caroline. “Without her by my side I wouldn’t have managed to complete my master’s degree.”
Luna has, Caroline says, two speeds – not at all or really fast. “She will roll her eyes if she doesn’t want to do something but will still get on with it.”
But it’s not just the practical or physical aspect to Luna’s presence that’s beneficial. “Everyone loves having her around and the surgery is calmer. When patients appear sad or anxious she will look and wait for them to engage and if they do, she will go and pop her head on their lap,” she adds.
Comforting patients
Caroline says that she and Luna work well together in partnership.
“Sometimes I might be getting on with the clinical side of things, while Luna is playing her part with the emotional side,” says Caroline. “There are the children who won’t sit still and I’m trying to talk to their mum and dad. That’s when Luna can be a great distraction and entertainer."
What about those patients who are nervous around dogs? “In the six months I’ve been working here, there have only been two patients who didn’t want Luna around, which is absolutely fine of course,” says Caroline. “We have signs up at the GP surgery notifying people that there is a dog present and to flag if you have any concerns.”
Caroline also checks with patients in the waiting room if they’re happy to have Luna in the room before they come in. “I’ll let them know I have joint problems and co-ordination problems, so they understand why she’s there. Then if they’d prefer her to not be there, she’ll be spoilt rotten by the staff in reception.”
Welcoming workplace
This is the first time the GP surgery in Essex has had an assistance dog working alongside a member of staff, so there was some learning at the start around things such as infection prevention control.
“From day one, my manager did whatever was recommended by Access to Work and occupational health and made the adjustments required,” says Caroline.
“They welcomed me bringing her to my job interview and the team here has been fantastic. Everyone accepted her right away – she’s the surgery dog now.”
It's not a conventional situation but it works for us
Does Caroline have any advice for others looking to work alongside an assistance dog?
“It’s workable, but you need to be strong. Some people will say: ‘You don’t need a dog, you don’t look like you have a problem,’ and you have to be aware everything will take a lot longer because everyone wants to stop and say hello.”
Connecting with others
Caroline says it can help to speak to someone else who has been through the process and has inside understanding. “With the charity Support Dogs, I have ongoing support.
"There’s someone there I have regular contact with to raise any questions or issues – it’s a small community and there aren’t many assistance dogs so it’s reassuring to speak to someone in a similar situation.”
“There are always ups and downs, of course,” says Caroline. “Luna injured her shoulder a couple of weeks ago and my first thought was: ‘my poor dog is injured, what do I do now? If she can’t work, what will I do?’ But we get over the hurdles, and we make a great team.”
And if it’s been a particularly hard day at work, Caroline says they’ll usually be found outside in nature. “Luna loves water so she will swim, and I’ll sit by the lake before we head home for the day.”
Supporting organisations
The RCN has useful guidance to support organisations to work with dogs in health care settings. It applies to staff with assistance dogs as well as patients, visitors, and people and organisations who have contact or work with assistance or therapy dogs.
The publication highlights recommendations for when dogs are brought into various health care settings and provides guidance on all reasonable safeguards that should be put in place to protect patients or residents, visitors and staff.
Further information
- Join the RCN peer support network, a network for members with lived experience of disability and/or neurodivergence
- Find out more about the work of the charity Support Dogs.
