Patients
Studying human mental health and physical health with Animal Assisted Interventions in health care and other settings.
Video Summary of findings of USask study with Therapy Dogs in the ED!
Do Dogs Help Hospital Patients?
Do Dogs Help Hospital Patients?
Do Dogs Help Hospital Patients?
- Since 2017 Dr. Dell has been working with the St. John Ambulance Therapy dog program (handler Jane Smith and Therapy Dog Murphy) and Dr. James Stempien of the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, SK to evaluate the first therapy dog program in an Emergency Department in Canada.
- Since this initial study Dr. Dell has worked alongside Dr. Stempien, Jane Smith, Therapy Dog Murphy and a large team to examine patient perceptions of therapy dogs in the Emergency Department.
- Dr. Dell and her team undertook a clinical control trial of adult patients' experiences of pain with and without a therapy dog visit in the Emergency Department.
- Dr. Dell is also currently working alongside Dr. Erika Penz on a patient oriented project examining the impacts of therapy dog visits on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patient health.
- In 2018 Dr. Dell joined as a member of the United Kingdom-based Multi-species Dementia Network, exploring how multi-species approaches may advance research, policy and practice approaches within the field of dementia studies.
- In 2017 Dr. Dell assisted with therapy dog visits in response to the tragic Humboldt bus crash. She was part of the team to receive an Award of Recognition by St. John Ambulance Canada for this.
- Dr. Dell also worked with Dr. Joe Rubin and Dr. Beverly Morrison on antimicrobial resistance in health care settings that Therapy Dogs visit.
- Dr. Dell has been an active collaborator alongside Therapy Dogs Anna-Belle, Kisbey and Subie in an Animal Assisted Intervention investigating: (1) the effect of a therapy dog on physical activity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and (2) comparing imaged musculoskeletal health outcomes, habitual physical activity and dietary intake between children with ASD and their controls. This is contributing to the literature finding that Individuals with ASD have a high incidence of bone fracture in childhood and later life.
- In 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs involved in the University of Saskatchewan PAWSitive Support Program, which Dr. Dell leads, transitioned their visits to an online format. They advertised with flat cardboard dogs and statuettes in all Saskatoon the hospital Emergency Departments and the Ronald McDonald House.
- In 2023 Dr. Dell became a mentor with Waypoint Research Institute to support patient-oriented research and practice with a CIHR grant. Her focus is the role of animals in establishing a research partnership. This works is likewise occurring at the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatoon. Read more here.
Do Dogs Help Hospital Patients?
Do Dogs Help Hospital Patients?
HIGHLIGHTS
Academic Publications
- Carey, B., Dell, C., Stempien, J., Tupper, S., Rohr, B., Carr, E., Cruz, M., Acoose, S., Butt, L., Broberg, L., Collard, L., Fele-Slaferek, L., Fornssler, C., Goodridge, D., Gunderson, J., McKenzie, H., Rubin, J., Shand, J., Smith, J., Trask, J., Ukrainetz, K. (2022). “Outcomes of a Controlled Trial with Visiting Therapy Dog Teams on Pain in Adults in an Emergency Department". PLOS ONE. 1-24.
- Dell, C., Gibson, M., Carey, B., McKenzie, H., Peachy, S., Williamson, L., Chalmers, D. (2022). “How Therapy Dogs are Helping to Reduce Needle Fear at a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic”. Canadian Nurse. Practice Article. (French)
- Dell, C, (2021). “Dogs as Co-researchers”. In L. Kogan and P. Erdman (Eds.). Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioural Scientists. pp. 14-17. Taylor & Francis Group.
- Stempien, J.,Broberg, L., Husband, A., Jurke, L., Rohr, B., Smith, J., Rubin, J., Tupper, S., Goodridge, D., Fornssler, C., Fele-Slaferek, L., Dell, C. 2019. “A Case Study of the Patient Experience of Emergency Department Wait Times”. Patient Experience Journal. 6(1):115-126.
- Reddekopp, J, Dell, C., Rohr, B., Fornssler, B., Gibson, M., Carey, B., Stempien, J. 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32344788/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">“Patient
Opinion of Visiting Therapy Dogs in a Hospital Emergency Department”. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health. Special Issue: Companion Animals. 17(8): 2968
Other Publications
- Dell, C., Petryk, C., Chalmers, D., Sillers, L. 2018. Integrating Therapy Dogs into Saskatchewan’s Coordinated Trauma Response: Essential Actions. The Humanitarian, SPCA.
- The PAWSitive Effect of Therapy Dogs in a Hospital Emergency Department. The Science Breaker.
Fact Sheet
- Visentini, J., Penz, E., Dell, C., Cruz, M. (2023). Animal-Assisted Interventions in COPD. COPD Canada.
- Penz, E., Marciniuk, D., Dell, C., Maier, G., Sullivan, B., Nelson, J., Schmidt, D., Gittings, F., Visentini, J. 2021. Animal Assisted Therapy in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): An Exploratory Study. University of Saskatchewan.
Presentations
- Carey, B., Dell, C.,Stempien, J., Tupper, S., Rohr, B., Carr, E., Cruz, M., Acoose, S., Butt, P., Broberg, L., Collard, L., Fele-Slaferek, L., Fornssler, C., Goodridge, D., Gunderson, J., McKenzie, H., Rubin, J., Shand, J., Smith, J., Trask, J., Ukrainetz, K. (2020). “A Study of the PAWSitive Impacts of Visiting Therapy Dogs on Pain in Adults in the Emergency Department”. SK Health Research Showcase, Virtual Platform.
- Broberg, L., Stempien, J., Dell, C., Smith, J., Steeves, M. & Jurke, L. 2017. P021: A ‘Pawsitive’ Addition to the ER Patient Experience: A Pilot Evaluation of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program in a Canadian Hospital. Canadian Journal of Emergency Department. 19(S1), S84-S85.
- Stempien, J., Broberg, L., Blue, G., Dell, C., Smith, J., Steeves, M. 2016. Update: A ‘Pawsitive’ Addition
to the ER Patient Experience. A Pilot Evaluation of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program in
a Canadian Hospital. Global Health Conference. Saskatoon, SK.
- Practicum student Megan Steeves was a recipient of the Poster Competition award.
Webinar
- D. Gunn-More, C. Dell, F. Henriquez-Mui 2020. Facilitating Multi-species Dementia Care in the Time of CoVID-19. Academic Explorations of the Human Animal Bond. United Kingdom.
Photo Gallery
Addiction Research Chair Outcomes
Dr. Dell's work is informed by research undertaken during her Addiction Research Chair (2007-2016)
Highlights of Dr. Dell's work during this time include:
- COMING SOON!
Photo Gallery
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Funders & Supporters
College of Medicine, Department of Sociology, School of Public Health, College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan; First Nations University of Canada; Saskatchewan Health Authority (Saskatoon); St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program (Saskatchewan); Patient Advisers; University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital Foundation; Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research; University of Regina.
Copyright © 2025 Colleen Anne Dell - All Rights Reserved.
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