Balancing Demanding Work with a Tight-Knit Team

Caring Pathways’ veterinarians do the difficult work of helping pets and their people during times of crisis and end of life care for their pets. It’s important, not only that we meet the need for this kind of service, but also that we deliver it in a way that reflects how much we value it. By default, it’s demanding on a veterinarian’s emotional health, which makes it key to be able to balance the tough requirements of the work with adequate support so that you can reap its professional (and often, personal) reward.

That starts with choosing the best candidates for this particular role. The ideal person is empathetic, likes to work with other people, and can handle working through intense moments of grief. They have a heart to serve and are not afraid of the daily demands of this particular niche in our profession. A backbone of compassionate service is critical, because our veterinarians are on call for 12-hour shifts, usually four days a week, and are able to pivot and serve appointments promptly, communicating openly with a support team and fellow on-call veterinarians.

Having this type of character helps our team avoid getting compassion fatigue. More so, having a great support team is the rest of the formula. Each veterinarian is part of a larger group that stays in constant communication throughout their shifts. This avenue allows doctors to offer support, answer each other’s questions, and relay stories from the day. They report to a team leader who monitors their work schedule and quality of appointments, supporting an open line of communication that helps that leader stay on top of their team’s state of mind, mood, and perspective.