Paw-Sitive Vibes

College of Nursing faculty members train new “dog therapist” to relieve student stress.

From the Winter 2024 issue of Sacred Heart University Magazine

Gina Reitmeyer wanted to get a new dog for her family. Her research led her to the loving, obedient breed called the Belgian Tervuren, a medium-sized shepherd dog known for its high energy and warm demeanor. Around this same time, Reitmeyer, a clinical associate professor in the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing (DHCON), was in conversation with her nursing colleague, Theresa Soltis, about the state of mental health among nursing students. Over the last few years, Reitmeyer and Soltis had observed high stress and anxiety levels in these students due in part to the rigors of their programs during the pandemic and in its wake. What could faculty do to help these hard-working students?

Having acquired the newest soft and furry addition to her family, Zora, in April 2024, an idea dawned on Reitmeyer.

“Wouldn’t it be great if our students had a therapy dog?” she asked Soltis. “And what if that dog was my own?”

And so Project Zora was born. Reitmeyer and Soltis set out to conduct research examining the impact of a therapy dog on nursing students: Could the therapy dog decrease students’ stress and anxiety?

“Evidence supports that stress negatively impacts students’ physical and mental health,” Reitmeyer says. Therefore, according to Soltis, nursing educators continue to look for innovative stress-relieving techniques for students. She said studies show that a therapy dog decreases stress and anxiety in individuals, but she pointed out that little research has been done looking at a therapy dog’s impact on nursing students specifically. With Project Zora, Reitmeyer aims to close that gap in the research literature.

Reitmeyer and Soltis reached out to faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences’ Canine Cognition Lab to help with Project Zora. The lab is currently conducting a study on the relationship between therapy dog interactions and college students’ stress and self-efficacy with non-nursing students. Psychology professors Dawn Melzer and Deirdre Yeater and biology professor Barbara Pierce, who run the lab, quickly agreed to assist with research and lend their expertise to Project Zora and the DHCON.

By May 2024, Zora was in dog therapy training and, when she wasn’t, she was at the Center for Healthcare Education (CHE) alongside Reitmeyer, becoming acquainted with faculty, staff and students.

“She is so well received,” Reitmeyer said on a recent afternoon in front of the CHE. “Everyone loves having her here.”

Zora sat patiently under a tree enjoying the sunshine and breeze.

In some languages, the name Zora means daylight or new day. The word zor means strength in Urdu. Reitmeyer says that the name is rich in history, and its meaning carries with it stories of brilliance and resilience. “Nursing students are so resilient and determined to be successful,” Reitmeyer says. “So it just seems to fit.”

Once Zora completes her training and becomes a certified compassionate therapy dog in spring 2025, Reitmeyer says, Project Zora will officially be underway. The study will involve second-year nursing students. Throughout the semester, vital signs, cortisol levels (through saliva swabs) and other assessments will be performed on the students. If those who interacted with Zora start to experience lower stress and anxiety levels (as shown via testing), then Zora may have had a positive effect. If researchers see that the same students who interact with Zora have increased academic success, that’s another positive indicator that dog therapy interactions may be beneficial to students. The study will follow the group of sophomores over the course of three years.

Project Zora will also engage undergraduate researchers. Biology and psychology students will be collecting student saliva samples, administering the anxiety assessments and analyzing the data, all under the supervision of the faculty. Nursing students will also administer vital sign testing, providing the students with useful real-world practice.

“Zora, if given the opportunity to become a part of DHCON as a compassionate therapy dog, mirrors our vision to show our nursing students that we can offer a resource of support during their academic journey at SHU,” Reitmeyer says. “Zora can provide a gentle space of happiness and calmness, help students decompress and perhaps help reduce stress related to the rigor and demands of our nursing program. We want our nursing students to be successful.”

Reitmeyer, a dog lover, also owns a 4-year-old German Shepherd named Timber who is a K-9 and part of RSAR, a volunteer search and rescue team in Monroe. So she is already familiar with the challenges and dedication required for Zora to successfully qualify for the DHCON. Reitmeyer is paying for all the dog therapy and obedience training and veterinarian expenses. She’s been instrumental in meeting with the DHCON’s leadership team, the University’s legal team and risk managers. She also hired a graduate student, Kass Jaber, in SHU’s film & television master’s program, to film Zora throughout her journey to becoming a compassionate therapy dog. But it’s all worth it, according to Reitmeyer.

“Zora is for our nursing students,” Reitmeyer says. “She will be their dog therapist.”

The team is excited for the work that lies ahead. If the research proves that a therapy dog reduces stress levels, then a dog like Zora could make a permanent home at the DHCON.