Pet Therapy Program

Eskenazi Health is an organization that celebrates diversity, and seeks to engage a diverse volunteer workforce. We actively encourage all individuals to apply to volunteer and to seek advancement opportunities. Eskenazi Health also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as required by law. For additional questions please contact us at: 317-880-3311.

Position Title:  Pet Therapy Volunteer Program  

Coordinator:  Shelly Fisher, Pet Therapy Program Manager

Summary:  The Pet Therapy Program Volunteer will provide Eskenazi Health Patients the opportunity to experience animal assisted activity/therapy.  Therapy animals are trained to provide supervised, goal-directed interventions to clients in the hospital and specific treatment sites.

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Be available to visit patients and guests on our Acuity Adaptable inpatient floors, Outpatient Clinic Waiting Areas and Eskenazi Health Centers throughout our community.
2. Complete all necessary paperwork and evaluation forms following
3. Follow all policies and procedures set forth by Eskenazi Health and the Pet Therapy program.
4. Perform related duties as assigned.
5. Must comply with HIPAA standards, policies and procedures of maintaining confidentiality of patient and medical information.
6. Volunteers are not permitted to:
   1. Position or lift patients in/out of bed, chair or wheelchair.
   2. Transport patients confined to hospital beds.
   3. Communicate clinical information to patients, clients, visitors or family members.
   4. Document clinical information.
   5. Interpret/translate clinical information in another language.

Requirements:

1. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
2. Successful completion of the application, interview, hospital volunteer orientation, and position specific departmental training.
3. Volunteers will be required to submit to criminal background inquiry, national governmental sanction check, child abuse clearance, sexual offender registry clearance and Occupational Health Screening.
4. The Pet Therapy Dog must complete the following requirements.
   1. The dog must be at least 1 year old
   2. Therapy Certified with the person that will be volunteering (before getting therapy certified it is in the best practice to have some sort of basic training prior to therapy certification) 
   3. Up-to-date Health records and vaccinations which include:
      1. DA2PP(distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, parvovirus)
      2. Leptospirosis
      3. Bordetella
      4. Rabies
      5. Fecal testing every 6 months to 1 year
      6. Heartworm prevention (not only for heartworm, but for deworming for roundworm and at least hookworm on a monthly basis)
   4. Flea prevention (fleas carry and transmit a lot of diseases)

It is Eskenazi Health’s philosophy and policy to treat employees, volunteers and applicants fairly and without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status or physical or mental ability. Discrimination against any employee, volunteer or applicant based on any of these conditions will not be allowed or tolerated. For additional questions please contact us at: 317-880-3311.