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Team Culture

The Growing Pains of Setting Boundaries in Veterinary Medicine

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I’m sitting in the car and crying outside of my daughter’s school. I’ve just left work and made my way to her school for her annual talent show. We are doing an aerial yoga routine together that we have been practicing for 2 weeks. I know that she’s inside nervously waiting for me and I’m trying to get a grip on myself before I go in. I don’t want her to see that I’m a mess and that I’ve been crying because there’s no way I can explain to her why I’m upset that won’t make me seem like the worst parent ever.

Let me explain; Buster is making his way to the hospital. He’s in pain and his mom is ready to let him go. Buster who I have been taking care of for the last 10 years. Buster who I’ve seen through countless ear infections, 2 sarcoma removal surgeries, chemo, radiation, heart disease, periodontal disease, and now a hemangiosarcoma that showed up on his leg overnight. I love Buster and I love his momma who is a sweet, dedicated and understanding lady. It took everything in me to say no, I can’t stay to euthanize him, the ER doctor will have to do it. And now it hurts. I’m in, what can only be described as heartache and I feel terrible. Not only that, but I feel terrible that this feels so terrible. My daughter and my husband are my priority and I’ve made myself a deal to act that way and to show them that they ARE my priority. I just didn’t know that it would hurt so much.

I’m having serious growing pains. Growing pains for setting boundaries with myself, my staff and my clients.  

As we start to dive deep into mental wellbeing in the veterinary profession you hear this all the time: “You need to set boundaries,” “you need to leave work at work,” “you need to learn to say NO when you need to.” However, no one ever tells you how and no one ever tells you how painful it is going to be as you begin to do this.

It is hard. And painful. And necessary.

It is necessary because if we do not have boundaries, we will put work first. And we will hurt those we love the most, including ourselves. If we are to live our life by design that means we need to be purposeful about the boundaries we place on our personal time. We need to actually think about what we want to spend our time, energy, and brain power on when we are not at work. We need to think about our loved ones and what they mean to us, and how do we want to spend our time together. So, for me, this means setting the following boundaries:

  • Leave work on time or as close to as possible. Sometimes I need to finish my notes after my “done time” so I put headphones in to block out the noise but also to signal to my staff that I am officially out of office and all calls/questions need to be directed elsewhere.
  • Leave work at work. No phone calls/texts/emails or updates about my patients when I am out of office. No looking up lab work or emailing clients on my off time. Re-route my brain when it starts to think about work when I am at home (be present).
  • Prioritize school/kid events in my work schedule and get there on time!

Once these boundaries are made within you, it is then time to share them with your staff. After all, you have been acting and doing things that go against these boundaries all along and if you don’t share them they will have no idea that they exist. It is time to be open and honest about what your new boundaries are and why they are important to you. Share what they mean to you and to your family. In my case it means that my husband and daughter get to feel like they are important to me, that they matter more than my work and to them this translates to love. For me it means that I get to spend my time with my loved ones without worrying about what is happening at work or with my patients so that I can take care of my mental wellbeing which enables me to continue to give.

Once you have shared your boundaries and the reasons for having them, you can then ask for help and understanding that when you do (and will) say no, it is never because you don’t care. It’s just that you need to take care of yourself and the people at home waiting for you.

This is life changing work we do.

You got this.

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.

Trust the Entire Vet Team

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As a devoted pet owner, you undoubtedly take your pet in for regular checkups to the veterinarian. You also don’t likely delay taking them in if they seem sick. The longer you wait for those illnesses, the worse it makes it for you and your pet. Because of this relationship you have with your veterinary clinic, you may even have “your” veterinarian – you know, the one you see all the time, the only one you’ll see…

We understand you may have a fond attachment to the doctor that has been taking care of your pets for 2 years, 5 years, 20 years, basically forever. Veterinary medicine is a team sport which means that in many veterinary clinics there will be other doctors, the veterinary technicians, the reception staff, and the kennel attendants. There are a lot of people who are helping your pet whether it be for a routine annual exam or an emergency. And those people deserve as much respect for their knowledge and sacrifice as your vet.

