AAT Risk Management Protocols 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which infection control practice is considered MANDATORY after every AAT session involving direct animal contact?
- Changing the animal's collar
- Handwashing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (Correct answer)
- Administering antibiotics to the animal prophylactically
- Bathing the therapy animal after each client interaction
Correct answer: Handwashing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Hand hygiene after animal contact is a foundational infection control measure to prevent zoonotic pathogen transmission to humans.
Question 2: When developing a facility-specific AAT risk management plan, which stakeholder group is MOST critical to include?
- Marketing and public relations staff
- Infection control officers and facility administration (Correct answer)
- Local animal shelter volunteers
- Insurance brokers only
Correct answer: Infection control officers and facility administration
Infection control officers and administration establish facility policy authority and ensure AAT protocols align with healthcare safety standards.
Question 3: An AAT dog passes its annual health screening but begins showing lameness between visits. The handler should:
- Continue sessions until the next scheduled exam
- Suspend the animal from AAT work and seek veterinary evaluation immediately (Correct answer)
- Reduce session duration to 10 minutes
- Have a colleague assess the lameness informally
Correct answer: Suspend the animal from AAT work and seek veterinary evaluation immediately
Any new health concern requires prompt veterinary evaluation before the animal continues AAT work, as pain can increase bite risk and animal distress.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of an animal's 'opt-out' or escape route during an AAT session?
- To allow the handler to leave if uncomfortable
- To give the animal agency and reduce forced compliance that increases stress (Correct answer)
- To create a path for the client to exit safely
- To satisfy facility fire safety regulations
Correct answer: To give the animal agency and reduce forced compliance that increases stress
Providing escape routes gives the therapy animal behavioral choice, reducing chronic stress and the likelihood of defensive aggression.
Question 5: A client discloses a recent MRSA infection during an AAT intake assessment. The MOST appropriate response is to:
- Proceed with AAT since MRSA is not a zoonotic disease
- Defer animal contact and consult with the treatment team regarding infection status (Correct answer)
- Have the client wear gloves and continue as planned
- Substitute a reptile for the dog to eliminate MRSA transmission risk
Correct answer: Defer animal contact and consult with the treatment team regarding infection status
While MRSA is not typically zoonotic from client to animal, active infections signal immune compromise and require medical team consultation before animal contact.
Question 6: What does a 'two-failure' or 'strike system' commonly refer to in AAT animal evaluation programs?
- Two consecutive failed obedience commands requiring remedial training
- A policy of removing an animal from AAT work after two documented welfare violations
- A protocol where an animal showing stress signals twice in a session is removed (Correct answer)
- The requirement for two independent evaluators to certify an animal
Correct answer: A protocol where an animal showing stress signals twice in a session is removed
Many AAT programs remove the therapy animal from a session if it displays stress signals on two separate occasions, prioritizing animal welfare and client safety.
Question 7: Which scenario BEST illustrates the concept of 'informed consent' in an AAT risk management context?
- The client signs a general therapy consent form that mentions 'creative modalities'
- The client is verbally told an animal may be present at some sessions
- The client receives and signs a specific disclosure about AAT risks, benefits, and the option to decline (Correct answer)
- The treating therapist decides on the client's behalf that AAT would be beneficial
Correct answer: The client receives and signs a specific disclosure about AAT risks, benefits, and the option to decline
True informed consent for AAT requires explicit, written disclosure of risks and benefits and confirmation that participation is voluntary.
AAT Risk Management Protocols 3
Which infection control practice is considered MANDATORY after every AAT session involving direct animal contact?