Animal-Assisted Interventions for Psychological Distress During Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stay: A Case Report.

Introduction: Lung transplant is a critical treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease, but recovery is often complicated by physiological and psychological challenges. This case report describes a 61-year-old female bilateral orthotopic lung transplant recipient who experienced significant...

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Publicado en:Critical Care Nurse Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 12 - 21
Autores principales: Kellogg, Taryn, Brockett-Walker, Camille
Formato: case study Journal Article
Publicado: American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Aug2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Aug2025
      vid: 45
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      pub: American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
      place: Alisa Veijo, California
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        10.4037/ccn2025759
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        atl: Animal-Assisted Interventions for Psychological Distress During Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stay: A Case Report.
      aug:
        au:
          Kellogg, Taryn
          Brockett-Walker, Camille
        affil: Taryn Kellogg is a cardiothoracic surgery nurse practitioner at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
      sug:
        subj:
          Psychological Distress
          Pet Therapy Methods
          Psychotherapy Methods
          Intensive Care Units
          Length of Stay
          Female
          Middle Age
          Lung Transplantation
          Postoperative Complications
          Motivation
          Interpersonal Relations
          Psychological Well-Being
          Depression
          Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
          Electroencephalography
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Female
      ab: Introduction: Lung transplant is a critical treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease, but recovery is often complicated by physiological and psychological challenges. This case report describes a 61-year-old female bilateral orthotopic lung transplant recipient who experienced significant psychological decline during an extended intensive care unit stay and the use of animal-assisted interventions to address these challenges. Clinical Findings: The patient experienced multiple postoperative complications, including coagulopathy, venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for hypoxia, delayed chest closure, right ventricular dysfunction, acute kidney injury, adrenal insufficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia, diaphragmatic paralysis, antibody-mediated rejection, bacteremia, and severe deconditioning. Diagnosis: The patient's psychological decline manifested through increased somnolence, reduced engagement in physical therapy, and minimal interaction with family and health care professionals. Interventions: Weekly animal-assisted interventions were introduced to improve mood and increase motivation. These sessions involved therapy animals with the goal of enhancing the patient's psychological well-being. Outcomes: The patient responded positively to animal-assisted interventions, showing improved mood, increased engagement, and participation in rehabilitation. The theoretical framework of acceptability was used to assess the intervention's success, with results indicating high acceptability and effectiveness. Conclusion: Animal-assisted interventions addressed the patient's psychological challenges during prolonged intensive care unit stays following lung transplant. The intervention improved both psychological well-being and patient engagement. Theoretical framework of acceptability scores supported the acceptability of animal-assisted interventions, suggesting that these should be considered as part of an interprofessional approach to managing prolonged hospitalizations in transplant recipients.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        case study
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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