Having been in the shoes of the receptionists (yes, I did that role after kennel attendant), I can speak both to the kindness of clients but also have seen the dark side that is beholden to stubbornness or disheartened thoughts after visits where they didn’t get to see their preferred vet. As a new grad several years ago or even working for an older veterinarian, I still hear these kind of things in a slightly different way.  It can be both heartbreaking and frustrating at the same time.

Imagine seeing a patient, helping it through a crisis, being complimented by that client preferred veterinarian for fixing one of their regulars and then hearing the client say they were dissatisfied and don’t want to see you again – even though everything worked out and nothing went wrong – the heartbreak.  Another time you may be in the exam room with a client and they refuse to accept treatment or diagnostic recommendations and just want what always works, even if we know it to be a temporary fix, because “that’s what Dr. X does and it’s great.” It’s also sometimes the most inexpensive route at the time (sometimes it just masks a bigger problem) or maybe it’s just wrong – the frustration. Yes, “your” doctor can be wrong. Veterinary medicine is a constantly changing field. Sometimes what worked on Sparky 20 years ago isn’t what is best for Rover now.

Sometimes as a vet in these situations you can laugh it off though. One time when I was working an overnight emergency shift as an intern, I had a 3 a.m. visit from a client who swore that nothing myself or the technician staff could do was appropriate. They insisted that I call Dr. Sessa (1989 UF Vet Med grad) because he was amazing. She was his cousin’s brother’s nephew’s girlfriend so she was like family, and he invented subcutaneous fluids so he would know what to do. So, I called him and in a slumber he told me he had no idea who she was but felt my plan was appropriate and to tell her that I had his blessing. I’m pretty sure some clients had shrines in their homes to him.

All kidding aside, I’m sure you’re favorite or preferred veterinarian is pretty amazing. But don’t forget that working with them is a pretty awesome team of people they trust just as much to take care of your pets when they aren’t there. Give them a chance and you might just make a few new “favorites.”

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.

Know Your People

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A sense of community is something we all strive for. Whether we are loud and boisterous or reserved and quiet, we all want to feel as though we belong somewhere. We want to feel that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. I think many of us got into vet med because we felt we were providing care that made a difference. That the acts we do make us feel like we are making an impact. And they are. But then the real-world hits. We forget about the fact that this is a team sport.

I won’t lie. I am a very introverted person. I hate crowds and I despise small talk. I want to do my job and often I would like to do it in a manner that doesn’t draw attention to myself. I have worked in clinics where every individual was good at their job. They individually were rock stars. But they sucked at talking to each other. They lived their own lives and working in a vet hospital was just something they did. There really isn’t anything wrong with that. But who wants to live their life being really awesome at their job, but completely isolated?

Community is when you walk into your job and you realize you are a part of a family. It is when you can get to know each other as people, and not just your job title. Community is when you connect with the people you work with. When you are comfortable to share and brave enough to show you care. Community means being able to accept your coworkers for themselves. All the good and all the bad. It means wanting to be a part of a group of people who are so different but come together for a common goal. There is no emphasis on education, background or previous experience.

Many years ago, I remember working with a vet who was very good at her job, but it was a job for her. I worked with her for years. Although she knew how to do a dog spay in record time and she knew physiology, disease process and could do CRI calculations like no one’s business, she didn’t know her team. I realized this when I had been working with her for years and she didn’t remember my dogs name. The dog she had diagnosed conditions on, provided annual preventative care and seen on emergency. She knew it in the moment but had totally forgotten it in passing conversation.

To be fair, we all are busy people and deal with intense cases, angry clients, and staying on schedule. Never mind trying to remember to stop by the grocery store after work, take the kids to soccer practice or try and not forget that Friday is trash day. We have a ton on our minds. All that can distract us from our people. The people we probably spend more time with than we do with our families.  Sometimes we have to stop, take a minute and get to know the people we work with. We have to remember to not just make it through the day but to make connections.

Know your people. When you know your people, you will find you have more in common than you don’t. Care about your people. Being brave enough to make a connection and build relationships only enhances the medicine we practice and our ability to have genuine connections with our clientele. Vet med can be isolating. It doesn’t have to be. Making connections doesn’t have to be forced. It just means being present. It means listening and realizing that we all want to belong. We all want to be something bigger. We can do that together.

