Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

jojofruits — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 10:44:56 GMT

Having been dragged to the point of having suicidal thoughts myself a couple of years back by an unrelenting, rude, narcissistic bitch of a boss.. basically through lack of communication of her expectations and terrible terrible team management. I would say a lot of it depends on who you work for!

the culture of a practice really does filter down from the top!

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

enigmaticat-uk — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 17:32:46 GMT

From my experience most stress comes from folk being over-worked or under-staffed. I also think that often bitching/bullying probably stems from that stress - when folk are under that type of pressure, they may lash out or become more abrupt with colleagues, or be less tolerant of differences (lets' face it we can't all be friends but it's easier to get along with someone we don't particularly like when everything else is low stress), also if someone doesn't appear to be 'pulling their weight' it can create friction.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Scottywildcat — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 09:31:39 GMT

Why is bullying so rife within veterinary practice? Is it because its usually always a group of women working together ( well in the nursing side anyway ) or is there more to it than that? I just can't understand what makes grown adults get together and make someone's life a misery, what do they get from it? Is it a primitive survival instinct? Personally I despise bullies, I was badly bullied at school for years and the thought of working in a practice where it was to happen to me again terrifies me. As Arlo says, its terrible that in a so called 'caring' profession that people have no interest in caring for each other. Not happy clapper stuff that just common decency!

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Sal the 1st — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 21:15:50 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]yes sadly I don't think things have ever changed on that front[/quote]

Why do you think that? Genuine question. It would certainly be interesting to hear from anyone who has been bullied in practice in recent times and wants to share the experience here (anon if necessary).

And if it IS still commonplace, I wonder what, if anything, could be done to stamp it out.

[/quote]

I think the nature of the bullying has changed in that it is less likely to be employer - employee bullying and more employee - employee now , the way I see it as this job has become more high powered and competitive there are more and more people out there only too happy to throw their colleagues under the bus.

I can't make my mind up ,if I am honest , that half of what is said to me (and I deal with a lot of this through various groups) are cases of actual bullying or just how the 'victim' sees them. I have listened to 'victims' before and have thought to myself 'is that really bullying?' and I have sat down with both victim and bully before and the bully has been genuinely surprised and upset at what the 'victim' sees as acts of bullying, when nothing of the kind was intended.

I don't think bullying in this job is any worse than it is in a lot of other jobs - yes its definitely bitchy - but that is what happens when you get a lot of women together. Men are more likely to go and 'punch somebody's lights out' to resolve an issue - women are more subtle they tend to favour a psychological maiming rather than a physical injury.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:26:23 GMT

[quote user="Kirsty RVN"]What would you class as bullying though?[/quote]

Good question.

[quote user="Kirsty RVN"]I have worked in practice where particular members of the nursing team constantly gave me the cold shoulder treatment. I would walk into a room at start of my shift, say hello and they would totally blank me. I was always walking on egg shells and felt I had done something wrong and barging out the door when you walking through completely ignored you, stuff like that. Then talking about you in another room when they thought no one was listening.[/quote]

Sounds GHASTLY. But is it bullying? You could say that's just people being horrible to each other, which they sometimes are.

[quote user="Kirsty RVN"]It's a very very bitchy profession is vet nursing.[/quote]

Ironic, really, for a caring profession. I mean, it seems odd to me that a group of people whose priority is the care and wellbeing of animals don't 'get' the fact that in order to offer the best care for animals, the first thing you have to do is care for each other.

Gawd, I'm starting to sound like a happy clappy.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:19:42 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]yes sadly I don't think things have ever changed on that front[/quote]

And if it IS still commonplace, I wonder what, if anything, could be done to stamp it out.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Kirsty RVN — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:19:20 GMT

What would you class as bullying though?

I have worked in practice where particular members of the nursing team constantly gave me the cold shoulder treatment. I would walk into a room at start of my shift, say hello and they would totally blank me. I was always walking on egg shells and felt I had done something wrong and barging out the door when you walking through completely ignored you, stuff like that. Then talking about you in another room when they thought no one was listening.

I constantly was stressed when I finished work thinking I had done something wrong or no one liked me for whatever reason.

It's a very very bitchy profession is vet nursing.

All I want to do is go to work with out feeling bad and work in a atmosphere free zone.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Sal the 1st — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:15:26 GMT

[quote user="Selena "]

vets also suffer some horrific bullying too.. I've seen it from the nurses to a vet. ( i was only very new student at the time.. so kept my head down)

[/quote]

Yep have come across this as well

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Sal the 1st — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:13:35 GMT

[quote user="Diane Westwood"]

I could tell you stories that would absolutely horrify you. How sad for your partner. I mentioned it on a Facebook page years ago and the number of nurses being bullied was staggering.

