Feeling totally demoralised

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

jo wynn — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 09:56:52 GMT

My heart goes out to you. please try and stay strong. These people forget the ripple effect it has on our lives and the lives of those around us (our family and friends). Please try and talk to your line manager, nurses or seniors. Do not take all this on your shoulders.

Vetlife is a brillaint, confidential site if you need to vent. Sadly people see a uniform and think they can say whatever they want and forget we will be taking those thoughts home with us.......

It sounds like you have done an amazing job for you and your family, please be strong

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Sal the 1st — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 06:57:48 GMT

I had one of these . I had been asked to call them re an unpaid ooh appointment (outstanding for quite a few months). Now I am always civil with these calls, there is absolutely no point in being otherwise and suggested we could take payment as a series of smaller amounts over time if payment of the whole amount was difficult but this client launched into a tirade threatening to report me to RCVS and would make sure it went on facebook etc and then comes out with - and I'm recording this call as evidence, look out on facebook you are about to become famous so don't you go threatening me (actually I hadn't, up until then I had gone out of my may to be sympathetic and non threatening). I simply replied I wasn't prepared to discuss further over the telephone and made them an appointment to come into the practice so a solution could be reached as we didn't want to have to progress this further and take action which would damage their credit rating. They missed the appointment but they did pay the bill, and their facebook review made sure at least one other practice in the area didnt touch them. (their name was on the post for everybody to see - and was seen by somebody at the other practice)

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

frances gaudiano — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 14:10:02 GMT

27 years in. I just won't take it. If clients start moaning at me I tell rhem to wtite a letter to the PM. If they persist I tell them it is not my job to listen to them complain. They can leave the consult room or I put down the phone. There has to be O tolerance of this childish behaviour. We do not have to bend over backwards and agree with everything a client says. Every practice is overbooked. We can afford to lose the useless clients. If your management doesn't agree with this approach, go elsewhere. Qualified nurses are in high demand.

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Christine Wilkinson BSc RVN — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:27:01 GMT

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Christine Wilkinson BSc RVN — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:26:23 GMT

Absolutely

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

George Cooper — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 14:28:32 GMT

Lay the blame at the altar of the "Gold Standard" imposed under the pretence of being "quality of care", and justified as being because of "Client Expectation".

Clients have no expectation other than the VS and the VN accepting the responsibility of the care and treatment for their pet, and then to restore that pet to health again as quickly as possible and as economically as possible. Trouble is that Unis are stressing students to "make a diagnosis", get a name for whats wrong, or an applicable acronym - which is NOT what the vast majority of clients want.

This double myths of Gold Standard and Client Expectation are toxic in the extreme and responsible for low VS and RVN retention, AND the stress felt by people in the profession - made 10 times worse by the insistence of dishonest Corpses which pressurise vets to add tests, scans, X-rays, dentals, ear swabs and all the other shit they push. And then dress it up as saying it is "good pet care", and not the money. BOLLOX.

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Ben Ogden — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 11:50:13 GMT

If management arn't supporting me then I support myself, ergo I give it back to the client!

I'm in it for the money?
Partly, yeah, why should I work for free? do you?
How much did you spend on that dog and not consider the financial responsibilities? (me points to RCVS 'getting the best for your pet' poster), I'm not your outlet for your bad planning so either STFU or leave because nowhere in my contract does it say I have to take this on the chin.

IF YOUR PRACTICE HAS MADE THE EFFORT TO PUT UP A 'ZERO TOLERANCE' POLICY & DISPLAY A POSTER, THEN USE IT!!!!!!

90% of the time I have shamed that type of client into silence and only once has one stormed out and complained, when that complaint came back to me, what did I say to my management? 'We have a zero tolerance policy, I exercised that policy, look at the notes on the account. Either we have a ZERO Tolerance polcy or I need to take the poster down'. What happened next? NOTHING, because that is why there is a POLICY, otherwise it's just words!

This isn't victim blaming, but we're all so nice and caring we just let the abuse (because that is what it is) happen. Do you think any non medical professions accept it? Absolutly not.

Hear me when I say this, it's good for your mental health too! Put these idiots in their place, because the next person they see, they may just think twice! #BEKIND yup, absolutly, unless your a seeing me next tuesday (if you know, you know), then by gawd your gonna get it!

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Sal the 1st — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:35:20 GMT

its the lovely clients that get pushed to one side at the moment to accomodate the entitled, shop around, 'I know my rights' bunch. I have changed the way I see clients massively since covid hit. Don't let this get to you

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

FINNIGAN — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:12:44 GMT

Thanks guys, it's just getting me low,, last week a lovely clients old dog was booked in for pts, we arranged everything for the cremation in advance for them re their requests, they wanted to do a cast of his paw and I said if they could manage to drop the kit in a day earlier I would read up on what was need so I could do this for them, unfortunately the dog passed away at home the following morning, as expected they were very sad, brought the body in for us to sort cremation, and we're v upset they didn't have time to sort the casting of hiscpaw out, they said their goodbyes and left, I felt so sorry for them I went out after work bought a casting kit and did this for them, off my own back and out of my own pocket, bought a little presentation box all ready for them to collect along with his ashes when they arrive back!! This is what these people don't see, is this an uncaring person that only wants their money!!! I have to say these clients are one of the better ones,, rant over now

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Sal the 1st — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 09:58:01 GMT

wonder if the MOP having bought their flat screen mega telly in tescos would then moan to the bod on the till they couldn't afford their groceries - of course they wouldn't. Sadly if people want to treat the vet world as a supermarket - which is what is happening, we should be treating them as customers and not clients. If they want to be treated as clients then respect is a two way street. I think as a whole we need to decide what we are going to be and stick with it. No more mixed messages. Are we working with customers or clients? If its customers then employ customer services to deal with issues. Hard I know but we cant be all things to all people any longer.

