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Dr A shares her struggles
Dr A has kindly shared her story with the VDA after the previous Barks 'n Bytes article: Burnout. This is a hot topic at the moment with many vets reporting that they are going through tough times, and some saying that they are not coping.
Burnout - A Vicious Cycle
According to Dr Ivan Zak, burnout is becoming more prominent in the veterinary industry. The VDA, too, is noticing that not only is burnout increasing, but that this trend is having catastrophic roll-over effects on the rest of the veterinary workforce.
Champagne Treatment for Mere Pennies
Fluffy, an estimated 17-year-old, Male, desexed crossbreed was presented on the morning of 2nd February for further investigation into breathing difficulties. Mrs X (the pet owner) had already consulted Doctor Google and was convinced that Fluffy had toxoplasmosis.
A Rock and a Hard Place
The Shameful Situation of new graduates doing CCS
For some time, our members have been telling us about the shameful situation that new graduates face when doing their required community service year. The bright-eyed new graduates who are so eager to put their new skills to task, are sorely disappointed in a failed system which is underfunded, understaffed and under-resourced.
The Stress Scale
Our VDA members around the world are reporting a new epidemic that is not Covid - stress! The reasons for this outbreak vary, from family issues, to pressures of running a practice, to being short staffed and having to pick up the slack, financial issues, previous traumatic events, and abusive clients, amongst other factors.
“You Murdered my Baby!”
Mental instability in pet owners is a common occurrence in cases the VDA has worked on through the years. Recently a VDA member asked for advice on a mentally unstable client who claimed her dog had been murdered by Dr A.
When Veterinary Boards are a Menace to the Health of the Profession (again)
Many veterinary boards are a menace to the health, prosperity and best interests of the profession and the public, as illustrated in the following case history.
Resilience“
As a profession, is it possible to strive for perfection, but to accept and embrace failure transparently when it occurs?”
Compassion Fatigue
While helping animals is a job that many consider a dream, when one considers the high suicide rates in the veterinary profession, it’s clearly not all rainbows and unicorns. One factor that is unique to the Helping Professions category (which includes veterinarians) is compassion fatigue.
Refunding Clients
The VDA is seeing a rising trend where aggrieved pet owners demand that the cost of prior veterinary treatment be refunded so that they can afford to have further treatment carried out. Pet owners allege that if previous treatment did not cure a condition, then the fees charged are not legitimate. This skewed logic can be fueled by vets experiencing feelings of defensiveness and guilt for the wrong reasons. Veterinarians need to remember that when you do not draw a line between what is your responsibility versus reasonable expectations and the owner's responsibility, it impinges enormously on your liability.
A Lesson in Trauma, PTSD and Coping Skills
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event such as an accident, death or natural disaster. Such an event is perceived to have threatened your sense of security that causes physical, emotional, spiritual, and/or psychological harm - rendering you feeling helpless. Trauma includes those situations that leave us feeling overwhelmed and isolated. It is important to note that trauma is a subjective emotional experience and will be different for each individual, based on past experiences and current mental health.
Exit Strategy
A VDA member brought to our attention the matter of exiting the veterinary profession and the complexities that may arise therefrom. His recent conversation with a friend, who is a human gynecologist, revealed a problem that may potentially affect veterinarians.
Letting a time bomb through the door…
The question of when to fire a client is one that most vets face more than once during their careers. Sometimes there is a clear indication as to when to terminate a relationship, and other times this is a difficult decision for a vet, who is often filled with guilt and concern for the animal in question. The difficulty here is not the animal, but the client (pet owner) who may make the life of a vet unnecessarily complicated.
No Sees and No Shows
Mrs X’s cat was presented showing signs of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. At the outset Mrs X was warned that urinary blockages can occur, that they are very serious; and can lead to permanent organ damage and death. On this occasion the cat was treated medically and responded well.
Beware Pet Medical Aids Dr A has approached the VDA with a complaint regarding pet medical aids. It appears that the policies of some of these companies are creating a problematic relationship between clients and their vets more and more often these days.
Social media overshare?
Online presence is a concern in the business world today and the big question is always: how much should professional people share with members of the public? Recently a VDA member enquired about sharing veterinary treatment videos on social media and in the public domain.
Article 534: Post Covid Psychological Crisis
The sudden impact of COVID-19 on the veterinary profession has had far-reaching effects with most practices adopting a new normal to ensure patients continue to receive essential veterinary care while staff and clients are protected.
