Veterinary Team Research Articles

Merck Animal Health Veterinary Team study reveals factors associated with well-being, burnout, and mental health among nonveterinarian practice team members.

To assess the levels of burnout, well-being, and mental health of nonveterinarian employees of veterinary practices and, for context, compare them to veterinarians and the general population by use of validated instruments. An online survey of 2,271 nonveterinary practice employees drawn from members of the North American Veterinary Technicians Association, members of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, referrals from veterinarian respondents to a companion survey, and a large hospital group that owns several hundred US veterinary practices. The study was fielded from September 11 to October 9, 2023. A majority of practice team members were satisfied with their work in veterinary medicine. However, serious psychological distress was twice as prevalent among team members as among veterinarians and well-being was lower than that of veterinarians. Burnout was similar to veterinarians. Personality played a role: team members on average were more likely to score higher in neuroticism than veterinarians and the general population, and neuroticism was a predictor of low well-being, poor mental health, and burnout. There was also evidence of substantial financial stress among team members. Serious psychological distress was common among practice team members. Financial stress may play a role. Burnout and low levels of well-being were also common. This study provided a useful profile of the psychological conditions that many practice employees may be experiencing.

Drapes in Routine Aseptic Procedures for Environmental Sustainability (project DRAPES): a protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial comparing post-operative wound complication rates following routine neutering of dogs and cats using reusable or disposable surgical drapes

BackgroundReusable surgical drapes have a lower lifetime environmental impact than disposable drapes in most cases. There is limited evidence regarding whether drape choice impacts patient outcomes including post-operative wound complications. The aim of this study is to compare wound complication rates following routine neutering surgeries in cats and dogs when reusable drapes are used as compared with disposable drapes.MethodsThe trial will be conducted as a pragmatic, multi-centre, parallel group randomised controlled trial in the UK. Dogs and cats undergoing routine neutering will be randomised to disposable or reusable drapes with all other aspects of care occurring as they usually would at the practice. The required sample size is 2,850, with 4750 animals to be recruited from up to ten practices to allow for a 40% loss to follow-up. Demographic data and details on peri-operative care will be collected at the time of surgery. Post-operative wound complications will be assessed and recorded as usual at each practice using clinical codes. The post-operative wound clinical codes and any antibiotic use within 30 days of surgery will be retrieved from the practice management software. The primary outcome that will be compared between the two groups is the rate of post-operative wound complications within 30 days of surgery which will be analysed by multivariable logistic regression with a binary outcome of wound complication (yes/no). Secondary outcomes are the prevalence of different types of complications and antibiotic use within 30 days of surgery which will be compared between the two groups by chi square analysis.DiscussionOur hypothesis is that there will be no difference in post-operative wound complication rates between disposable and reusable drapes. If the likely rate of post-surgical wound complications with reusable drapes is similar to that with disposable drapes, then veterinary clinical teams can choose the more sustainable option, confident that their patients will not be impacted by this choice.Trial registrationWe have retrospectively registered the protocol on the Open Science Framework on 14 Nov 2023 (Trial registration entry: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/72HMA).

Exploration of mental health stigma in veterinary teams in the United States before and after evidence‐based psychoeducation for burden transfer

Exploration of mental health stigma in veterinary teams in the United States before and after evidence‐based psychoeducation for burden transfer

Teaching Reform of Veterinary Microbiology Based on the Hybrid Teaching of Ideology and Politics

The veterinary microbiology teaching team thoroughly implements the national education policy, and iteratively promotes the implementation of the teaching reform of Sanquan education. The teaching team is focused on a “student-centered” approach to education, emphasizing the foundation of “cultivating people and nurturing the root and soul of the nation.” By integrating “knowledge exploration, skill training, and value shaping” into the talent training plan, they are reshaping curriculum objectives and emphasizing ideological education in the syllabus. The teaching content system is being reconstructed, combining multiple interactions of blended teaching with the “six-in-one” ideological education model, to achieve the educational goals of the new agricultural “in-class-extracurricular” approach. This effort provides an empirical basis for the ideological and political teaching reform of the veterinary microbiology curriculum.

Collaborative wildlife disease outbreak investigation and response at Bells Swamp Victoria, February 2023.

