Spotlight on Industry: It’s Hard to Be a Vet These Days…
Many veterinary professionals feel a calling to the field due to their love for animals or their desire to make a positive difference in the lives of animals and their human companions. Despite – and in some ways, because of – this passion, veterinarians face a number of unique and significant professional stressors that can negatively affect their mental health and wellbeing.
Emotional Demands. Caring for sick and injured animals; interacting with overwhelmed, anxious, and grieving pet owners; providing euthanasia services; and delivering difficult news are routine stressors faced by veterinary professionals. The emotional intensity of their daily routine can take a significant toll on the mental health of veterinary professionals over time.
Long Hours & Heavy Workload. A national shortage of veterinary professionals and growing demand for veterinary services since the pandemic-related animal adoption wave in 2020 has exacerbated an already strained industry. This means that veterinarians often work long hours including evenings, weekends, and on-call shifts. A high volume of patients, many of whom are medically complex, can lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
Compassion Fatigue & Grief. The same caring heart that draws many veterinarians to the profession can also make them vulnerable to grief and emotional suffering associated with caring for sick animals, losing patients, and making difficult end-of-life decisions.
Financial Pressures. The costs associated with becoming a veterinarian are comparable to the costs accrued by medical doctors, and yet their salaries typically lag far behind those of their human medicine counterparts. Substantial student loan debt is compounded by the costs associated with running a veterinary practice, further adding to financial strain and pressure.
Difficult Client Interactions. Veterinary professionals interact on a daily basis with pet owners with varying levels of knowledge, expectations, emotions, and behaviors. Unfortunately, rude, demanding, and time-consuming clients are a known hazard in the field, and one which contributes to provider burnout.
High Standards & Perfectionism. “Type A” personalities are overrepresented in veterinary medicine. While striving for excellence is commendable, it also contributes to excessive pressure, anxiety about making mistakes, and high levels of stress.
Addressing these significant stressors requires a comprehensive and insightful approach that includes: fostering a supportive workplace environment, teaching effective communication and stress management skills, providing access to mental health resources, and promoting a workplace culture that centers and prioritizes self-care, stress management, and work-life balance.
At H&S Wellness Consultants, we understand the unique challenges facing veterinary professionals and the comprehensive solutions required to address them. Call us today if you work in the veterinary industry and want to empower your team to get back to what they love most: providing compassionate, quality care to their patients.
