While the ways in which we can morally and ethically stray can look vastly different depending on our role, it is undoubtedly true those with the most responsibility experience the greatest exposure to veterinary moral hazards. Dr. Patty Khuly addresses eight of the most common moral scenarios that put you behind the 8-ball.
That cat lived to be 18 years old and never put up a fight when I got my backpack out and popped her inside for a quick ride outside to our reading spot. She gave me my first experiences with a pet during post-op recovery care, as well as a well-remembered lesson in how to medicate a cat, claws and teeth included.
Since independent clinics are small, we are nimble. We just have to keep thinking outside that damned box. With that in mind, here are six ideas Dr. Patty Khuly has been pondering with an eye toward spicing up how we think about independent small animal practice.
Since independent clinics are small, we are nimble. We just have to keep thinking outside that damned box. With that in mind, here are six ideas Dr. Patty Khuly has been pondering with an eye toward spicing up how we think about independent small animal practice.
These new employees come with horror stories to eventually be shared with us once they feel a tiny sliver of comfort. We draw them out piece by piece, encouraging them to talk to us and share their past. In part of us getting to know them, we learn about their previous experiences and can in some way relate to them with stories of our own or provide reassurances that their new clinic is in no way the same as their old one.
To glean a proper appreciation of an industry’s dynamics via veterinary conferences I like to take a three-pronged approach: 1) Concentrate on the periphery of the exhibition hall. 2) Interview random veterinarians and do not skip the small talk with veterinary technicians and vet students. 3) Attend panel discussions on cultural issues or practice management.
Proper utilization of technicians is something both credentialed veterinary technicians (CVTs) and practice owners want. Or is it? It seems everyone always thinks it is a great idea but just does not know how to move forward to make it happen. Lots of conversations are happening in our profession to try to figure out just how to do this. Why all the talk and so little action? Where is the hold up?
Some of us practice for years before acquiring challenges that preclude our ability to fully embrace traditional practice. While most who encounter these common obstacles feel compelled to see their way through however they can, there are limits to what any of us should drive ourselves to endure.
If your clinic is lacking in leadership, developing a plan on how to build up the leaders in your clinic should be a number one priority in your life. There are direct and indirect impacts to having less leadership in your clinic than what is ideal. Some direct impacts of not having structured leadership are gossip, turnover, stress on current team members, and a negative culture.
After last month’s column, it was brought to my attention that my last few columns have been somewhat less than positive in their outlook on our profession; and that’s no way to end a year, is it? To wit, it is time to offer a rosier take on how to succeed in veterinary medicine.