In February 2023, a report of morbidity and mortality in waterbirds triggered a collaborative regional wildlife disease outbreak investigation and response, led by Parks Victoria. Triage, rehabilitation and diagnosis of sick and dead birds were undertaken by Zoos Victoria (ZV), Agriculture Victoria, Vets for Compassion, Wildlife Victoria and Melbourne Veterinary School (MVS). The field response focused on collection of sick and dead birds for wildlife welfare, for diagnosis, and to reduce environmental contamination. Botulism was suspected, based on clinical signs and lack of significant gross pathology, and this diagnosis was confirmed by PCR testing. Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses non H5 or H7 were detected in two birds and ruled out in all in others tested. These incidental, non-clinical LPAI detections are considered part of the natural wild bird virus community in Australia. A number of elements contributed to the collaborative effort. Regional individuals had the necessary connections for reporting, collecting and transporting birds. There was rapid determination by the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) that Parks Victoria, as the land managers, should lead the response. Zoos Victoria provided capacity and expertise in wildlife triage and rehabilitation, and Agriculture Victoria, ZV and MVS were responsible for veterinary management of the response and diagnosis. Field investigation and response were conducted by Parks Victoria, Agriculture Victoria, MVS and veterinary teams from Vets for Compassion and Wildlife Victoria. Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) provided guidance and information, approved National Significant Disease Investigation Program funding and captured the event in the national wildlife health information database. Communication and media were important for community understanding of the event.

Best practices for recruitment in veterinary clinical trials.

A successful clinical trial requires participants, but many factors can impede effective study recruitment. To better recruit for quality veterinary clinical trials in client-owned animals that lead to improved evidence-based patient care and outcomes, there is a collective need to share and implement current best practices for recruitment strategies. These strategies should utilize a holistic view of recruitment, encompassing study design and logistics, representative participation, incentives, personnel resources, advertising, and participant retention. Although human clinical trial data and resources can provide guidance, effort also needs to be put into evaluating current practices and opportunities for process improvement that are specific to the conduct of veterinary clinical trials. Considering the power of pets as naturally occurring models of disease and as sentinels, improved conduct of veterinary clinical research has the potential to inform human health outcomes. Continued development of collaborations surrounding best practices and training opportunities in veterinary clinical research will improve the impact of veterinary clinical trials teams, while also promoting workforce development and alternate career paths for veterinary professionals.

Caring for those who care for our pets: veterinary social workers’ perceived role in veterinary medicine

ABSTRACT Seventy percent of homes have at least one pet with 83% of people referring to themselves as a pet-parent. Veterinary Social Workers provide clinical support to both owner and veterinary medical teams. This study focused on the exploration of social workers embedded in veterinary medicine settings. The researcher-created survey explored: (1) general characteristics of Veterinary Social Workers and practice settings; (2) Characteristics of client groups; (3) Description of the role and tasks; (4) overall mental health needs of clients; and (5) Veterinary Social Workers response to mental health needs. Suggestions for future research, and best practices for educating social work students/practitioners about animal-human informed practices are offered.

A veterinary nurse's guide to the Modified Glasgow Coma Scale

The Modified Glasgow Coma Scale is a resource that was developed to assess and monitor patients with altered neurological status. It incorporates three categories of examination: level of consciousness; motor activity; and brain stem reflexes. Each category is assigned a score from 1–6 and scores are added together giving an overall score of between 3–18. The lower the score, the poorer the prognosis. Scores should be taken at several intervals over a period of time which will provide a trend which gives crucial information to the veterinary team to aid in clinical decision making. The ability to accurately perform the assessment and interpret the results is a skill veterinary nurses can become proficient at and therefore be able to accurately report and discuss patient progress with the veterinary team and clients.

Your trusted guide: Development of a guide to support owners and veterinary teams in planning and making decisions for equids throughout their lives

Your trusted guide: Development of a guide to support owners and veterinary teams in planning and making decisions for equids throughout their lives

Anaesthetic practices and attitudes to patient safety in a sample of Australian veterinary practices

