Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in the Veterinary Profession

The purpose of this study was to determine current feelings of veterinary staff on their relation to the topics of burnout and compassion fatigue in their field. Additionally, this study was used to determine possible solutions to these mental health issues facing veterinary staff, with solutions coming straight from staff members themselves. Burnout, often experienced by healthcare workers, is a “state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity” (Mayo Clinic 2018). Compassion fatigue is a loss of empathy to stressful or emotionally draining situations mostly due to frequent encounter with these situations. Using a survey conducted on veterinary professionals, opinions on attitudes toward work environments as well as thoughts on potential solutions to issues with burnout and compassion fatigue were analyzed. Survey respondents ranged from technicians and support staff to doctors and DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) students. Results of the survey showed that DVM students were under increased pressure, many respondents often felt tired before arriving to work, and doctors felt they did not perform their jobs with the same enthusiasm as when they first started in the field. However, many respondents indicated they were happy and invigorated by accomplishments in the workplace. The respondent comments also displayed a wide range of possible solutions to these mental health issues. Understanding the root causes of these issues as well as possible solutions to help alleviate them could help prevent harsh consequences such as suicide from occurring.