Evaluation of team effectiveness and personal empathy for associations with professional quality of life and job satisfaction in companion animal practice personnel

Measurement of compassion fatigue in animal health care professionals: a systematic review of available instruments and their content validity

Introduction

Compassion fatigue (CF) refers to emotional or physical exhaustion and emotional reactions resulting from prolonged exposure to traumatic events, commonly experienced by professionals in caregiving roles. CF is prevalent among healthcare professionals, including those in animal care. Several Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) were developed to measure CF, but their psychometric validity was not reviewed systematically. This study aims to identify and review the content validity of CF PROMs used in animal health care professionals.

Methods

Literature was searched in PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE (1973-2023). We included studies conducted in animal health care professionals, using a PROM to measure CF, reporting at least one psychometric property of this PROM, and published as original research. For each identified PROM, additional literature search was conducted to identify PROM development and content validation studies. Three independent reviewers evaluated the content validity of each PROM using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology and summarized the quality of evidence using a modified GRADE approach. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023433982) and results reported following PRISMA guidelines.

Results

Initially, 1709 studies were identified. After a double screening, 17 eligible studies were included. CF was measured using six different PROMs or their modified versions. Only one PROM specifically targeted animal health care professionals: the ProQOL-5 Veterinary Medicine Version. This and three other original CF PROMs were reviewed. For all PROMs, the quality of content validity was rated as insufficient due to deficiencies in the concept and items elicitation, inadequate target population representation, and inadequate details on cognitive interview procedures. The overall evidence quality was rated as low due to a limited number of PROM validation studies, poor methodological and reporting quality, and indirect result.

Discussion

There is a scarcity of studies examining CF within the target population, and the quality of evidence for content validity of the reviewed PROMs for CF measurement is currently low. CF definition and construct description in PROM development studies suffer from vagueness and seem inadequately reflected by the content of the reviewed PROMs. Further research with a robust methodology seems necessary to address the identified flows.

Systematic review registration

Measurement of compassion fatigue in people working with animals: protocol for a systematic review. PROSPERO 2023 CRD42023433982. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023433982.

Combining sentiment analysis and text mining with content analysis of farm vet interviews on mental wellbeing in livestock practice

BACKGROUND

The aim of the How Farm Vets Cope project was to co-design, with farm veterinary surgeons, a set of web-based resources to help them and others deal with the different situations that they can face. As part of the wider project, participants were recruited for one-to-one semi-structured phone interviews. These interviews focused on elements of job satisfaction and how the participants coped during periods of poor mental wellbeing or with setbacks and failure.

METHODS

Transcripts of these interviews were analysed using both quantitative methods of sentiment analysis and text mining, including term frequency/inverse document frequency and rapid automated keyword extraction, and qualitative content analysis. The twin aims of the analysis were identifying the important themes discussed by the participants and comparing the results of the two methods to see what differences, if any, arose.

RESULTS

Analysis using the afinn and nrc sentiment lexicons identified emotional themes of anticipation and trust. Rapid automated keyword extraction highlighted issues around age of vets and support, whilst using term frequency/inverse document frequency allowed for individual themes, such as religion, not present across all responses, to be identified. Content analysis supported these findings, pinpointing examples of trust around relationships with farmers and more experienced vets, along with some examples of the difference good support networks can make, particularly to younger vets.

FINDINGS

This work has confirmed previous results in identifying the themes of trust, communication and support to be integral to the experience of practicing farm veterinary surgeons. Younger or less experienced vets recognised themselves as benefiting from further support and signposting, leading to a discussion around the preparation of veterinary students for entry into a farm animal vet practice. The two different approaches taken showed very good agreement in their results. The quantitative approaches can be scaled to allow a larger number of interviews to be utilised in studies whilst still allowing the important qualitative results to be identified.

