title: Therapeutic use of companion animals in health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore research that lends credibility to the therapeutic use of animals in health care. By integrating research from other disciplines and applying it to nursing, the art of nursing is fostered through the creative application of knowledge to practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive physiological and psychological benefits have been linked to the presence of companion animals. For example, researchers suggest that decreases in blood pressure, heart rates, and stress levels, as well as increases in emotional well-being and social interaction are benefits of the human-animal bond.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compiling what has been learned in earlier scientific studies provides direction for future research in nursing to enhance nursing knowledge and expand nursing theory to improve care. Further investigation is necessary to clarify the concepts of animal assisted therapy (AAT) to build a body of useful knowledge for practice.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jorgenson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D009729:Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*