Fatigue feels mental. Exhaustion feels physical. The veterinary profession is experiencing both.
Yesterday, as I was working at my busy veterinary hospital, I found myself feeling resentful about the way clients are treating myself and my team. I am normally a pretty positive person, but it has become more and more challenging to look at some client behavior in a positive light. Now don’t get me wrong, most of our clients are kind, patient, and appreciative, but the few bad applies are getting worse. Social media has given them the power to retaliate, often anonymously, when they are unhappy.
Some show up late with no apology and then demand immediate service. They do not wish to wait or reschedule. Some make a wellness appointment, bring a list of multiple ailments that they want addressed, and then berate the technicians with, “Why is this taking so long? I have to take my son to soccer practice!” I even have some clients try to threaten me with euthanasia — of their pet, not me — if we cannot squeeze them in to keep them from having to consult an emergency hospital.
We often struggle with high levels of stress and compassion fatigue in our profession, but that fatigue is starting to turn into full out physical exhaustion for many working in this industry. Like many businesses in the United States, the veterinary industry is working shorthanded. A recent US poll showed that 42% of small businesses report that they are struggling to fill job openings and are working with a diminished team. Couple that with the fact that there is a drastic rise in demand for veterinary services and we are experiencing industry wide exhaustion.
Is there a way to keep the angry client demand from ruining us for the grateful clients? Is there a way to keep from feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, and exhausted?
We need to recognize that clients control their behavior, we do not. I do not always understand what is happening for them, but I know that their behavior is dictated by their feelings. They may have stress in their home life or their experience in the pandemic. Those negative feelings have now spilled over to create bad behavior that is directed at myself and my team.
When clients are demanding or unreasonable, it usually comes from a place of pain. These folks are often the people that want the best for their pets. Some are actual bullies, and if you give a bully an opening he will take it. Do not let a bully know that they are intimidating you. If you can calmly acknowledge their feelings and offer to help them, you will usually remain calm, strong, and in control. They are misguided in thinking that rude demanding behavior will get them what they want. You have the power to set boundaries in a kind firm manner. Staying strong and unflappable is the only way to win over a bully, so push back a little and watch them back down. If they don’t back down you can ask them to leave, but expect the negative review and prepare to ignore it. Most bad reviews come from very unhappy people not anything that the business has done, and we all know it.
Set up some relief time for your team. Working shorthanded can only be maintained for so long before people start to collapse mentally and physically. Shorten your hospital hours, schedule more breaks into the day, and utilize your technology to communicate with clients. Take some time off the clock — without phones ringing — even if for only 30 minutes. Take a walk around the block with your team after work, or just step outside for a few minutes. Have a group lunch, build a puzzle, or play a game. If you work in an area without emergency clinics, or you are the emergency clinic, find another clinic and try to cover for each other. As a profession we need to come up with solutions between hospitals to share the burden, so team members can get a break.
Just remember that you can only control your own behavior and care for your team during these trying times. Our profession needs to work together to address client abuses and care for the mental health of ourselves and our teams. We are the people that love animals, and we need to continue to love and care for ourselves so we can continue to do our important work. The majority of the clients will appreciate your efforts to care for your team and yourself.
Dr. Julie Cappel
“Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.”- Parker Palmer
“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” - Brené Brown
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