The potential role of veterinary technicians in promoting antimicrobial stewardship

BACKGROUND

A core principle of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in veterinary settings is the need for engagement of all stakeholders; however, no studies have addressed the role of veterinary technicians in AMS specifically. The objective of this study was to qualitatively assess knowledge, opinions, and practices related to AMS among technicians. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 veterinary technicians with varied backgrounds, experience and roles. Interviews centered on participants work experience and interactions with their employer, perceptions of antimicrobial resistance and overuse in veterinary medicine, observed application of AMS principles, opinions on potential opportunities for technicians to contribute to AMS and concomitant potential barriers to these opportunities. Transcripts of interviews were coded thematically by two authors, then organized into a hierarchical framework, and the characterization of codes was compared across different categories of respondents.

RESULTS

Most veterinary technicians were knowledgeable about antimicrobial drugs but could not provide a complete definition of antimicrobial resistance or AMS. Most veterinary technicians could identify examples of antimicrobial misuse. Participants identified areas of client education and discussion with veterinarians as potential areas to contribute to AMS. Barriers identified included hierarchical structures of veterinary practices and time-constraints. Most participants expressed a personal interest in participating in AMS.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a possible appetite among some veterinary technicians to participate in AMS and they already play applicable roles in practices. Barriers such as educational needs, hierarchical structures of veterinary practices and time constraints will need to be addressed if technicians are included in AMS efforts.

Veterinarian burnout demographics and organizational impacts: a narrative review

Burnout is a work-related syndrome of physical and emotional exhaustion secondary to prolonged, unresolvable occupational stress. Individuals of different demographic cohorts may have disparate experiences of workplace stressors and burnout impacts. Healthcare organizations are adversely affected by burnt out workers through decreased productivity, low morale, suboptimal teamwork, and potential impacts on the quality of patient care. In this second of two companion reviews, the demographics of veterinary burnout and the impacts of burnout on affected individuals and work environments are summarized, before discussing mitigation concepts and their extrapolation for targeted strategies within the veterinary workplace and profession.

Assessment of Burnout, Professional Fulfillment, and Strategies for Improvement in Veterinary Faculty at a Large Academic Department

Retention and recruitment of clinical faculty is crucial for the success of quality veterinary education. Clinical faculty in busy teaching hospital environments have the potential to experience significant burnout, though few studies have focused on identifying stressors in this group. The objective of this study was to measure burnout and professional fulfillment in clinical faculty using a recently validated instrument, the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI). The survey was distributed to faculty in July 2020, a time that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was completed by 80% (52/65) of survey recipients. Scores for Overall Burnout were significantly higher (p = .027) and Professional Fulfillment scores significantly lower (p < .001) for veterinary faculty when compared with a reference group of academic physicians; 61.7% (29/47) of the faculty met the criteria for burnout, and 20.4% (10/49) met the criteria for professional fulfillment. Overall Burnout and Professional Fulfillment scores were not affected by faculty rank or gender, although interpersonal disengagement was greater in faculty who had worked > 6 years at the institution (p = .032). Responses indicated that faculty valued their work and their patients but faced an excessive workload and lacked autonomy to make changes. Faculty proposed improving efficiency, increasing staffing, and distributing work to technical staff. The PFI is a brief, no-cost instrument validated for measuring burnout and fulfillment in health care workers that can be used to assess well-being among veterinary faculty. Involving faculty in suggesting interventions may yield a variety of creative and actionable options.

Professional Quality of Life, Work-Related Stress, and Job Satisfaction among Nurses in Saudi Arabia: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Objective

To examine the interrelated impacts of work-related stress, compassion satisfaction (CS), and job satisfaction on burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among nurses using structural equation modelling (SEM).

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used to survey 727 nurses at a teaching hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia. Three scales were used: the Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale, the Nursing Stress Scale (NSS), and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). Data were analysed using SPSS and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS), and SEM analysis was conducted to confirm the interrelations among variables.

Results

The final model had a good fit for the obtained data (X ² = 2.726, RMSEA = 0.032). Stress is directly related to BO and STS, and the following variables were directly related to STS: job satisfaction, BO, and CS. Lastly, BO mediated the relationship between stress and STS.

