Effective Ways to Combat the Physical & Psychological Threats Veterinary Professionals Face
Rising rates of burnout among veterinary professionals, increasing rates of lifestyle related chronic diseases, and lack of emphasis on or understanding of professional self-care are challenges that have been prevalent in veterinary medicine before the COVID-19 pandemic (Lovell & Lee, 2013). The residual effects of the pandemic will continue to impact veterinary professionals, and prioritizing efforts to support, enhance and restore well-being will be crucial. Without access to proper resources for health and well-being, there is likely to be increased medical errors, decreased patient satisfaction scores, and reduced staff retention due to conditions like burnout, compassion fatigue, and lack of fulfillment among veterinary professionals (Shanafelt & Noseworthy, 2017). To combat these threats posed to the veterinary industry, therapeutic lifestyle interventions in combination with positive psychology practices have been suggested to act as a protective factor and possible “antidote” to burnout for human healthcare providers (Morton, 2018). This combination of interventions potentially offers solutions to support the psychological and physical well-being of veterinary professionals (Brannick et al., 2015; Lianov, 2021). The adoption of positive health habits empowers veterinary professionals to participate in professional self-care on an individual level, while it is equally important for organizations to prioritize strategies that can be implemented to support veterinary well-being.