Establishment of an animal assisted therapy care model in long-term care institutions in Taiwan

4^th International Conference on Nursing & Healthcare

October 05-07, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Chia-Ling Yang1,2 and Lee-Ing Tsao1

1National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, Taiwan 2Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Animal are not only one of the family but also can be part of clinical nursing care activities. The previous studies showed animal assisted therapy had been provided widely and also very effectiveness as an alternative method in nursing care. However, in Taiwan there were a few studies to discuss and without care model. The further nursing research of animal assisted therapy especially in the care model needed to be explored. This article used evidence based procedure searched relevant information from Cochrane Library, BMJ Clinical Evidence, Pub Med and CINAHL, appraised literatures and confirmed the relationships between the theories and practices in long-term care institutions for one year. We had established an animal assisted therapy care model in long-term care institutions by â�?�?residents centered modelâ�?. First step, the animal assisted therapists help nurses to assess the residentsâ�?�? physical, cognitive, behavioral and social functions then chose suitable animals and animal assisted staffs based on residentsâ�?�? need. Second step, the residents, residentsâ�?�? family, animal assisted therapist and nurses were cooperated to plan, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of animal assisted therapy and did feedback periodically. With this care model, it might not only increase the awareness of health care providers to animal assisted therapy but also can provide a more humane care in the long term institution to make residents had more vivid life.

Biography :

Chia-Ling Yang is currently a Doctoral student. She has been working more than 28 years at MacKay Memorial Hospital, a medical center at northern Taiwan. She has expertise in medicine, community, long-term care and elder care also. She is currently the Head Nurse of Internal Medicine, the Review Committee of “Journal of MacKay Nursing” and also New Taipei City Nurse Association Director.

Email: clyang@mmh.org.tw