National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week is October 13-19. We know vet techs are highly susceptible to burnout and mental health challenges. Recognizing and celebrating these hardworking team members can have a significant impact on your employee retention and morale. Take time to honor them this month. Keep reading for more tips on alleviating staff burnout.
Veterinary demand remains at an all-time high, and practice owners and managers are struggling to keep pace and maintain growth. 2022 has proved challenging, with high turnover (25% in vet tech positions, the highest in health care) and high levels of staff burnout.
Epicur is committed to supporting the health of your practice and your patients. We covered the topic of staff burnout in this comprehensive article, but mental health is not a simple one-and-done challenge to address.
Turnover and burnout have not dropped to pre-pandemic levels because neither have the demands on your practice and staff.
Fast pace, limited pay, high student debt, surging patient needs, and work that demands empathy and difficult decisions—from veterinarians to technicians and staff, is a recipe for burnout. Adding to this, 2022 has brought:
- High turnover, requiring others to pick up the overflow workload
- Additional weight of hiring, training, and onboarding new staff
- Overflowing animal shelters with returns from the pandemic adoption surge
- Margin pressures and pharmacy shortages
- Changing ownership structures, new processes, and procedures that add to change fatigue
That’s a lot of stress on your staff. As veterinarians and practice managers, you set the tone, so please, take care of yourself first. Take a break, and cut yourself a little slack, before taking steps to address veterinary staff burnout. Ensuring you’re in a healthy place allows you to better care for your veterinary technicians, inventory managers, and other staff.
Need support? Many veterinary professionals are in crisis. Not One More Vet (NOMV) provides the necessary support to all members of veterinary teams and students who are struggling. Because you are good enough, and you are never alone.
Our previous post on veterinary staff burnout offered some concrete ways to support your staff. Here are eight more ways to help to boost morale and create growth and change while recognizing and respecting the current workload and challenges.
8 Tips to Improve Veterinary Staff Mental Health & Retention
- Peer support: Don’t underestimate the power of the buddy system. A peer, accountability partner, or assigned mentor in a similar position can offer a lot of support without putting more on you. It also can strengthen friendships—one of the top reasons employees stay with a practice.
- Know your limits: Don’t mistake stress for a more serious or systemic mental health concern. There is a limit to what you can do—make EAP and mental health resources visible, easy, and normalized. Not One More Vet is an amazing resource for veterinary professionals.
- Ask the question: From a snappy client to emotional euthanasias, your staff’s day can be overwhelming in a number of ways. Taking a moment to ask “How are you?” or “Is everything okay?” creates a safe space for them to ask for help.
- Offer a sense of control: Whether it’s creating an achievable and measurable goal or providing clarity of roles and responsibilities, remember that clear is kind.
- Address it together: Work through exercises such as:
- Like/loath: understand what each person’s least favorite activities are, reassign, outsource, or automate where you can. One person’s like is another person’s loath—the answers may surprise you!
- Start/Stop: remove a couple of things that will offer your staff some relief. Consider accepting no new patients for a month, saying no to a type of service, etc. The loss of short-term revenue may be far outweighed by the gains in retention and morale.
- Create a small contest: Add a sense of play through gamification. Something as simple as a sticker chart and small prizes can help staff band together to achieve a goal.
- Share your “why’s”: Ask staff to share why they chose this field, their favorite pet, or the case they felt was a win. Understanding their motivations can help you to support them in their work.
- Take a break together: Be careful not to plan too much on top of regular hours, but an early closing and offsite social can reignite positive energy.
As we approach the end of the year and begin planning for next year’s growth and change, these practical tips can help you to retain staff and improve productivity with empathy and compassion.
There are a number of organizations dedicated to helping veterinarians, their practices, and their staff thrive in a changing and stressful industry. NOMV is one of those special organizations. Epicur is proud to be a silver sponsor of the organization and support its crucial work.
Connect with NOMV for great resources and check out all of our industry partners who are making a difference to advance the veterinary profession.
