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Unspoken Truths About COVID-19

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This week on the Cone…

Dr. Andy Roark and Dr. Anita Link discuss her article on the challenges and unspoken truths about dealing with the COVID pandemic.

Article: anitalinkthoughtfood.com/2020/04/15/v…oken-truths/

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

ABOUT DR. ANITA LINK:

“I am a small animal veterinarian who graduated from the University of Queensland in Australia in 1997. For the first twenty years I worked in small animal practices in both Australia and the UK, but I am currently taking a break from veterinary work while I concentrate on my other two passions: writing and mental health advocacy.

I completed a Master of Arts in Writing, Editing, and Publishing between the birth of my two children. My interest in mental health advocacy was borne of my experience of living with Bipolar 1 Disorder, which was triggered by the birth of my first child in 2006. I have written a memoir, which is due to be published this year (Covid 19 permitting) and run Thought Food, a website, which is home to my blog. Most of my posts are opinion pieces relating to living a good life with mental illness.”

Becoming a Manager During a Pandemic

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In February of this year, I was chosen to become the new managing DVM of the hospital where I currently work. I was to take over the role April 1st, 2020. At the time I had been out of school for almost 8 years. I was excited. I had so many ideas. I wanted to change so much. I wanted the clinic to become loved by all. I wanted us to grow and become like a family. And then… COVID-19 hit. 

A few weeks before I was to take over as MDVM, the news was spreading in regards to veterinary clinics potentially having to shut down due to the pandemic. This was mid-March so it had not really affected our area but all of the doctors were getting news from the AVMA and local representatives that we need to have a plan in place. Even though I wasn’t officially the managing DVM, everyone kept looking to me to create a plan of attack. With the help of another colleague and the support of corporate, I put out a message for the clinic and our clients regarding what changes may need to be incorporated during this time. We wanted people to be prepared if we had to go curbside or limit entry into the clinic. Unfortunately, a few days later I was told I was overreacting and overstepping my boundaries. I was defeated. I was just trying to make the staff feel safe during an uncertain time. I’d rather be over-prepared than underprepared. But I was told to hold my horses and not take the virus too seriously. 

A day later, our office manager put herself in quarantine due to recent travel out of state. Three days later, our state went into non-essential business lockdown. A day later, twelve members of our staff went on furlough due to having young children, sick/immune-compromised parents, and lack of resources for their kids during the school shutdown. The next day, the current managing DVM became sick and went on quarantine for two weeks. It wasn’t even April, but I was pushed to handle what was going on. I was asked to step up during this unprecedented time. 

April 1st came and went. I still haven’t fully received any major training for the job. With the lockdown, most of the corporate staff were forced to work from home, which meant no “in person” training for me. The weekend MDVM training courses were canceled. I couldn’t even rely on the former MDVM to help out because they had gone down to part-time and we had opposite schedules. I can’t blame corporate either – they were giving me weekly updates and holding phone conferences to help with any issues that were occurring. My main goal was to keep the staff from quitting and setting the clinic on fire. It was tough. The sheer amount of angry clients and non-clients was outrageous. I can’t even count the number of times my staff was verbally abused over flea medication. We all felt mistreated every day, and sometimes it was hard to get through the day. 

It is now almost June. The county is partially reopening. Most of our staff is back in action. We are still faced with a lot of angry clients and non-clients daily. I am still figuring out how to run a hospital. But I think if I can make it through a pandemic then when things get back to normal (or as close to normal as we can get) this job will be a piece of cake. Who am I kidding? It is going to be rough, but I am stronger because of the crisis and the help of all of my staff during this difficult time. You never know what you can achieve when you are put in the hot seat. I think one pandemic is enough for me though.  

Stay safe everyone!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

How to Be Thankful During A Pandemic*

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*OK, I’ll admit, this title is pretentious. 

But stick with me here. I don’t pretend to actually be able to make this apocalyptic worldwide shutdown into an affirmative self-improvement experience. BUT I do know that some fancy psychologists somewhere report that positive thinking leads to positive being. And so, I have endeavored to show why I think that us veterinarians, do in fact, have a lot to be thankful for during a pandemic. Let me count the ways. 

1. We’re essential

Truly, this is a big positive. The fact that we even get to work right now is huge. My husband is a dentist. It turns out sticking your hands into the breathing orifices of other humans during an onslaught of a respiratory virus is not advised. And so, he has been stuck in our 1,500 square foot apartment for 8 weeks, collecting unemployment checks, and watching videos about how to suit up in full PPE for his eventual return to treating the human mouth. While I have occasionally been envious that he has gotten to play approximately 1-million hours of video games in the last two months, in the end, I am just so incredibly thankful that I have a job to go to and a paycheck to collect. 

