Ruff Shift Recharge: Feasibility and Acceptability of Canine-Assisted Breaks for Night-Shift Psychiatric Nurses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of canine-assisted breaks for night-shift psychiatric nurses and the practicality of participant measures and canine welfare monitoring in inpatient staff-focused animal-assisted activity (AAA) research. METHODS: = 11) were offered voluntary drop-in AAA breaks over 3 weeks at an inpatient psychiatric facility. Feasibility indicators included enrollment, attendance, survey completion, canine welfare monitoring, and adverse events. Acceptability indicators included session duration, observed engagement, and participant feedback. Mood was assessed before and after each break using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Burnout and well-being were assessed 1 week before and after the intervention period. Outcomes were summarized descriptively. Therapy dog welfare was monitored through structured observation and repeated Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire assessments. RESULTS: = 22.3 min). Break-embedded data collection and canine welfare monitoring did not disrupt workflow, but follow-up survey attrition limited postintervention data. Feedback respondents described improved mood and energy and reduced stress. None of the 21 AAA breaks were terminated for canine stress. One site visit ended 30 min early after stress occurred without participants present. CONCLUSIONS: Drop-in AAA breaks were deliverable and acceptable to participating nurses at this site. Findings do not establish effectiveness, comparative advantage, mechanism, sustainability, or generalizability. Future studies should retain structured canine welfare monitoring and include usual-break and active nonanimal comparison conditions.