ObjectiveTo survey anaesthetic practices and attitudes towards veterinary patient safety in Australia. Study designThis was a cross-sectional sample population from Australian veterinary practices, including first opinion small animal, mixed animal and referral small animal practices. The survey included practices’ anaesthetic management, monitoring equipment and topics regarding patient safety. ResultsResponses were obtained from 310/1700 (18%) veterinary practices, with 208 respondents from small animal practices (67%), 71 mixed animal practices (23%) and 31 referral small animal centres (10%). Overall, 61% of respondents reported always having a dedicated staff member monitoring the anaesthetic, who was most commonly a certified veterinary nurse (89%). In 22% of the practices, some of the staff monitoring an anaesthetic did not have any qualification. Completion of anaesthetic plans for each animal prior to an anaesthetic was reported by 24.5% of respondents and labelling of syringes was completed in 80% of practices. Pulse oximetry (98%) and temperature (88%) were the most common clinical variables monitored. The use of capnography (46%) or an electrocardiogram (48%) was also reported by the respondents. Emergency drugs, airway and ventilation equipment are available in 96%, 88% and 59% of practices, respectively. A defibrillator was available in 11% of practices with only 54% respondents being confident in using it. Of the respondents 60% were aware of anaesthesia safety interventions and clinical guidelines regarding patient safety during anaesthesia. Conclusions and clinical relevanceDespite practices showing a relative improvement over the years in the standard of anaesthesia care, most of them are still not meeting international guidelines. Areas where changes could lead to improved safety practices could include: a trained person dedicated to monitor anaesthesia, pain scoring evaluation in patients recovering from anaesthesia, an increased use of standardised handover checklists, record keeping and an increase in open discussion of adverse events by the veterinary team.

Lessons learned from dealing with the challenge of canine brucellosis in practice.

With more and more dogs being imported to the UK, and no requirement for preimport screening for Brucella canis, veterinary teams are now encountering canine brucellosis on an increasingly regular basis. At BVA Live Mark Moreton and Elizabeth McLennan-Green will reflect on their experiences of developing guidance to help practices manage the risks associated with this zoonotic pathogen.

Understanding veterinary prices: facts or feelings?

Veterinary fees can be a source of great pain, not just for clients, but also for the clinic teams that are communicating them. It's a common misconception that fees need to be lowered if we wish to make them feel more comfortable to clients, or to make their communication easier for teams; however, because the human mind perceives price in a very subjective way, there is a lot that can be done to help teams communicate them more confidently and to make them feel more comfortable to clients. An understanding of a few behavioural science principles can give veterinary teams the tools that they need to achieve this.

Brucella canis: a clinical review and rationalising risk

Background: After a letter published by the chief veterinary officer in February 2021 highlighted an increase in the number of positive Brucella canis dogs, the frequency of B canis testing in the UK has increased substantially. To date, roughly 160 positive cases have been reported by the APHA. Amid growing unease, veterinary teams have implemented practice protocols to mitigate risk associated with this non‐endemic, zoonotic infection. Although well‐meaning, blanket policy and inappropriate application of serological tests can negatively impact client and patient welfare while fuelling health anxiety among staff. The combination of increased pet travel, increased popularity of importing dogs and a lack of centralised border requirements for dogs, means B canis is likely to be increasingly encountered and warrants regular, evidence‐based discussion to empower the profession and preserve canine welfare.Aim of the article: This article summarises the clinically relevant issues surrounding Brucella canis, focussing on epidemiology, transmission, human health and safety, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment. Governmental recommendations and recent risk assessments by the Human Animal Infection and Risk Surveillance group are drawn on where appropriate. Moreover, the article aims to instil confidence in veterinary personnel when rationalising B canis infection risk, and help to ensure that canine and staff health are protected.

Veterinary team members experiencing high levels of burden transfer are more likely to report burnout and a less optimal psychosocial work environment.

To describe burden transfer in a sample of veterinary workers employed by a Canadian veterinary corporation and to examine the association between different levels of burden transfer and employee burnout and perceived psychosocial work environment. 475 employees of small-animal veterinary hospitals owned by a corporate practice group. Veterinary team members among 14 working groups responded to an online survey that included assessments of burden transfer, psychosocial environment, and burnout within the workplace. Participants were divided into groups on the basis of self-reported burden-transfer scores being low, mid, or high, and multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to ascertain associations between level of burden transfer, psychosocial environment, and burnout. On average, participants perceived difficult encounters with clients to occur with moderate frequency and reported reactions that were low-moderate in intensity. Individuals with high burden-transfer scores were identified in all working groups. Across the 3 burden-transfer groups, the key finding was that high-level burden transfer was associated with perception of greater emotional demands within the workplace, reduced support from supervisors, reduced feeling of social community in the workplace, and elevated rates of burnout among these participants. Findings highlight elevated risks for a certain population of veterinary employees experiencing high levels of burden transfer and underscore the potential need for targeted interventions to support these individuals. Employees who currently react to challenging client interactions with moderate or low intensity may also benefit from these programs as a preventative measure.