More to Read
Updates on the Treatment of Equine Gastric Disease
Dr. David Rendle highlights recent developments in the management of both squamous and glandular gastric disease. Watch the Webinar
This or That: Deciding Which Ophthalmic Medications To Use
Learn about the basic principles of common ophthalmic diseases and which ophthalmic medications to use for those diseases. Watch It Now
Seven Tips for Choosing the Right Compounding Pharmacy
The following blog is written by Epicur Pharma’s Advisory Council member Nicole Clausen, CSSGB, CCFP. With over 15 years of experience in the veterinary industry, Nicole understands a successful practice’s operations, intricacies, and internal workings—including sustainable inventory management strategies. Nicole shares her perspective on the importance of choosing the right compounding pharmacy to successfully manage your practice’s inventory. From Nicole In a veterinary practice, managing inventory is more than just a task– it’s the foundation for patient care! It’s about ensuring the health and well-being of our patients, supporting our team, and ultimately, making a difference in the lives of animals in our care and their humans. Choosing vendors to partner with your practice is an important part of managing inventory. But, selecting the right compounding pharmacy (or any vendor, in general) can seem daunting. When managing inventory, we are often taught to always look for the cheapest cost and choose our vendors that way. But, when it comes to compounded medications, there are many more factors to consider. Here are a few other vital factors to consider when picking a compounding pharmacy to partner with for your practice: 1. Understand Your Practice’s Needs Just as every animal is unique, so too are the needs of each veterinary practice. Before diving into the vendor selection process, take the time to assess your practice’s requirements. Consider factors such as the types of compounded medications frequently prescribed, the volume of orders, and any specific preferences or priorities. Think about: What products do we purchase frequently for in-office use? What products are often scripted out for individual patients? In what volumes or quantities do we often purchase? 2. Prioritize Quality and Safety When it comes to compounded medications, quality and safety should always be top priorities. Look for vendors that adhere to stringent quality control standards and comply with regulatory requirements. A reputable compounding pharmacy will prioritize product consistency, integrity, and safety. A 503B pharmacy, like Epicur Pharma, needs to follow strict guidelines (considered Current Good Manufacturing Practice or CGMP) and are regulated by the Food & Drug Administration. A Glimpse Into a 503B Facility: Manufacturing Quality in Veterinary Medicine Read the blog! 3. Seek Compounding Expertise Compounding medications for animals requires specialized knowledge and expertise. Look for vendors with a team of experienced compounding pharmacists who are knowledgeable (and passionate!) about veterinary medicine. A vendor with a proven track record of compounding success and a commitment to ongoing education and training would be a valuable partner for a veterinary practice. 4. Consider Turnaround Time, Availability, and Ease of Ordering Our practices are fast-paced, and often when a patient needs a specific prescription, starting it sooner can make a big impact. Additionally, the ordering platform should be easy to use and help you comply with compounded medication regulations. Choose a compounding pharmacy vendor capable of providing prompt turnaround times and reliable availability. Efficient communication and order processing are critical for ensuring that medications are delivered when needed. Ordering Made Easy with iFill! 5. Evaluate Customer Support A strong partnership with your compounding pharmacy vendor is built on effective communication and support. Look for vendors who prioritize customer service and are responsive to your practice’s needs. A vendor who is accessible, communicative, and willing to address any concerns or issues that arise is an invaluable asset to your practice. 6. Transparent Pricing and Cost Management While cost is certainly a factor, it’s essential to look beyond the price tag when selecting a compounding pharmacy vendor. Consider the vendor’s overall value, including factors such as product quality, service reliability, long-term cost savings, education, and commitment to excellence for our patients. Inventory Management Guide Five tips for improving your practice’s inventory processes, including important considerations for software tools and key reminders for your team! Save for My Practice 7. Embrace Partnership and Collaboration Ultimately, selecting the right compounding pharmacy vendor is about finding a partner who shares your practice’s values and priorities. Choose a vendor who is committed to collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Think about: What does my practice value? What are our goals? Does this vendor I’m evaluating align with those values? Choosing the right compounding pharmacy for your practice is an important decision that requires careful consideration and intentional decision-making. Ultimately, consider your practice’s unique requirements, the alignment of values with the potential vendor, and the vendor’s dedication to innovation, safety, and quality. Thank you for sharing these insights, Nicole! Read more from Nicole! Meet Epicur’s Advisory Council: Nicole Clausen Shares Her Viewpoint on the Veterinary Industry as an Inventory Management Consultant Paw-sitively Efficient Inventory Management for Veterinary Professionals Building a Successful Inventory Management System with Nicole Clausen
