Study finds veterinarians are often faced with high moral distressOctober 29, 2018A majority of veterinarians experience widespread moral distress when receiving inappropriate requests for euthanasia and in instances of being unable to provide care, according to a new study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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11 tips for coping with stressSeptember 4, 2018There are several horrifying deadly diseases we can’t prevent or predict… and then there are multiple conditions we can ward off. What if we could avoid doing things that can lead to death?
AVMA MyVeterinaryLife website supports early-career vets, studentsAugust 27, 2018MyVeterinaryLife.com, a new American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website for early-career veterinarians and vet students, answers commonly asked questions about the industry and offers career tips, financial guidance, and ways to deal with work-related stress. MyVeterinaryLife.com is dedicated to offering a chance for trainees in the field to receive the critical resources veterinary students and young professionals need to support themselves and their well-being as the next generation of veterinarians, according to the AVMA. Organized based on career stage, the site includes sections for readers in veterinary school, in transition from school to the workforce, or already working as a veterinarian. The platform also provides access to a salary calculator, a student externship locator, and the ProQOL well-being assessment. Other tools on the site include financial tips for fourth-year veterinary students, a series of webinars exploring different veterinary careers, lessons on financial literacy, and more.
It's in your head, and the outside seems so distantAugust 13, 2018Not so long ago, I visited a most amazing veterinary hospital. It is an architectural beauty filled with an amazing team of people with cooperation and can-do-ism coursing through their veins. (At this highly successful practice embracing Fear Free principles, I witnessed firsthand radiant happiness on the faces of pets, pet owners, practitioners, and the practice team.) When the team asked me to pose for a photograph with them in the lobby, I had no idea that the veterinarian standing next to me, one of the founding partners in his 40s, was suffering from depression.
Will death do you part?July 7, 2018There’s an underlying expectation among pet owners that veterinarians understand the human-animal bond is everlasting. As such, how a veterinarian handles this end-of-life process can determine the client’s future relationship with the practice.
AVMA launches online guide to support veterinary well-beingJune 28, 2018 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is keeping veterinary health and well-being top of mind for veterinarians across the profession with its new guide, 100 Healthy Tips to Support a Culture of Wellbeing. The guide, available at the AVMA website, offers strategies and practical steps veterinary professionals can take at work and at home to support healthful living and create a positive work environment. It addresses each of the nine unique dimensions that contribute to well-being: creative, emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. The guide also combines strategies for improvement both at the individual level and in the workplace. Sample tips from the guide: Creative well-being Workplace: Organize an employee poetry reading during lunch or after hours in a local coffeehouse. Individual: Seek out inspiration. Visit museums, attend live concerts, attend a book reading, or take in a sunset. Emotional well-being Workplace: Institute "feelings" rounds into your daily check-ins or weekly staff meetings. Encourage—but do not require—everyone to participate to the level they are comfortable. Individual: Actively seek out laughter. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Environmental well-being Workplace: Create a work environment that …
Stalking the stigmaApril 19, 2018I’m one of those people who lurks in the margins of vet-slash-med information platforms like KevinMD, VETGirl, and the vet-only Facebook page, Not One More Vet. I scour the posts and occasionally force myself to read the comments that treat the subjects of addiction, recovery, and suicide prevention.
How low-stress handling changed one patient's lifeApril 6, 2018Myla, a 5-year-old pit bull, was deemed evil by her family veterinarian and his staff. Every time she came to the hospital, even for something as benign as a wellness visit, she had to be sedated at home.
Beyond the new year's resolutionMarch 16, 2018If you’re like 90 percent of the veterinary professional population (I’m kinda just guessing here), then I’m thinking you remember a moment somewhere right around the first where you found yourself saying something along these lines, to no one in particular: Please let me be a better version of me this year.
Empathize with clients without sacrificing your sanityMarch 6, 2018Daisy’s time had come to an end. Her little body that once followed her owners from room to room and wiggled with joy every time they came home had been ravaged by cancer. She was a shell of her former self; her owners knew it was time. As her loved ones wiped away tears, I administered the final injection.
