Actively Recruiting
Can a Patient in Intensive Care be Visited by His or Her Pet? Feasibility Study.
Led by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne · Updated on 2025-07-09
30
Participants Needed
2
Research Sites
13 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Many patients who spend time in intensive care units (ICU) experience significant emotional challenges, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Improving the patient experience in the ICU is a priority, with efforts focused on recreating a familiar environment to support emotional well-being. Animal-assisted interventions, especially involving dogs, have been used in other patient groups to help reduce anxiety and stress, but the use of patients' own pets in ICU settings is less common and faces challenges such as animal behavior and infection risks. This study is evaluating the feasibility of allowing conscious adult ICU patients to be visited by their own pets, such as dogs or cats, for 20 minutes. It targets patients who have recovered from acute phases of illness or are undergoing rehabilitation or end-of-life care and are stable without hemodynamic or respiratory failure. The intervention involves a single 20-minute visit by the patient's pet, with careful attention to safety and infection control. Participants will be assessed at various times, including day 1 and day 15, with measurements such as the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and patient satisfaction at 3 months. Researchers will monitor the microbiological impact on both patients and the ICU environment to ensure safety. The primary outcome is the feasibility of pet visits by day 15, and the study will also evaluate paramedical care and patient satisfaction to understand the intervention's effects during and after the visit period.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Can a Patient in Intensive Care be Visited by His or Her Pet?
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Conscious adult patients with a pet (dog or cat).
- Patients who have no or no longer hemodynamic or respiratory failure, or are undergoing rehabilitation, after the acute phase or at end of life.
- Patients affiliated to or entitled under a social security scheme.
- Patients who have given written informed consent to participate in the study.
You will not qualify if you...
- Non-stabilized acute situation as assessed by the resuscitator.
- Mechanical or amine ventilation or extracorporeal kidney purification.
- Presence of tracheostomy.
- Immunosuppression.
- Carriage of multi-resistant bacteria.
- Behavioral or consciousness disorders.
- Pregnancy.
- Skin wounds, extensive burns exceeding 15% of body surface, or external fixator.
- Guardianship or trusteeship.
- Workload incompatible with the visit.
- Patient unable to speak French.
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Single visit on Day 1
Participants receive visits from their pets for 20 minutes while in intensive care.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Up to 3 months
Participants are followed up for patient satisfaction and other assessments.
1 follow-up visit
Trial Site Locations
Total: 2 locations
1
Centre Hospitalier Ardèche Nord
Annonay, France, 07100
Not Yet Recruiting
2
Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne, France, 42055
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
G
Guillaume THIERY, PhD
C
Cindy POKRANDT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
1
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