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

vetnurseali — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:05:17 GMT

Hi, I'm sorry you feel like this but I feel you. 28 years in the industry for me. Unfortunately people have become so selfish I feel. Its all about the money is a classic! Do they really think the vet nurse drives a fancy car and has a holiday home? Chin up, try and look past the bad days and remember why you went into the profession.

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:00:57 GMT

FINNIGAN selina Alison Clare Hickman James Colver Cert. Ed, RVN

Hi all, and here is something I am trying to do to help in my small way ...

As you may know, I we are moving into film production on VetSurgeon and VetNurse.co.uk and Alasdair Hotston Moore FRCVS has come to join me to help.

One of our first non clinical projects is to try and create a film which promotes better understanding of vets and nurses.

Here is the brief we wrote for ourselves:

These days, veterinary professionals face more online criticism than ever before, most of it unfair and all of it inappropriate for social media. It can be soul-destroying. At best, it’ll ruin your day. At worst, it can take all the joy out of the job. Anecdotally, it also leads to the practice of ever more defensive medicine.

There is currently nobody out there doing anything to try and counter this stuff, and so vets and nurses often have to deal with it entirely on their own.

VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk want to do something to help.

We believe that as often as not, people who post on social media, or criticise by email, are largely unaware of the impact of their words. In particular, they are unaware of the impact of their words on someone who works in a caring profession, for whom such criticism is often especially painful.

We also believe that there is a fundamental lack of understanding of the pressures that today’s veterinary professionals are working under, largely thanks to misrepresentative portrayals on the TV.

We believe that by fostering a greater understanding of veterinary professionals, and why digital media (not just facebook, but email as well), is an inappropriate medium for criticism per se, but especially about complex medical issues which demand proper discussion, we may help to reduce the incidence of online criticism.

We therefore propose to make a viral video which makes these points powerfully on behalf of the profession, inspired by Dr Melanie Bowden’s TED Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=objP3E625Xo) and following a similar model, but shorter and made for UK pet owners.

Our message is: TALK to your vet.

We are now looking for a veterinary surgeon to talk to camera about being a vet, explaining similar concepts covered by Dr Bowden.

Are you interested in being the face of this campaign and championing your profession? Don’t worry if you think your speechwriting skills or presentation skills may not be up to it - we can help with all of that, and nothing will be published publicly till you are happy with it, or before the film has been tested privately with other members of the profession and the public.

A final word. A film of this nature is not going to remove all unfair criticism in one fell swoop. Of course it won’t. But if you look at some of the comments under Dr Bowden’s TED talk, you will see how it has clearly caused people to think, and in very large numbers. If we can achieve something similar, it will be a worthwhile exercise, even if it stops just a handful of people taking it out on their vets and nurses online.

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

James Colver Cert. Ed, RVN — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:23:43 GMT

I hear you. 22 years in this once great, but now utterly toxic profession

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Alison Clare Hickman — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 12:08:29 GMT

Aw bless your stressed head and heart.

A good rant on here has maybe taken the edge off your worries, I'm hoping? We all agree with the way you're feeling. Yes, clients are darned numpties and have zero idea of the impact of their 'it's all about me' insults to a deeply caring profession. I've no doubt there are examples of overpricing out there in a veterinary practice but the most over-priced (but the clients didn't bat an eyelid about it) are the poor dogs sold to them.

Your post rang a huge bell with me 'cause only this last week I was being shown cute puppy photos of a "*pedigree *CavaPoo" (rolls eyes) with the question "Do you think there might be some Bichon in there? Only my dog trainer said the puppy's nose, body, head and coat remind her of one" ... Mmmmm. Yep. Looks hugely possible.

I said, well even if there is, that's no worry, he's going to be a great doggy for your family, yes? This was responded to with "Ya, we have got a raft of people doing what needs to be done for him so we can just enjoy the 'good times' (jaw drops). But, do you think he's worth more than the *£4000* we paid if he has extra Pedigree?.... (that's where my neuron fired as similar to your story)

I literally could not make it up... The next statement was "well he's actually got severe diarrhoea at the moment so he's at the vet. Can't have him stinking up my home so that's the best place for him. Mind you, they *#@*@# know how to charge me for it!!"

Yep. Yep. Nope. Nope. Aaaaaargh.

You're not alone.

My tip? Take a rest break. Accept the general public are, in the main, selfish t*ssers. Make a brew. Deep breath. Know that a desk job won't cut it, even if it looks like a good idea atm. Maybe think about working behind the scenes in practice rather than customer facing!!!

Xxxx

RE: Feeling totally demoralised

Selena Carnell — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 15:59:58 GMT

We are independent and have just put some of our fees up, so waiting for the back lash on that.

I don't like how its changed even over the past 5 yrs.