Impact of dealing with bereaved clients on the psychological wellbeing of veterinarians.
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Animals
Bereavement
Compassion Fatigue
/ psychology
Euthanasia, Animal
/ statistics & numerical data
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Occupational Stress
/ epidemiology
Pets
/ psychology
Professional-Patient Relations
South Australia
/ epidemiology
Suicide
/ psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Veterinarians
/ psychology
Young Adult
Veterinarians
bereavement
euthanasia
grief and loss
psychology
Journal
Australian veterinary journal
ISSN: 1751-0813
Titre abrégé: Aust Vet J
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0370616
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Oct 2019
Oct 2019
Historique:
received:
26
01
2018
revised:
09
04
2019
accepted:
08
05
2019
pubmed:
1
8
2019
medline:
22
1
2020
entrez:
1
8
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Research has identified that members of the veterinary profession are at high risk of occupational stress, burnout, poor psychological wellbeing and an elevated rate of suicide. Although scholarly interest in veterinarians has increased in recent years, relatively few studies have specifically examined the emotional work in veterinary interactions and what effect dealing with companion animal owners' grief has on the wellbeing of veterinarians. The purpose of this study was to determine if dealing with bereaved clients affected the psychological wellbeing of veterinarians. The concept of compassion fatigue was explored, including whether veterinarians believed that their training had equipped them for communicating with grieving clients. Veterinary surgeons registered in South Australia in 2015 were invited to complete an online survey, with 105 participants responding. Many participants, particularly female and younger veterinarians, were experiencing mild to severe psychological distress and nearly half of the sample was experiencing high to very high levels of compassion fatigue. No participants reported seeking psychological or other professional mental health support and the majority had not referred a grieving client to a psychologist or other mental health professional. A significant proportion of veterinarians felt their own mental health was affected by dealing with clients grieving the loss of a companion animal. The findings are discussed in terms of increasing the wellbeing of veterinarians through improved curriculum training and workplace health promotion, particularly considering the high suicide rate reported for the profession.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Research has identified that members of the veterinary profession are at high risk of occupational stress, burnout, poor psychological wellbeing and an elevated rate of suicide. Although scholarly interest in veterinarians has increased in recent years, relatively few studies have specifically examined the emotional work in veterinary interactions and what effect dealing with companion animal owners' grief has on the wellbeing of veterinarians. The purpose of this study was to determine if dealing with bereaved clients affected the psychological wellbeing of veterinarians. The concept of compassion fatigue was explored, including whether veterinarians believed that their training had equipped them for communicating with grieving clients.
METHODS
METHODS
Veterinary surgeons registered in South Australia in 2015 were invited to complete an online survey, with 105 participants responding.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Many participants, particularly female and younger veterinarians, were experiencing mild to severe psychological distress and nearly half of the sample was experiencing high to very high levels of compassion fatigue. No participants reported seeking psychological or other professional mental health support and the majority had not referred a grieving client to a psychologist or other mental health professional. A significant proportion of veterinarians felt their own mental health was affected by dealing with clients grieving the loss of a companion animal.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
The findings are discussed in terms of increasing the wellbeing of veterinarians through improved curriculum training and workplace health promotion, particularly considering the high suicide rate reported for the profession.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
382-389Informations de copyright
© 2019 Australian Veterinary Association.
Références
White S. Companion animals: members of the family or legally discarded objects? UNSW Law J 2009;32:852-878.
Sable P. The pet connection: an attachment perspective. Clin Social Work J 2013;41:93-99.
McGowan TW, Phillips CJC, Hodgson DR et al. Euthanasia in aged horses: relationship between the owner's personality and their opinions on, and experience of, euthanasia of horses. Anthrozoös 2012;25:261-275.
Chur-Hansen A. Grief and bereavement issues and the loss of a companion animal: people living with a companion animal, owners of livestock, and animal support workers. Clin Psych 2010; 14:14-21.