[/quote]

yes sadly I don't think things have ever changed on that front - but at least there is more support around now and (some) behaviours that were 'acceptable' in the past are now being dealt with and you don't have to work with the veterinary equivalent of Jimmy Saville.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Selena Carnell — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 19:53:29 GMT

vets also suffer some horrific bullying too.. I've seen it from the nurses to a vet. ( i was only very new student at the time.. so kept my head down)

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Diane Westwood — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 17:03:51 GMT

I could tell you stories that would absolutely horrify you. How sad for your partner. I mentioned it on a Facebook page years ago and the number of nurses being bullied was staggering.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

molladog — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:37:52 GMT

[quote user="Diane Westwood"]Bullying. It is a terrible problem in the vet profession. I have seen it finish vet nurse careers.[/quote]

Yes, my partner got her VN pass results and the next day handed in her notice and quit the profession as had enough of one of the partners vile attitude.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Diane Westwood — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:32:26 GMT

Bullying. It is a terrible problem in the vet profession. I have seen it finish vet nurse careers.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Sal the 1st — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 19:08:41 GMT

you are right there is a happy medium and we treat within the clients budget - we do the best we can with what we have ie you wont see dog food or merchandising in our waiting room - unless you count the charity sweet box. The only food we have in apart from intestinal and a/d is that which is ordered for specific clients for specific problems. We don't sell ourselves on the ability to sell food - there are plenty of others already doing that

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 11:47:29 GMT

[quote user="Selena "]really good promising vets crushed by bad management and poor support, crying because they didn't know what to do and were so angry[/quote]

That's awful, and I fear not uncommon.

[quote user="Selena "]apparently she said she couldn't fault the support from nurses and reception.[/quote]

Makes me think ... what more can we do to encourage more of this.

[quote user="Selena "]people who complain that we are just ripping them off.[/quote]

I'm working on some ideas. I think the biggest problem may be that some practices are not good at communicating value. Owners (and indeed some vets and nurses) don't appreciate the costs of running a practice, the equipment, the pro bono stuff you do (have to do). They just see £100 flying out of their wallet when they left with a wormer and think 'they are raking it in'.

I think more needs to be done communicating the fact that veterinary care is actually incredibly good value for money, and educating owners about their responsibilities (ie they can't just offload it all on the practice).

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]the money issue - I know the practice I work in now will do its absolute utmost to try and ensure that an animal isn't euthanased for a lack of funds. Wherever we are able we will work with the client. I have worked in practices which had the sell, sell, sell! ethic and hated it, I have also worked in a charity hospital where I saw widespread abuse of the system and I equally hated that.[/quote]

I think there's a happy medium, one which is quite firm about the cost of treatment and the inability to treat an animal if the funds are not there, whilst not going down the 'sell, sell, sell' route.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Selena Carnell — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 20:28:57 GMT

I've seen first hand new grads treated like some sort of minion, really good promising vets crushed by bad management and poor support, crying because they didn't know what to do and were so angry. We did our best to support this person and apparently she said she couldn't fault the support from nurses and reception. This was her second job where she was treated badly and unsupported, she then went on to a third practice and it happened again, luckily we convinced her not to give up on veterinary work and she is happily doing locum work. Stress for me is bosses with no management or people skills, people who complain that we are just ripping them off. I remember when I first started money didnt seem to be an issue as it is now.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Sal the 1st — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 23:44:37 GMT

The biggest stressor for me - and its only in latter years I have even begun to accept it - I can't be a fixer for everybody and every little thing that goes wrong.I can only do my best, I can try my very very hardest but in spite of all my best efforts I cannot nurse every animal back to health, I cannot keep everybody happy, and I cannot promise everybody, even when I am trying my absolute hardest not to, that somebody is not going to feel let down/upset/disappointed as a result of something I have done.

Another premier league stressor for me is animal cruelty either intentional acts or through ignorance.

There are a few other biggies that have driven me to tears but I will leave it that

2) the money issue - I know the practice I work in now will do its absolute utmost to try and ensure that an animal isn't euthanased for a lack of funds. Wherever we are able we will work with the client. I have worked in practices which had the sell, sell, sell! ethic and hated it, I have also worked in a charity hospital where I saw widespread abuse of the system and I equally hated that.

RE: Depression, anxiety and discontent in the profession

Yvette Boffey — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:27:14 GMT

I find there are a lot of stresses in the job. For me personally I find it difficult with having not enough members of staff which means extra work load, leads to not good enough patient care which makes me feel guilty as heck for not providing enough care I know the patient deserves and needs. I then come home feeling like a terrible nurse and person. I'm always exhausted and stressed from this job. I also have bipolar which becomes worse the more stressed out I am. I won't eat as won't have time for lunch and then I'll finish late and can't take my meds at the correct time until I've eaten which then makes me feel worse and then it all rolls over into the next day! I never have time to finish what I'm doing never mind start things off. I feel like I'm drowning with it. But I think a lot of nurses feel like this but sometimes don't say they are struggling. I've learnt now to say it ( not that people listen to that though!)

The financial side of things makes me feel uncomfortable. It's a tricky situation when you do see genuine people coming into practice and they just can't afford what is needed. I've seen plenty of animals being put to sleep because they can't pay what is needed and have tried for help and can't get it.

We have a pay at time of treatment. We can do direct claims with certain insurance companies but if not then all payment is needed at the time.