Meet Fletcher: The furry new ‘staff member’ changing lives at AdventHealth Tampa

Furry new ‘staff member’ changes lives at AdventHealth Tampa

A therapy dog named Fletcher is learning on the job at AdventHealth Tampa's campus.

TAMPA - A therapy dog named Fletcher is learning on the job on AdventHealth Tampa's campus. 

"It's just been a dream come true for us," said AdventHealth Regional Director of Clinical Informatics Shirleen Forrester.

The backstory:

Hospital staff have had the desire for a therapy dog for a long time. During COVID, Forrester prepared a seven-slide presentation, filled with tons of information and studies on the benefits of therapy dog interactions, to pitch to executives. 

"I didn't even get through the first slide when they said, of course," Forrester said with a smile. 

Fletcher, an Australian Labradoodle, was born on July 19, 2024, and joined the hospital staff in September.  

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Dig deeper:

"We have dedicated two hours per day or 10 hours a week, for what I call 'Paws with Purpose'. It's where he and I will round throughout the hospital, different areas of the nursing units, cafeteria," AdventHealth Nurse Development Manager and Fletcher's handler, Jennifer Eddings, said. "He is for everyone. He just goes around and loves people."

Forrester says the moment Fletcher arrives, the mood changes. 

"He takes a tense situation or tense conversations that may be occurring. Immediately you just start to see people's walls come down," Forrester said.

What they're saying:

The therapy part is usually Fletcher simply sitting with staff. Eddings says it's particularly impactful for staff members having a tough day. She says Fletcher can tell who needs him the most. 

"A lot of times, what will happen is the one that tends to need him the most will fly right to him, get on the floor with him. Next thing you know, I'm handing him tissues because they're already crying," Eddings said. "This is a hard industry to be in, and for the nurse that finds him and sits down and starts crying with him, what I hope is that she's able to release all of that into him. That's what he's there for, and you can always tell he knows."

Forrester says she's seen big changes in even a short, five-minute visit from Fletcher. 

"It can really change the trajectory for someone's day for the rest of the day," Forrester said. "It's incredible, and it's just something that I hope that every hospital can aspire to have."

What's next:

Fletcher will be taking the official therapy dog certification test.