Office of Medical Communications

(MAY 7, 2024) UVMMC Clinical Nurse Project Manager Melinda Pariser-Schmidt, M.S., commented to NBC5 about the UVM Medical Center’s kickoff of Nurse Appreciation Week with a puppy petting zoo.

The event featured dogs that are available for adoption from For the Love of Dogs Vermont, and nurses were invited to spend their lunch break getting some love from dogs looking for their forever homes.

“Before the pandemic and we had a little bit of a nursing shortage, we had the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of burnout,” Pariser-Schmidt said. “We’ve had a lot of compassion, emotional, physical fatigue. We recognize that our nurses need new ways to sort of refill their cups and feel supported, so the puppy petting zoo was one idea.”

(MAY 7, 2024) UVMMC Clinical Nurse Project Manager Melinda Pariser-Schmidt, M.S., commented to NBC5 about the UVM Medical Center’s kickoff of Nurse Appreciation Week with a puppy petting zoo.

The event featured dogs that are available for adoption from For the Love of Dogs Vermont, and nurses were invited to spend their lunch break getting some love from dogs looking for their forever homes.

“Before the pandemic and we had a little bit of a nursing shortage, we had the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of burnout,” Pariser-Schmidt said. “We’ve had a lot of compassion, emotional, physical fatigue. We recognize that our nurses need new ways to sort of refill their cups and feel supported, so the puppy petting zoo was one idea.”