With winter seeming to drag on forever and more wild weather hitting the country, now seems like an appropriate time to remind everyone to take care of not just their physical health but their mental health as well. We are all too familiar with the high incidence of depression and suicide within the veterinary community, and whilst a large focus of wellbeing initiatives might be aimed at veterinarians, we need to remember to look after ourselves and our fellow AVPs, too.  

We work in a high-stress environment where people rely on us to help their sick and injured pets, to advise them on a wide range of topics, from nutrition to grooming to preventative care, and...they hold us responsible when things don’t always go according to plan.  

Veterinary nursing is an emotional job, not just when things go wrong. Fortunately, anaesthesia-related deaths are fairly uncommon, but the euthanasia of a pet you have been nursing for weeks or even months isn’t so. Not to mention dealing with emergency cases that can come through the door at any time and angry or frustrated clients. One of these incidences every now and then might seem manageable, but when you have a week full of euthanasia, frustrated clients and emergencies, it can sometimes seem like the world is against you and there is no end in sight.  

We need to look after ourselves, ensuring we take time to take stock of what has happened, debrief with colleagues if need be, and watch out for our fellow AVPs (and vets, too). 

A lot of information is available regarding compassion fatigue, which can seem to be the ‘in thing’ with regard to mental health in veterinary nurses, but compassion fatigue is very real and needs to be taken seriously. I am not a counsellor and am certainly not in a position to tell you how to deal with a stressful working environment or compassion fatigue in yourself or your colleagues, but I can point you in the direction of some useful resources that may be of help.  

http://www.depression.org.nz/ - A New Zealand website for finding a way through depression 

http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/ - The New Zealand Mental Health Foundation 

http://tinyurl.com/pzrhqjm - An online book (Compassion Fatigue and Stress) written by Rosie Overfield, from Crampton Consulting Group 

http://www.vetmedteam.com/class.aspx?ci=376 – A free online course from VetMedTeam about understanding and managing compassion fatigue 

And remember, all NZVNA members get free access to Telus Health and counselling - https://nzvna.org.nz/about-us/wellbeing-support/ 

Remember, wherever you are in the world and whatever you may be feeling, you are never alone. You can always reach out to one of your executive committee members, and we will do what we can to support you and get you the help you need.  You only need to ask. Simply say, ‘I’m not okay’. 

Written by: Laura Harvey