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Franciscan Health Michigan City has introduced a new initiative to enhance comfort and security within its facility through the addition of a certified therapy dog named Oaken. This development follows an employee contest that encouraged innovative ideas from staff members.
Doug Samuelson, a former K9 handler with the Michigan City Police Department and now a security officer at Franciscan Health Michigan City, was instrumental in bringing this concept to life. "With the traumas we have and the effects on people, including the staff, it just made sense," Samuelson said. He noted that seeing a dog can brighten people's spirits.
Oaken, a one-year-old chocolate lab, is trained to provide comfort to patients, visitors, and staff while also being capable of detecting explosives and assisting in finding missing persons. Samuelson underwent certification training to become Oaken’s handler.
The initiative became feasible thanks to the Blue Skies Innovation Challenge, an employee contest organized by the Franciscan Health Foundation in 2024. This competition received 40 applications from across the healthcare ministry. From these submissions, five winners were chosen by the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees, including Samuelson's proposal for a hospital therapy dog.
Greg Arndt, director of security and safety for Franciscan Health Michigan City, expressed support for the project. “Out of the gate, I certainly was supportive of this idea,” Arndt said. He emphasized its potential impact on both staff and those served by the hospital.
Studies from Japan in 2010 have shown that comfort dogs in hospitals can significantly boost staff morale. “If staff feels good at the end of a bad day, they want to come back the next day,” Samuelson said.
Jill Nygren, vice president of clinical support services for Franciscan Health Michigan City, supported the project since its beginning stages. She described Oaken as "part of our care team" who will help support patients during stressful times and aid in their healing process.
Oaken will reside with Samuelson outside his working hours, similar to how police K9s live with their handlers. "In the end," Samuelson remarked, "everyone here will know his name."
