SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – Between the many tasks and back-to-back patient calls, healthcare workers at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s in Sioux City are receiving support from an unexpected specialist.
Watson, a 7-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever, serves as a certified employee therapy dog dedicated to helping hospital staff decompress during high-stress shifts.
7-year-old Watson is a certified therapy dog. His owner, Kristen, saw the need for a morale boost during the pandemic and wanted to support staff who were struggling or had experienced difficult situations at work.(KTIV)
The program was started nearly three years ago by Kristen Beal, a senior infection preventionist and former bedside nurse at UnityPoint Health. Beal said she pitched the concept to hospital leadership after reading a research article on acute care pet therapy, recognizing that frontline staff were struggling with burnout and workplace violence.
“Staff were really just kind of struggling,” Beal said. “And I used to be a bedside nurse and moved into quality a number of years ago and really wanted to help, but not being at bedside that was difficult to do.”
An on-demand approach to staff wellness
Unlike traditional volunteer therapy dog programs where pets visit patients for a few scheduled hours each week, Watson is on-site daily to provide immediate, on-demand support directly to employees.
Beal said Watson has an intuitive sense for when doctors, nurses, or technicians are carrying a heavy load.
“If we’re in meetings and he’ll walk up to people, and he’s not a huge demander of attention,” Beal said. “But if somebody is crying or in tears or just seems a little bit stressed out, he’ll walk up and just kind of wait. And if they pet him, he embraces it. And if they don’t show an interest, he walks away and goes and finds the next person.”
Watson took over the role after his father, Thunder, who originally launched the hospital’s program, passed away last year. Beal trains the dogs at home before putting them through annual behavior, safety, and connection certifications required for acute care environments.
Beal noted that because hospitals are intense environments, she constantly monitors Watson’s body language to protect his well-being.
“Just like we advocate for our patients, it’s my job to advocate for him and recognize those signals from him,” Beal said.
Measurable drop in staff burnout
Inside UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s in Sioux City, relief arrives on four paws, as Watson often waits in the halls for pets from the staff.(KTIV)
Hospital employees described Watson as “joy, positivity, and kindness,” saying his visits offer an immediate emotional reset.
“Gives you a second to stop and then smile and take a break from what’s going on,” said Rylee Schager, a UnityPoint Health employee. “I think taking a second with Watson just to pet him really helps relax the whole body and your somatic system just a little bit.”
UnityPoint Health tracked staff wellness data after implementing the program and found that burnout rates among healthcare workers improved across every recorded metric within eight months.
“And it’s only gotten stronger since then,” Beal said.
“He’s the king of this hospital,” said Schager. “Definitely was a joy to have around, especially being a healthcare worker. We don’t get a lot of that kind of stuff, that joy that comes in the hospital. So he’s a big joy for us.”
Beal said Watson undergoes annual recertification to maintain safety standards. Another dog, Hooper, is currently in training to join the hospital’s staff support rotation in the future.
Community members with certified dogs interested in volunteering with the hospital’s pet therapy program can contact Mary O’Brien, who oversees the UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Extra Touch Plus Patient Experience Volunteer Program. She can be reached at mary.obrien@unitypoint.org.
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