Create an atmosphere of openness

• Dedicate time and resources to prevent compassion fatigue while you create or update your practice’s protocols.
• Be open about your feelings and express them honestly in a safe and non-judgemental environment.
• Encourage openness and respect.
• Practice protocols should include time for mentoring and team meetings including Euthanasia Evaluation (EE).
• Discuss your experiences during the EE meeting. These meetings can help to provide you with closure, as this is a chance to answer any questions you may have.
• Encouraging open dialogue can protect your team’s mental health and ability to function effectively.

Identify process strengths and weaknesses

• Your team meetings should include a review of all euthanasia appointments
• Your team should feel confident that they can highlight both what went well and what needs to be improved.
• You and your team should be able to discuss the emotions brought on by any aspect of the practice’s work.
• Highlighting the areas for improvement in your services. It is a true ‘win-win’ situation. Your clients will be happier with the service provided and you will have an empowered team performing effectively.

Identify the warning signs of compassion fatigue

Monitoring behavioural changes that can be early signs of compassion fatigue. Few of the warning signs that you should be aware of are:

• Increased cynicism in yourself or a colleague
• A change in your sense of humour
• You find yourself or notice a colleague becoming withdrawn
• Self-medicating or substance abuse
• Relationship conflicts
• Loss of motivation and productivity at work
• Reduced enjoyment from activities you used to enjoy
• Reduced job satisfaction

Take a moment and acknowledge your feelings

Time is a precious resource for any veterinary professional. But it helps if you take the time to acknowledge your feelings. You may feel guilty for taking a break. However, to remain fully productive, it is often better to take a short break after a stressful or challenging consultation rather than carrying on.

Taking time is vital, so that you can manage the rapid change in pace and maintain the emotional energy that is required when you move from a euthanasia to more routine appointment, such as a puppy vaccination.

Achieve a good work-life balance

Achieving the right work-life balance helps you to cope with the emotional demands that supporting others places upon you.

Do something you love outside animal welfare
Your leisure time is precious. Do something you love in your spare time. Immersing yourself in an unrelated activity that you enjoy will help you ‘decompress’ from the pressures of a veterinary career.

Look after your physical health
It is a common cliché, but there is truth to the axiom; ‘a healthy body leads to a healthy mind’. Exercising, eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep help increase your emotional resilience and ability to empathise with your clients.

Violation of emotional boundaries

Scenarios could involve, breaking bad news to a customer may result in a negative and potentially aggressive response with them accusing you of lying.

A response could be “I am concerned that you are accusing me of lying, please let me reassure you I am not. Let me leave the room for a short time to allow you to calm down, when I return we can talk more.”