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.

Merry Mentoring: Consider Giving the Gift of Time and Knowledge This Holiday Season

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I like a Starbucks gift card as much as the next guy. I also like a new pair of gloves to keep as extras in the car. There are many small gifts you can give your employees and co-workers during this holiday season, but one stands out as the most valuable and rewarding of them all. Consider instead of the lotto tickets and gift cards, giving your time and attention and mental energy. I know it sounds like a big ask… and you’re probably thinking:

“Where will this extra time come from?”

“Who do I direct this attention onto?” and

“How can I invest more mental energy, I’m already near the point of running away screaming from veterinary medicine?”

I will tell you it’s no easy task but I urge you to take this time of year to see how you can be of service to the learning and career development of your team members. Maybe send your techs to a conference, or  get them a copy of a book they have been eyeing, or (the best one in my eyes), become a mentor. Taking time to check in with your team and take an active interest in developing their skills and interest can serve your practice in many different ways. Let’s look at some ways mentoring can boost morale and patient care at your practice:

1. Mentoring is especially useful in helping new technicians improve their self-confidence, and develop real-world skills such as advanced catheter placement and regional nerve blocks.

2. Mentoring also fosters leadership skills that technicians can use to advance their careers when it comes time for them to consider leadership or management roles.

3. Mentoring relationships inside the veterinary hospital can help improve team morale. Team members who feel that their professional interests are acknowledged and fostered tend to stay at these clinics longer, reducing the cost of turnover.

If you have a team member that is looking to take on more responsibility, or has a particular area of interest that they want to grow, consider starting a mentor program in your practice. You can pair experienced clinicians with newer grads, and seasoned technicians with others that want to grow in areas such as critical care or anesthesia. An important thing to note is: the mentor and mentee must trust each other. They both must give constructive feedback, both positive and negative. Above all, mentors let mentees know that they believe the mentee will succeed in their chosen area of advancement.

So, this year before you pick up another houseplant for your secret Santa, consider investing time and energy in the team development first.

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.

Don’t Waste Energy on the Negative

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Once upon a time, working in veterinary medicine was regarded as a selfless profession. Everyone employed in the hospital knew at a young age that taking care of animals was their calling. We had more people than we needed to fill vacant jobs and had stacks of resumes from determined people wanting to get their foot in the door. Fast forward to 2018 and people are deserting this profession at an alarming rate. The reasons are limitless and frankly, one of them can be eliminated.

Some of us still have the same passion from when we began our career and have never forgotten where we came from. We are not lost on why we are here in the first place. Our patients are voiceless and look to us for healing and comfort. We are educated and have the ability to make a difference. We have the ability to teach the next generation how awesome it is to be in this profession yet some are destined to expel the negative as far as they can.

I worked in specialty medicine as a CVT for 14 years before I made the decision to leave practice. I left because my body broke down not because of the profession itself. I loved being an advocate for patients and being a part of a team that took pride in how we practiced medicine as a whole. There were days I wanted to quit from lack of appreciation and inadequate pay for the work being performed. I rarely sat down for a lunch break to take the time for myself to re-energize for the rest of the day. I worked 12 to 14-hour days often and wondered if it was worth it? I spent my days taking care of other people pets while mine were home alone wondering when I would return to take care of them. When I finally made it home, I sat with them while sometimes crying after a long day begging them to never get sick.

I went to work every day with a purpose and although I sometimes questioned my decision, I never forgot why I embraced this amazing profession. Pets are not going anywhere and they need us more than ever. Clients are spending money on veterinary care more than ever before and those of us that are passionate about our role in their care are dedicated despite the negatives that surround us. We can all agree that we are under-appreciated, underpaid and overworked as a whole for the work we all do, but our patients have no idea. They depend on us to take care of them no matter what and we made a commitment to honor that despite the challenges.

