Passing of the House Bill 914 Letter

A study on the impact of service dog usage by veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder has indicated that the use of service dogs for veterans improved the patient’s outcomes. The use of service dogs according to the study reduced the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, reduced depression, lowered anxiety and had an improved social participation (O'Haire, Guérin & Kirkham, 2015). The Bill 944 which has passed legislation offers veterans of the United army diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder access to use service dogs to assist them in their day-to-day activities and helping the veterans to overcome some of the challenges that occur as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder. The Bill also amends the code to allow the veterans as well as their service dogs to public areas and accommodation.

Among the functions listed as allowed for the service, dogs include calming the patient with post-traumatic stress disorder during anxiety attacks. This allowance will impact the nursing practice by offering the dog assisted services option to patients. Hudson, Medefind, Reinholdt & Guyton, (2017) highlight instances where service dogs have been used to remind or alert patients of impending hypoglycemia in managing diabetic patients. Service dogs for the post-traumatic disorder will among others calm veterans during the anxiety attacks and through the personalized attachment help them reduce the occurrence of the attacks (O'Haire, Guérin & Kirkham, 2015). The legislation will also reduce the contact time needed between the nurse and the patient to assist the patient with day-to-day activities which can be supported by the service dog.