英國醫院好萌！讓狗狗幫助病人康復！

Dogs and other animals should be allowed into hospitals to help patients recover, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said.
英國皇家護理學院的發言人稱，人們應該允許犬類等動物進入醫院幫助病人恢復健康。

The organisation is drawing up guidelines for medical institutions on how to use animal therapy safely and effectively, so all patients who might benefit are able to access it.
爲了能讓所有適合的患者從中受益，該機構正在起草指南，指導醫療機構安全有效的運用動物康復法。

Amanda Cheesley, who is leading the initiative, said the new protocol would require animals and their handlers to be properly trained and cover basics such health check-ups and inoculation.
這項新療法的帶頭人，Amanda Cheesley稱，草案將對實施資料的動物及其飼養者提出相關要求，通過基本的身體檢查，接種疫苗並參加合適的培訓。

“It should be more of the norm rather than the exception. In particular settings, like mental health and children’s settings, it can be really, really beneficial,” she told The Independent.
“這種療法應該成爲一種常態，而不是個例。在精神科和兒科等特定的領域，它將大有所爲。”

Of the more than 750 nurses who took part in the survey, nine out of 10 said they believed animals could improve the wellbeing of patients with mental health problems such as depression, and 60 per cent thought the presence of animals could help speed up physical recovery.
在超過750名參與調查的護士中，十有八九都聲稱，他們相信動物能改善精神病患者的健康狀況，例如抑鬱症患者。60%的護士認爲動物能加速病患身體康復的速度。

While few robust scientific studies have been carried out into the benefits of animal-assisted therapy, it has been growing in popularity in the US and Australia, and research has shown that keeping a pet is linked to lower blood pressure.
在動物輔助康復療法的益處這個領域上還鮮有顯著的科學研究成果。不過這一療法已經在美國和澳大利亞得到了越來越廣泛的應用。同時還有研究顯示，飼養寵物與較低的血壓之間存在着聯繫。