Everyone has their own unique experiences and although it is very easy to express to someone why they shouldn’t be in the profession, focus on the reasons why they should. Why you chose this profession in the beginning still exists deep down in your soul. Take a moment to remember your “why” and be a mentor to someone who may be struggling. This profession is emotional and hard on most days, but it can also be very rewarding. Making a difference in a pet’s life is much more fulfilling than wasting energy on negativity.

This profession isn’t perfect but no career is. There are days your heart will be so full one minute and completely broken the next. Is it worth it? Only you can answer that question. Take a look at your own pet(s). What type of person would you want taking care of them? One who has positivity in their heart or negativity in their veins? I know the type that I would choose every single time.

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.

True Confessions of a Bottle Shaker

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I’m a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager and I’ve been doing this for more years than I care to admit. I’m knowledgeable in most of the well-managed practices, I promise. You want to talk about my ACT or have me list my ABC products? Let’s do it – but there’s one exception:

Hi, my name is Meghan and I’m a bottle shaker. I always have been and probably always will be. I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it. For years now, at the very top of my to-do list, has been inventory. It mocks me and up until recently it’s been my dirty little secret — a flaw I’ve tried to hide.

One of my 2019 to-dos is to let the guilt go; I’m going to embrace being a bottle shaker. I suffer from Impostor Syndrome and I’m tired of it. I’m done with focusing on what the industry might deem a weakness and I’m ready to celebrate my successes.

But, to set the record straight, I’m a very capable bottle shaker. It’s not like we’re running out of things. It’s just the stigma of not having a structured inventory system that makes it seem like I don’t have my act together.

Here are my excuses: our software is notorious for being difficult with inventory, so right off the bat I don’t trust it. And I like knowing where things are. I like knowing what arrived and what is on backorder. I like the tactile reminder that it’s the holiday season and I need to stock up on GI meds. I like knowing that everything is in its place. I find peace in the process and that, my friends, is priceless. So here it is, and I’m going to shout it from the roof top: I’m a bottle shaker and that’s ok!

I envy people that can order once a month. It seems like such a novel concept. Or what about those people that order through their software system. Those people are modern-day miracles.

Trust me, I know how inventory works. I know why a streamlined inventory system is so important. And yet I continue to shake bottles. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried ABC lists and I’ve done reorder cards. I’ve gone to CE and I’ve even brought “Inventory Gurus” into the clinic.

But here’s what I’ve come to understand over the last few years: do what works for you, do what works for your clinic. Knowing how to do something correctly and doing it well isn’t always the same thing; and doing something “correctly” may not be the best fit for your clinic but knowing that is half the battle. I’d rather have the knowledge of how do to something correctly and do it my way than try to force an industry standard to work at my clinic.

I actually find peace coming in early and going through inventory. I update prices, make sure everything from my last orders have arrived and been stocked properly. Within 15 minutes I know what we need, how much we need and I have an idea of what’s going on in the clinic. It’s a system that works for me and it’s a system that works for my clinic.

Admitting I know I’m not doing something the “right way” is freeing. I’m no longer embarrassed by it because I know I’m doing inventory proficiently. It no longer looms over my head as something I can’t seem to accomplish or that I’m failing at. And taking this daunting task off my list freed up a spot for something I could accomplish, like becoming the first Fear Free Certified Clinic in Texas.

As the new year approaches, I encourage you to accept the things you can’t (or don’t want to) change. Think about how much you can get done when you’re doing something you want to be doing instead of something you think you should be doing. Industry standards don’t have to define your successes.

No one knows your clinic better than you. It’s time we embrace our knowledge and embrace our uniqueness and be proud of our daily accomplishments instead of comparing ourselves to the clinic down the street or the ones we see online.

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 THE AUTHOR

Meghan S. Bingham, CVPM, is the practice manager at West Alabama Animal Clinic, a 10-doctor small animal clinic in Houston. She has worked at the clinic for more than 20 years and jokes that she’s held every position except veterinarian! Meghan earned here CVPM certification in 2017, was elected Veterinary Hospital Managers Association Emerging Leader and is currently up for DVM 360’s Practice Manager of the Year. Meghan is passionate about hip-hop dancing with her five-year old son, taking naps and French fries – in that order!