11
I. The policy should address a service animal's accompanying a healthcare
facility visitor to a patient room and should include the following:
1. Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by service animals are allowed to
visit patients as long as visitation occurs in accordance with the facility's service
animal policy and the facility's "visiting hours and regulations."
2. Service animals are not allowed to visit other patients' rooms, the dining rooms,
or other public areas of the facility unless accompanied by the person with a
disability.
3. When a person with a disability visits a patient's room, he or she should check
with the patient's primary care nurse before visiting to assure that no patient in
the room has allergies to the service animal or bears other significant medical risks
that would contraindicate being near an animal. If another patient in the room has
an allerg y, other significant medical risk from exposure to an animal, or is fearful
of the animal, other arrangements for visiting must be made (eg, visit in day room
or waiting room).
J. The policy should address the following for service animals belonging
to patients:
1. When patients with a service animal are assigned to a semiprivate room, the
roommate must be screened for clinically significant allergies to the service
animal and, if such a condition is present, either the patient with the disability
or the patient with animal allergies must be moved to another room. Similarly,
the patient or roommate must be moved if the roommate is fearful or otherwise
disturbed by the presence of the animal.
2. IPC should be notified when patients are admitted with service animals.
3. The patient must be able to make arrangements to have the service animal fed,
exercised, and toileted, without the involvement of HCP.
K. The policy should specifically address the use of a miniature horse
trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
Miniature horses generally range in height between 24 and 34 inches
measured to the shoulders and generally weigh between 70 and 100
pounds. Factors used to assess whether a miniature horse should be
permitted in the healthcare facility include the following:
1. Whether the miniature horse is housebroken.
2. Whether the miniature horse is under the owner's control.
3. Whether the facility can accommodate the miniature horse's type, size, and
weight.
4. Whether the miniature horse's presence will not compromise legitimate safety
requirements necessary for safe operation of the facility.
5. The policy should clearly state who is assigned to enforce the policy (eg, legal).
