Therapy dogs have been walking hospital halls for years, handing out comfort one head pat at a time. At some point one of them looked around the ward and decided he could do more than sit politely by the bed. The Dogs collection is his graduation portrait. Dog Nurse has the cap, the scrubs and the credentials, plus a cold beer for the end of the shift, all wrapped in banners that read I've Got This… Hold My Beer. He studied hard. He also chewed one of the textbooks, but nobody needs to bring that up.
Cap on, tail wagging
He has a big round face covered in soft golden brown fur, two small rounded ears and the warm, patient eyes of someone who is genuinely happy to see you, even at three in the morning. Perched on his head is a classic white nurse's cap with a bright red cross on the front, and under the collar you can spot a set of light blue scrubs. He sits inside a dark circle framed by curling brown and cream ribbons, the kind of badge you would pin on the wall of the break room next to the employee of the month. It would be him every month.
Supplies for every situation
On one side of him stands a brown bottle. On the other is a tall golden mug of beer with a head of foam, ready for whenever the charting is done. That is the full kit, and honestly it covers most situations: one for the patient who needs cheering up, one for the nurse who needs it more. His expression says he has already checked your vitals, your mood and the snack drawer, and all three are looking good. Nobody on this floor has ever received better bedside manner or a more enthusiastic greeting at the door.
For the one who is everybody's favorite on the floor
This design belongs to the nurses who treat every patient like family, the CNAs and techs who keep the whole unit moving, the vet nurse who gets growled at and still says the dog was sweet, and the nursing student counting the days until the pinning ceremony. It belongs to the dog people, too, the ones whose phone is mostly pictures of one very handsome pup. Picture your person coming home after a long shift, kicking off their shoes and getting greeted like a hero by the dog at the door, and you know it fits. Rounds are finished and the ward is quiet. Somewhere down the hall, a tail is thumping against the nurses' station.
Written by Liam. Thanks for reading.
