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character traits," explains Pat. "A dog has to be confident, but sociable. Sociability is huge. It's a must in a hospital setting. And there are job-specific factors—for example, the dog has to be confident walking on slick floors since that's the environment he's in every day." Four-Legged Celebrity "Your dog is beautiful." "Can I pet him?" "Thank you, that made my day." These are phrases Pat and Sarge are accustomed to hearing as they walk the halls of the hospital. Pat sees these brief encounters with Sarge as therapeutic appointments that bring joy to people who may be going through very difficult situations. "As soon as they see Sarge coming with his goofy walk (a lanky saunter Pat compares to the jubilant camel featured in Geico commercials), people smile," says Pat. "And for a minute they get away from what they're worried about." Security Without the Fear Providence prioritizes security at its hospitals and clinics. While a robust security team is in place, they are always evaluating new ways to de-escalate tense situations to keep employees, patients and visitors safe. The K9 program was born out of a desire to approach security tactics that align with Providence's Mission, which includes serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. While patients and sometimes visitors show aggressive or violent behavior, Providence understands that there are often underlying causes, such as the stress of a medical situation, mental health issues or substance use and misuse. Considering those factors, the planning team aimed to use the K9 program as another tool in a large security toolbox. In the event that the K9 team is called to an incident, Sarge is completely under Pat's control. Nothing happens unless Sarge is commanded to do something. In his 10 months on duty, Sarge has been instructed to act a handful of times. "Sarge's presence can de-escalate a potential situation," Pat says. "Simply his presence often calms the situation. In addition, our caregivers feel safer and more confident with a dog in the hospital. Sarge reassures our staff that they are safe." An Unexpected Reaction The relationship between people and animals, particularly dogs, has played a significant role throughout history and in our everyday lives. But what this relationship would look like in a security setting, in a Spokane hospital, had yet to be seen. Providence had a good understanding of what the K9 team would do to enhance security, but the overall reaction to having a dog in the hospital was a pleasant surprise. Pat and Sarge were immediately accepted at the hospital, by caregivers, patients and visitors alike. Most notable is the number of people that wanted to pet Sarge—so much so that Pat must factor in the extra time it will take to get from one place to the next due to the high volume of interaction along the way. The communication between caregivers and security officers at the hospital has also improved. Sarge has created a bridge for the two groups to talk to each other. Caregivers comment on how they feel calm when Pat and Sarge are around. "It's surely a culture shift to have a dog walking around the hospital. But you should see nurses' reactions when they see Sarge in the hallway. We see people instantly relax and smile. Time and time again, we hear 'thank you for being here,'" says Pat. Choosing and Training the Perfect Partner In addition to serving more than 25 years in law enforcement, including health care security, Pat has over 20 years of K9 experience on his resume, including working directly with dogs, training others, and supervising K9 programs. Sarge, a black German shepherd born in the Czech Republic in 2017, has successfully completed an extensive training program in both general security and explosives detection. His training is ongoing. Pat selected Sarge for several reasons. "We look for different "We look for different character traits. A dog has to be confident, but sociable." READ ON YOUR TABLET OR PHONE: PROVIDENCE.ORG/HEARTBEAT 11 "Sarge's presence can de-escalate a potential situation. Simply his presence often calms the situation."

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