Article 533: Moral Injury
Research into mental health in the veterinary profession has recently unearthed the fact that there are connections between veterinarians’ mental health and the damage caused by Moral Injury.
Article 532: Veterinarian Suicide Crisis
Recently there was an episode of Insight on ABC in Australia regarding issues of mental health, stress, and suicide in the veterinary profession, which is receiving great feedback from the general public (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/tvepisode/veterinary-care). This enlightening snippet, coupled with numerous worrying news headlines about the current worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the tanking economy, and other related stresses, has prompted the VDA to once again explore the data regarding suicide in veterinarians.
Article 531: Don't get caught with your pants down
Some practice owners make the error of employing assistant veterinarians, locums and relief veterinarians as well as nurses and techs without making it conditional that they are fully paid-up VDA members in good standing before they set foot in the practice.
Article 530: Covid 19 - Dilemmas
With thousands already dead, the airports closed and the streets empty, Covid- 19 is proving to be an underestimated pandemic. Unfortunately no one is an exception to the rule in these unique times with every country being affected by the infected. The VDA is here to support members in any way that we can. With so much news circulating, please bear with us and read through the following.
Article 529: Dysfunctional Vets and Dysfunctional Boards
It is a very disturbing experience to have one’s employer (the person who should be your protector and mentor) turn against you. More so when your employer ‘throws you under the bus’ by lying under oath to the veterinary board, in order to save themselves. It is even more distressing when you discover that the veterinary board is so dysfunctional that it cannot even get the most basic part of the disciplinary process right.
Article 528: Latest Developments Regarding Telemedicine
At this point, this is quite an important development since we have not had a set pronouncement from any other Board (that we are aware of). Many Boards will look to this ruling for guidance as to their own decisions regarding Telemedicine Regulations.
Article 527: Ivermectin Toxicity - A Cautionary Tale
It is practice policy in Dr A’s practice to deworm pregnant bitches prior to whelping. Dr A is experienced in breeding and is located in an area renowned for its resistant worm population. Dr A’s experience is that doramectin is an effective dewormer, and that the health benefits (in treating morbidity and in preventing mortality from verminosis) outweighs the risks of side-effects.
Article 526: Pet Abandonment
Pets being abandoned at a veterinary practice is a common problem. The veterinarian gets stuck with an animal at their practice, taking up space and resources, all the while not being paid. Presenting a pet for treatment and then refusing to pay is fraudulent and places veterinarians in an invidious and unenviable position, since they are naturally empathetic to the animal’s plight but still have to maintain a businesslike approach.
Article 525: Developing Coping Skills
This article is a follow on from the previous article “Mental health concern- when should we worry?” Veterinary medicine is an incredibly stressful occupation, where professional people have to face more than their fair share of traumatic events. With recent revelations of high suicide rates in veterinarians, we need to address possible preventative methods.
Article 524: Mental Health Concern- When should we worry?
Nowadays, mental health issues are being addressed more tenaciously. The VDA has been focussed on mental health in veterinarians, as well as in the mental health of veterinary clients, for many years, long before this became a “trend”. We, as veterinarians, need to take special heed, since we are more at risk than most other professions, of suffering mental health concerns. Poor mental health is closely associated with the stresses of professional life, such as excessive work hours, poor work-life balance and student/other debt. Practice owners and chief veterinarians need to look out, not only for themselves, but for staff members as well.
Article 523: Vets Treating Stolen Property
Dr A, a VDA member and practitioner in a small town, contacted the VDA for advice and guidance regarding a sticky situation in which one of her clients, Mrs X – acting as the local rescue group - had “saved” an injured dog by taking it to Dr A. Dr A was uncertain as to who was responsible for the dog and its well-being and who should act for it.
Article 522: Resilience: Finding Your Confidence as a Vet
Resilience has recently become a buzzword in many areas, including veterinary practice. Finding the strength to keep going during trials and tribulations is a trait that some people seem to ooze, whilst others continually struggle to overcome setbacks.
Article 521: Telemedicine: Are Virtual Vets really the future?
Many veterinarians are hesitant to give veterinary advice over the phone, never mind utilizing more modern techniques such as Skype to give a consultation. The hesitations are understandable but the veterinary world needs to keep up, so where do we draw the line with telemedicine?
Article 520: Euthanasia Gone Wrong - Guest Article By Dr A
Dr A has written an article for the VDA on a topic that she feels very strongly about. She wishes to pass the message on to others. We agree: depression and suicide are always most important and should always be at the forefront of our thoughts when listening to those who are ‘having a tough day’.
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