2. Curbside service

As one of the very few businesses whose clients are not humans, we have the unique ability to provide our services without strange people entering our workplace. I have cracked a few jokes about how my clinic should move into a Taco Bell to expedite our curbside service. Instead of “can I take your order?” it will be “can you tell me how long your dog has been vomiting?” That could be followed up with, “OK please drive up to the first window and hand us your Maltese and we’ll have him feeling better in no time!” While curbside service comes with its own challenges, it is pretty great that we can do our job fully and minimize human contact. No other medical field can practice without significant direct human contact and the associated risk.

3. Social interaction

While things inside our clinics have changed, it is pretty cool that we still get to see other people. We may be wearing a mask all the time, staying six feet apart whenever possible, and even working in teams, but I for one feel lucky I get to see my coworkers every day. Many of my non-veterinary friends are working from home and the only other human beings they get to see face-to-face are their spouses, kids and grocery store clerks. From what they tell me, this is tiresome. The biggest moments of levity in these last few months have been moments spent with my team. My techs, receptionists and fellow vets have done wonders to keep my spirits up.

4. We know science

Imagine trying to decipher the endless stream of information about COVID-19 without any medical or scientific training. It is confusing and disorienting regardless, but at least we started this knowing corona could, in fact, refer to a virus and not just a case of beer. We understand the importance of research, peer review and solid science. We understand ELISA tests, vaccine protocols, and ventilators. This may be a new disease, but if we can pass a board exam that covers everything from wet tail disease in hamsters to erysipelas in swine then we have to be some of the best-prepared people to wade through the random medical facts coming at us from every direction. 

5. Growth through the challenges

This one might be more of a stretch for some. But if you’re being really “glass half full,” then any challenge is just a chance for growth and improvement. Maybe it’s that your clinic added telemedicine, maybe it’s that you had to improve efficiency, or maybe it’s simply that this time made you focus on your priorities. But I for one am hopeful that our profession will actually grow through these difficult times. 

I know the risks of the Coronavirus are real. And I do not say any of this to undermine the absolute scariness of these unknown times. I hope everyone is washing their hands, practicing social distancing, and wearing masks. And I think it’s completely normal and OK to be sad, frustrated, confused, and afraid about this all (I certainly have been). But I also hope that at least for a moment, we can also find the spots of positivity shining through. And I hope we can all be thankful to work in veterinary medicine through it all.

Love and good thoughts to all my fellow vets.

– Sarah

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Where Have the Working Moms Gone?

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It seemed like a normal work conversation, discussing an after-hours team building activity and the specifics of when and where we could host it. After some back and forth about times and locations, I realized the limiting factor was me, or more specifically the fact that I had a child. 

You see, on my surgery and anesthesia team I am one of 14 people working to provide amazing anesthesia. However, I am currently the ONLY ONE with a child at home. I wondered if this was true for other departments in our hospital and I found that it was… ER only has 3 people out of 20 that have school aged children at home, ICU has only 2 working moms out of 12 staff members. 

So, veterinary medicine… what happened? How did a profession dominated by women become a harsh environment for women to raise children in? And, can we make a change, so we do not lose women to other professions once they have children?

In a recent poll amongst friends, one thing that seems to stick out is the overall low pay for veterinary technicians (yes it’s true… a cashier at my local grocery store makes the exact same per hour as a fresh out of school veterinary technician) and the hours that are difficult to mesh with school and daycare. 

According to a 2016 study, approximately 30% of skilled working moms quit their jobs after having kids. Additional research shows that of those that leave the workforce, about 70% say they would have stayed in it if they’d had flexibility. 

There are new concepts being used in corporate America that could potentially be an advantage to us in veterinary medicine if we are willing to step outside of the “this is the way we’ve always done it” box. 

Microagility is a concept taking hold that involves allowing employees to step away from work for a few hours (say to pick their children up from school) and time-shift an unconventional schedule that might help commuters avoid rush hour or to do a kid car pool run. 

So, let’s put on our imagination hats (as I say to my son… and my husband when I was trying to convince him to buy a run-down house in need of a major remodel) and imagine if these things are possible for working moms in vet med. Instead of just saying “No, that won’t work here,” I challenge you to ask how it could work here, and if we did this, what would it look like? Could we have working mothers work a split shift in order to pick kids up from school? Could mothers working 1 day a week from home be an answer to the backlog of training manuals, AAHA inspection reports, and employee reviews? Were you thinking about hiring an outside company for help with your social media? Why not hire a millennial mom that already knows both your hospital and Tik Tok! With the advent of telemedicine, do we have some working mothers with extra training (in behavior, or pain management) that could do much needed and valued teleconferencing with clients? Could working mothers be the ones that start your monthly Zoom pet bereavement group for clients? There are many opportunities that could exist to help prevent our working mothers from leaving vet med, we simply must shift our perspective on the way it’s traditionally been done. If any profession can adapt and progress, it’s vet med. 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

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Today is a beautiful sunny day. We are quarantined and cannot really go anywhere except for maybe a walk in the neighborhood or outside to do yard work.  I had some groceries delivered today, which I had done a few times before this all started, but now it is the only way I shop. 

