VETERINARY WELLBEING, PART II: PREVENTING & HANDLING CRISES

Listen to the first installment in this series » 28. Wellness in the Veterinary Profession: The Perfect Storm?

As we well know by now, myriad variables impact a person's mental health, and when mental health decreases, so too does physical health and overall wellbeing. Further, if someone doesn't have a support system or know how to deal with these variables, their problems can spiral out of control and affect all facets of life.

And it doesn't just affect individuals: Companies are also hit hard by mental health issues in the form of lower productivity, poor staff morale, and increased absenteeism—not to mention a financial cost (to the tune of tens of billions of dollars annually, according to the CDC). On the flip side, healthy employees are happier, more productive and focused, and miss less work.

If everyone pays a high price for poor wellbeing, the logical solution is, first, to prevent the problem from compounding, and second, to have a failsafe in place just in case it does. After all, we offer wellness plans and preventive care for our patients. Why not for ourselves and our colleagues as well?

In this episode, we pick up where we left off with our Veterinary Wellbeing Series. Our panelists return to talk about inexpensive but effective ways employers can support their staff before a crisis arises. We also discuss what to do if the stress of the profession becomes toxic and how to know when it's time to move on.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Cost of Happiness: Boosting staff wellbeing affordable with an EAP (OVMA Observer article by Dr. Ken Brunson)

Not One More Vet / Not One More Support Staff

Uncharted Veterinary Community

AVMA webinar: Suicide prevention and mental health

National Institute of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention Resources Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) After a Suicide: A Guide for Veterinary Workplaces (AVMA)

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EPISODE GUESTS

Kenneth Brunson, DVM Michelle Harcha, DVM, M.A. Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP

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