Hewson C. Grief for animal companions and an approach to supporting their bereaved owners. Bereavement Care 2014;33:103-110.
Morris P. Managing pet owners' guilt and grief in veterinary euthanasia encounters. J Contemp Ethnogr 2012;41:337-365.
Fernandez-Mehler P, Gloor P, Sager E et al. Veterinarians' role for pet owners facing pet loss. Vet Rec 2013;172:555. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.101154.
Pilgram MD. Communicating social support to grieving clients: the veterinarians' view. Death Studies 2010;34:699-714.
Rujoiu O, Rujoiu V. Veterinarians' views on pet loss: evidence from Romania. J Loss Trauma 2015;20:139-148.
Hatch P, Winefield H, Christie B et al Workplace stress, mental health, and burnout of veterinarians in Australia. Aust Vet J 2011;89:460-468.
Platt B, Hawton K, Simkin S et al. Suicidal behaviour and psychosocial problems in veterinary surgeons: a systematic review. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2012;47:223-240.
Meehan MP. Psychological wellbeing of veterinary professionals. Vet Rec 2014;174:142-143.
Batchelor CEM, McKeegan DEF. Survey of the frequency and perceived stressfulness of ethical dilemmas encountered in UK veterinary practice. Vet Rec 2012;170:19. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.100262.
Nett RJ, Witte T, Holzbauer SM et al. Risk factors for suicide, attitudes toward mental illness, and practice-related stressors among US veterinarians. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;247:945-955.
Bartram OJ, Baldwin DS. Veterinary surgeons and suicide: a structured review of possible influences on increased risk. Vet Rec 2010;166; 388-397.
Fink-Miller EL, Nestler LM. Suicide in physicians and veterinarians: risk factors and theories. Curr Opin Psychol 2018;22:23-26.
Jones-Fairnie H, Ferroni P, Sinburn S et al. Suicide in Australian veterinarians. Aust Vet J 2008;86:114-116.
Crane MF, Phillips JK, Karin E. Trait perfectionism strengthens the negative effects of moral stressors occurring in veterinary practice. Aust Vet J 2015;93:354-360.
Cocker F, Joss N. Compassion fatigue among healthcare, emergency and community service workers: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2016;13:1-18.
Figley CR. Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder: an overview. In: Figley C, editor. Compassion fatigue: coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. Routledge, New York, 1995:1-20.
Brannick EM, DeWilde CA, Frey E et al. Taking stock and making strides toward wellness in the veterinary workplace. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;247:739-742.
Ha JF, Longnecker N. Doctor-patient communication: a review. Ochsner J 2010;10:38-43.
Furukawa T, Kessler R, Slade T et al. The performance of the K6 and K10 screening scales for psychological distress in the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being. Psychol Med 2003;33:357-362.
Adams RE, Boscarino JA, Figley CR. Compassion fatigue and psychological distress among social workers: a validation study. Am J Orthopsychiatry 2006;76:103-108.
Bride BE, Radey M, Figley CR. Measuring compassion fatigue. Clin Soc Work J 2007;35:155-163.
Bartram D, O'Connor R, Allister R et al. Recognising and responding to mental health problems in the workplace. In Pract 2012;34:480-486.
Gardner DH, Hini D. Work-related stress in the veterinary profession in New Zealand. NZ Vet J 2006;54:119-124.
Smith D, Leggat P, Speare R et al. Examining the dimensions and correlates of workplace stress among Australian veterinarians. J Occ Med Toxicol 2009;4:1-8.
Bonini S, Buonacucina A, Selis L et al. Occupational hazards in veterinarians: an updating. J Vet Sci Technol 2016:7:317. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7579.1000317.
Craig C, Sprang G. Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout in a national sample of trauma therapists. Anxiety Stress Coping 2010;23:319-339.
Fritschi L, Morrison D, Shirangi A et al. Psychological well-being of Australian veterinarians. Aust Vet J 2009;87:76-81.