Conclusion

It is crucial to analyze the effect of stress, CS, and job satisfaction which seems to have a positive and negative impact on nurses' BO and STS. Therefore, implementing a management strategy to manage stress and satisfaction can enhance nurses' quality of life, support the maintenance of positive attitudes, and enhance the standard of patient care.

Increasing Team Effectiveness through Experiential Team Training: An Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study of First-Year Veterinary Students' Team Experiences

This article explores the impact of experiential team communication training on student team effectiveness. First-year veterinary students were concurrently enrolled in the Group Communication in Veterinary Medicine course and applied their knowledge to their authentic team experiences in the Veterinary Anatomy and Introduction to Clinical Problem Solving courses. All students completed a modified team effectiveness instrument and a team self-reflection at the end of the semester. Results show that students experienced a high level of team effectiveness. Although students experienced challenges with respect to staying on task and distributing roles and responsibilities, team coordination and communication improved over time, due in part to the team activities associated with the team training intervention. This research provides support for the impact of experiential team training to the development of team process skills and team effectiveness.

Resilience in animal care professions: does the stress shield model fit?

Animal care professionals can experience adverse psychological outcomes due to their work, therefore research exploring supporting resilience in this population is needed. This study investigated the capacity of the Stress Shield Model (SSM) to explain relationships between individual, interpersonal, and organisational factors with outcomes in resilience (resilience, growth, and job satisfaction) in animal care professionals. Empowerment was hypothesised to mediate these relationships. Australian and New Zealand animal care professionals (N = 393) completed an online survey measuring conscientiousness, coping, team and leader relationships, job demands, organisational resources, empowerment, growth, resilience, and job satisfaction. Results indicated that SSM can partially explain relationships between individual, interpersonal, and organisational factors and outcomes in resilience, and empowerment partially mediated the effect of organisational resources on growth. Problem-approach coping positively predicted resilience and growth; conversely, emotion-avoidant coping negatively predicted these outcomes. Conscientiousness positively predicted resilience and negatively predicted job satisfaction. Team relationships positively predicted growth and resilience, while leader-member relationships positively predicted job satisfaction. Organisational resources positively predicted resilience, growth, and job satisfaction, conversely, job demands predicted reductions across these outcomes. Findings indicate supporting resilience in animal care professionals requires fostering individual, interpersonal, and organisational resources.

Sleep patterns, fatigue, and working hours among veterinary house officers: a cross-sectional survey study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the sleep patterns, working hours, and perceptions of fatigue among veterinary house officers and to identify potential areas for targeted intervention to improve well-being.

SAMPLE

303 house officers.

PROCEDURES

A 62-item questionnaire was generated by use of an online platform and sent to veterinary house officers at participating institutions via email. Responses were analyzed for trends and associations between variables of interest.

RESULTS

The mean age of respondents was 30 ± 3.7 years. Participants included 239 residents and 64 interns. House officers slept significantly less during times when they had clinical responsibilities compared to off-clinic time (6.0 hours vs 7.5 hours, respectively; P < 0.01). The majority of house officers reported working 11 to 13 hours on a typical weekday (58% [174/302]), and 32% reported clinical responsibilities 7 d/wk. Working hours were negatively related to sleep quantity (Pearson correlation coefficient, −0.54; P < 0.01), and perceived sleep quality was worse when on call (P < 0.01). The majority of house officers felt that fatigue negatively interfered with their technical skills, clinical judgment, and ability to empathize to some extent in the previous 4 weeks.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Most house officers fail to obtain sufficient sleep for optimal cognitive function and physical and mental health. Working hours and on call may be important factors contributing to the sleep patterns of veterinary house officers, and training program structure should be critically evaluated to promote protected time for sleep.