Working, shopping, entertainment and socializing have changed dramatically. This is our new normal, but it does not feel very normal.  There are so many unknowns.

How do we remain mentally strong when we do not know what our future holds?

1. Accept reality. 

There is no use arguing with reality when something bad happens. Wondering why and arguing with facts is generally a waste of time. The sooner you can choose to accept things as they are, the sooner you can begin to deal with the reality of the current situation. Our thinking creates our feelings, so accepting things is the first step to dealing with any anxiety or worry that the crisis brings.

2. Take some time to experience your emotions.

Negative emotions will come in waves during and after a crisis. If you do not fear your emotions and choose to accept them, you will experience sadness, fear or anxiety for a short time and then allow them to pass. Choosing to feel all of your emotions will help you process them in a healthier way. 

3. Choose a positive mantra to keep with you.

Find a quote or saying that speaks to you. Keeping positive messaging handy when your mind wants to go negative will allow you to replace the thoughts with more positive messages. 

4. Help yourself and help others.

Self-care is very important during difficulties. Practice mindfulness, exercise and sleep well. Reach out to your friends and relatives to not only get support but give support. Helping others will help keep you from focusing too much on your worries.  Reaching out and offering assistance to another person in need will allow you to feel more powerful.

Create grace for yourself by feeling your emotions, supporting yourself and caring for others. Together we will become stronger and the sun will come out tomorrow.

“The ability to continue moving when you are feeling scared, fearful or lazy is the sign of true mental strength.” ― Matthew Donnelly

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

The Parable of the Chinese Farmer

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I have been thinking a lot about one of my favorite stories. It’s over 2,000 years old and is as relevant today as even before. It’s called the Parable of the Chinese Farmer. Here’s how it goes:

There once was a poor farmer who worked the soil with his son and their horse, and one day their horse ran away. The farmer’s neighbor came over and said “This is terrible! What an awful thing!”

The farmer replied “Maybe so… and maybe not.”

Two days later, the horse returned but not alone. It brought a second horse with it. The neighbor said “This is wonderful! What great luck!” Again, the farmer replied, “Maybe so… and maybe not.”

A few weeks later the farmer’s son fell off of the new horse and badly broke his leg. The neighbor again stopped by to say “How horrible! Surely you have been cursed,” and again the farmer replied, “Maybe so… and maybe not.”

Shortly thereafter, all the young men in the village were drafted to go and help fight off an invading army. Many of them died, but the farmer’s son was spared from the draft because of his broken leg. The neighbor told the farmer how lucky he was.

“Maybe so… and maybe not.”

The current global pandemic is stressful and scary for all of us. No one would say that our current situation is “good.” However, as I listen to the anxieties of my colleagues, especially new graduates from veterinary school who are worried about the state of the profession they are graduating into, I can’t help but think of the farmer.

There is almost certainly some sort of a recession coming, and many of us are working shortened hours, or have been laid off. Veterinary medicine will have to adapt how it serves pet owners, treats patients, and charges for healthcare. Some of us may lose loved ones or become infected ourselves. The immediate situation appears dark.

However, the words and perspective of the farmer shouldn’t be forgotten. Over the long term, what if COVID-19 makes us more efficient? It has already pushed us forward a decade in our use of digital communication with pet owners, and practices all over the world are refining their protocols and workflow to serve clients more quickly with smaller numbers of staff. Shifting our business model to focus more on selling our time and knowledge (as we do when we utilize telemedicine) as opposed to relying on product sales could be the best thing to happen to veterinary medicine in decades.

Perhaps the changes to our society will allow opportunities for our practices to grow in ways we have never imagined. The entrepreneurs among us will find new opportunities to expand the reach of our profession and to serve the new needs of pet owners. Maybe we will all find a better perspective on the uncertainty of life and a new comfort level with the reality that many things are simply out of our control. Maybe we will remember that our best-laid plans may never materialize through no fault of our own, and that’s just the way of the world. Maybe we will come together as a profession and a society to take better care of each other. Maybe everything will be just fine. Maybe we will look back at this time in our lives and think “I’m grateful COVID forced me to do things professionally and personally that I was afraid to do and never would have done otherwise.

Maybe so… and maybe not.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.