Mastenbroek NJJM, Jaarsma ADC, Demerouti E et al. Burnout and engagement, and its predictors in young veterinary professionals: the influence of gender. Vet Rec 2014;174:168. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.101761.
Amiot CE, Bastian B. Toward a psychology of human-animal relations. Psychol Bull 2015;141:6-47.
Shaw JR, Bonnett BN, Roter DL et al. Gender differences in veterinarian-client-patient communication in companion animal practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2012;241:81-88.
Hartnack S, Springer S, Pittavino M et al. Attitudes of Austrian veterinarians towards euthanasia in small animal practice: impacts of age and gender on views on euthanasia. BMC Vet Res 2016;12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-016-0649-0.
Skipper GE, Williams JB. Failure to acknowledge high suicide risk among veterinarians. J Vet Med Educ 2012;39:79-81.
Pickles KJ, Rhind SM, Miller R et al. Potential barriers to veterinary student access to counselling and other support systems: perceptions of staff and students at a UK veterinary school. Vet Rec 2012;170:124-U41. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.100179.
Scotney RL, McLaughlin D, Keates HL. A systematic review of the effects of euthanasia and occupational stress in personnel working with animals in animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and biomedical research facilities. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;247:1121-1130.
Hamood WJ, Chur-Hansen A, McArthur ML. A qualitative study to explore communication skills in veterinary medical education. Int J Med Educ 2014;5:193-198.
Dickinson GE, Roof PD, Roof KW. A survey of veterinarians in the US: euthanasia and other end-of-life issues. Anthrozoös 2011;24:167-174.
Schull D, Morton J, Coleman G, et al. Final-year student and employer views of essential personal, interpersonal and professional attributes for new veterinary science graduates. Aust Vet J 2012;90:100-104.
Deacon RE, Brough P. Veterinary nurses' psychological well-being: the impact of patient suffering and death. Aust J Psychol 2017;69:77-85. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12119.
Tran L, Crane MF, Phillips JK. The distinct role of performing euthanasia on depression and suicide in veterinarians. J Occup Health Psychol 2014;19:23-132.
Rollin BE. Euthanasia, moral stress, and chronic illness in veterinary medicine. Vet Clin North Am Small Animal Pract 2011;41:651-659.
Verrinder JM, Ostini R, Phillips CJC. Differences in moral judgment on animal and human ethics issues between university students in animal-related, human medical and arts programs. PLoS One 2016;11:e0149308. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149308.
Hobson-West P, Timmons S. Animals and anomalies: an analysis of the UK veterinary profession and the relative lack of state reform. Sociol Rev 2016:64:47-63.
Manette CS. A reflection on the ways veterinarians cope with the death, euthanasia, and slaughter of animals. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;225:34-38.
Dickinson GE, Roof PD, Roof KW. End-of-life issues in United States veterinary medicine schools. Society Animals 2010;18:152-162.
Cake MA, Bell MA, Bickley N et al. The life of meaning: a model of the positive contributions to well-being from veterinary work. J Vet Med Educ 2015;42:184-193.
O'Dair H. Euthanasia of pets: strengthening end-of-life care. In Pract 2015;37:143-145.
Goldberg KJ. Veterinary hospice and palliative care: a comprehensive review of the literature. Vet Rec 2016;178:369-374.
Kahler BSC. The end-all practice: home euthanasia. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;246:14-16.
Holcombe TM, Strand EB, Nugent WR et al. Veterinary social work: practice within veterinary settings. J Hum Behav Soc Environ 2016;26:69-80.
Dunn KL, Mehler SL, Greenberg HS. Social work with a pet loss support group in a University veterinary hospital. Soc Work Health Care 2005;41:59-70.
Laing M, Maylea C. “They burn brightly, but only for a short time”: the role of social workers in companion animal grief and loss. Anthrozoös 2018;31:221-232.
Cake MA, Bell MA, Williams JC et al. Which professional (non-technical) competencies are most important to the success of graduate veterinarians? A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review: BEME Guide No. 38. Med Teach 2016;38:550-563.