Enhancing euthanasia protocols in practice: a compassionate approach for companion animals

This article focuses on the complex aspects of veterinary euthanasia and aims to highlight the emotional, ethical and logistical challenges of euthanasia in veterinary practice. It advocates for compassionate and consistent euthanasia protocols to improve experiences for pets, owners and veterinary teams, and stresses the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse views within veterinary teams regarding euthanasia. This article also details the considerations in selecting and administering euthanasia protocols for a stress‐free and painless procedure and addresses the need for aftercare and support for both pet owners and veterinary teams after euthanasia, including external grief support resources.

Evaluation of an Interprofessional Blended Learning Course Focusing on Communication within Veterinary Teams.

Based on the importance of communication and teamwork in veterinary practice, we explored the impact of a blended learning course designed to enhance interprofessional communication skills among veterinary students and apprentice assistants. The blended learning course design included online modules, synchronous (online) seminars, and simulation training sessions. The asynchronous online elements should complement the varied schedules of different professions and meet the individual needs of participants, especially considering the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The course structure, evaluations, and outcomes were documented, showing a positive impact on knowledge gain concerning communication and self-assessment in communication skills. In the pretest, the participants scored 43.18% correct answers to a knowledge test, whereas 71.50% correct answers were given in the posttest. Some participants indicated an improvement in the self-assessment of their skills. For example, before the training only 13.64% answered the question "How prepared do you feel regarding your communication skills for entering the profession?" with "Very good" or "Good", versus 50.00% in the posttest. There were also only 22.73% of participants who agreed to having sufficient understanding of the roles of other professional groups, while in the posttest, 81.82% agreed. The evaluations highlighted positive feedback on the organization, learning environment, and overall course structure. However, challenges such as limited resources, especially time and financial constraints, influenced the implementation and ongoing development of the course. Subsequent runs of the course could gather more data to further improve the teaching of veterinary interprofessional communication. This ongoing data collection would allow continuous insights into and adjustments to the teaching methods, ensuring maximum benefit for veterinary students and apprentice assistants.

Retrospective review of a Schwartz Rounds service for a veterinary team

Schwartz Rounds are a multidisciplinary forum for human healthcare staff to process the emotional and social issues associated with delivering care. The aim is to care for the emotional needs of team members so that they in turn may attend to the emotional needs of their patients (clients). Aim: To run a pilot program at a large UK veterinary practice to assess the suitability and impact of Schwartz Rounds in this group. Method: Data analysis of feedback forms and attendance records from Schwartz Rounds in veterinary practice. Results: Over 90% of attendees found that the stories presented were: relevant to their daily work; would help them work better with colleagues; found the group discussion helpful; and had a better understanding of their work. Over 90% planned to attend again and recommend Schwartz Rounds to colleagues. Conclusions: The pilot provided sufficient quantitative evidence that Schwartz Rounds increase the wellbeing of practice teams to warrant further investigations.

Never fear when a rabbit stasis patient is near

Managing a gut stasis rabbit can be very challenging for a veterinary team. The goal should be to resolve the acute, potentially life-threatening condition, to then allow the veterinary surgeon to diagnose the cause of why the gastrointestinal stasis has occurred in the first place. Given the nature of these patients and how high maintenance they can be, a lot of the monitoring and care falls on the veterinary nurse. The veterinary nurse becomes the eyes and ears for the veterinary surgeon and the information that is passed on to them can impact the treatment plan of the patient. Some veterinary nurses may find this daunting and, certainly in the author's own practice, some nurses enjoy working with rabbits more than others. The aim, as a cohesive team, has been to create a protocol which everyone can use to standardise how stasis patients are treated and boost the confidence of less experienced team members.

Pesky Pudgy Ponies: Equine Obesity and the Behavior Consultant

Obesity is one of the most common, and also most preventable causes of poor welfare in leisure horses. Research to date has shown that leisure equestrians have a poor ability to visually distinguish between healthy and unhealthy weights for horses. Equine behavior consultants are well-placed to offer advice as they are generally called in when an owner has recognized some problem. Equine behavior consultants should consider investing in their education around recognizing obesity and ways it can be managed and addressed, to best serve their clients as part of the veterinary and behavior team.

Valuing our veterinary teams and continuing our commitment to advancing veterinary technicians.

Valuing our veterinary teams and continuing our commitment to advancing veterinary technicians.