Credentialed veterinary technician intrinsic and extrinsic rewards: a narrative review

The economic literature on veterinary technicians is limited, and the AVMA Task Force on Veterinary Technician Utilization has recommended increasing veterinary technician economic research in several areas. The aim of this review was to provide an economic overview of the veterinary technician profession based on intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Data sources for this paper include articles and texts from the veterinary, human medical, and service industries concerning veterinary technicians and from economic and psychology literature. Findings of this literature review indicated that veterinary technician intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are complex. Veterinary technicians appear to find value and meaning in their job tasks, which contribute positively toward job satisfaction and self-identity. Low financial rewards, workplace incivility, and work overload appear to be problematic for the individual veterinary technician, veterinary technician profession, and veterinary industry as a whole. The economic and psychology literature indicated that changes to the profession, such as increasing veterinary technician utilization, should simultaneously incorporate the economic needs and values of veterinary technicians and veterinary practice operators.

The Economic Cost of Burnout in Veterinary Medicine

The purpose of this study is to estimate the economic cost of burnout in the veterinary profession and highlight the financial reasons why the industry should address the burnout crisis from an organizational perspective. Using data from 5,786 associate veterinarians in private practice, information was obtained using employment information related to compensation, work hours, hour preferences, and job turnover. Burnout was measured using the Professional Quality of Life Scale and used to calculate conditional probabilities on turnover and reduced working hours due to burnout. Lost revenue from each outcome (turnover and reduced working hours) was then used to calculate the economic costs to the veterinary services industry. The attributable cost of burnout of veterinarians to the US industry is between $1 and 2 billion annually in lost revenue, though there is a large amount of uncertainty. The cost is dependent on whether veterinary technicians are included in the analysis. The highest economic cost per veterinarian is among food animal practitioners, while the lowest is among equine. This study demonstrates that there are significant economic costs due to burnout among veterinarians and veterinary technicians. We suggest pursuing organizational interventions as these have shown the most impact in decreasing burnout and increasing satisfaction among human health physicians.

Challenging suicide, burnout, and depression among veterinary practitioners and students: text mining and topics modelling analysis of the scientific literature

Background

Worldwide, veterinary practitioners and students are reported to be at higher risk of suicide, burnout, and depression compared to other occupational groups. The aim of the current study was to apply text mining and topic modelling analysis on scientific literature regarding suicide, burnout, and depression among veterinary practitioners and students to extract meaningful and synthetic information. These statistical approaches can be used to comprehend more in deep the phenomena involving veterinarians and veterinary students and to suggest the potential changes needed in admission to veterinary school, veterinary curricula, and post-graduation initiatives as preventive actions.

Results

A systematic search protocol was set up to identify scientific literature that published on the topic from 1985 to 2019. Two-hundred-eleven records were selected with abstracts/texts submitted to text mining and topic modelling analysis. Student, stress, work, anim*, and euthanasia resulted the most frequent terms. Topics modelling allowed to differentiate groups of words and papers in 3 areas of interest: 1) students’ difficulties encountered during their studies that increase stress and anxiety impairing their psychological health; 2) exposure to death and euthanasia as risk factor for mental health; and 3) need of support among those providing medical and health care, and of supportive group work to cope with such profession.

Conclusion

Based on the most frequent words included in the clouds and on the contents of the papers clusterised in them, some suggestions are interfered. It is emphasized that the veterinary curricula should include courses that prepare them early to deal with animal death and post-death grief of pet owners, to handle ethical dilemmas and moral stressors, to communicate with clients and staff members, to work in team, to balance work-family life and to promote individual and team resources. Specific courses for veterinary practitioners could keep them updated on their new roles and ways to handle them among functioning as potential feedbacks to monitor their psychological wellbeing.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-021-03000-x.

Personality and job satisfaction among Chinese health practitioners: The mediating role of professional quality of life

This study aims to explore mediating effects of professional quality of life on the relationship between big-five personality traits and job satisfaction in a Chinese healthcare setting. A total of 1620 Chinese healthcare professionals were recruited to participate in a randomised cross-sectional survey. The results suggest that professional quality of life transmitted the effect of personality to job satisfaction. Specifically, compassion satisfaction and burnout mediated the positive effect of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness upon job satisfaction; as well as mediated negative effects of neuroticism upon job satisfaction. Secondary traumatic stress mediated the positive effect of extraversion upon job satisfaction. The paper also discusses the cultural factors contributing to the mediating effects and implications offered by the study at the macro, messo, and micro levels.