Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.Veterinarians

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Thriving in clinical veterinary practice : a strengths-based, qualitative investigation of thriving in clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-11-21) Cantley, Charlotte Emily Louise
    Veterinarians play an important role in society, contributing to animal health, public health, and environmental sustainability. However, there is growing international concern about the well-being and workforce stability of veterinarians, particularly those working in clinical practice. Much of the existing research has focused on the negative impact of veterinary work on well-being, emphasising that veterinarians experience high levels of psychological distress and burnout. However, there is a lack of understanding of what enables veterinarians not only to cope in clinical practice but also to thrive and enjoy fulfilling careers. This research employed a qualitative approach, grounded in positive psychology, to explore the factors that help veterinarians thrive in clinical practice. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research investigated the lived experiences of clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand, to identify the factors that contribute to a fulfilling and sustainable career. Participants across the three studies represented veterinarians from a wide range of clinical practice types, including companion animal, production animal, equine, and mixed practice. They included late-career veterinarians (n = 19), new and recent graduates (n = 22), and mid-late career veterinarians who were not practice owners or senior managers (n = 29). Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to identify key themes from the data. Three final key concepts emerged as critical to thriving in veterinary clinical practice: positive leadership, a psychologically safe clinic culture, and a strong sense of purpose and meaning in work, referred to as the “3Ps” of thriving. For early-career veterinarians, positive mentorship in a psychologically safe environment was crucial for developing confidence, self-efficacy, and a professional identity suitable for general practice. Mid- and late-career veterinarians who experienced positive leadership and a healthy, safe workplace culture reported an evolving sense of purpose that included providing care to patients and expanded to encompass mentoring and supporting others in the profession, as well as philanthropic work and community commitment. These veterinarians expressed high levels of engagement and were often motivated by fostering thriving in others. The attitudes and behaviours of clinic managers were noted as particularly important. Thus, a thriving veterinary career can be considered an odyssey — a long, transformative journey shaped by challenges, growth, and continuous learning. It reflects an evolving sense of purpose, making the role of a clinical veterinarian far more than just a job. Based on these findings, a practical framework of evidence-based recommendations was designed to foster thriving throughout a veterinarian’s career. These recommendations target three levels of influence: the individual, the clinic, and the broader veterinary profession, and may help address the ongoing issues of recruitment and retention in veterinary practice. This research provides valuable insights into the benefits of pursuing a clinical career, contributing to the growing body of literature on positive well-being in the veterinary field. It highlights the importance of leadership and psychological safety — topics that have received relatively little attention in veterinary contexts — and shows how they enable veterinarians to find purpose and meaning in their work. Importantly, the research highlights that fostering thriving is a collective responsibility, shared between veterinary businesses, individual veterinarians, and the profession as a whole.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Veterinarians' perspectives of neurology : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-10-29) Shea, Anita
    Negative perspectives of neurology are commonly reported in medical education and have led to concerns regarding patient care and insufficient numbers of neurologists. Most of the proposed contributors to this “neurophobia” relate to intellectual difficulty learning and applying neurology knowledge. However, most studies to date have explored neurophobia superficially and differences between how neurophobia is defined and how it is measured challenge what the term means and our understanding of why it develops. Despite this lack of clarity, there are increasing numbers of reports that cite educational interventions to combat neurophobia. While the medical and veterinary professions share many similarities, there is very little research exploring neurophobia in veterinary medicine. It is unclear whether negative perspectives of neurology are common in veterinarians, and what contributes to the development of veterinarians’ perspectives of neurology. The overarching aims of this research were to better understand veterinarians’ perspectives of neurology, how and why they develop, and the effect they can have on further learning and clinical experiences. This research investigated veterinarians’ and veterinary students’ perspectives of neurology using a mixed method approach. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews explored how veterinarians’ experiences, and their reactions to those experiences, contributed to their overall attitude towards neurology. Statistical analysis of subsequent surveys of veterinarians and undergraduate veterinary students focused on those with negative or positive attitudes towards neurology to further explore these differing perspectives. The findings of all studies were integrated to obtain a holistic understanding of how similar inciting experiences can lead to different attitudes towards neurology. Intellectual difficulty learning and applying neurology was reported by most participants, regardless of their attitude towards neurology. Differences between participants with negative or positive attitudes towards neurology were often dictated by the individual’s affective responses to that difficulty, which in turn were shaped by personality traits, values, professional identity, and the ability of the individual to resolve internal conflict. Resolution of internal conflict could improve one’s attitude towards neurology. In contrast to medical literature on neurophobia, these findings suggest that an individual’s attitude towards neurology is determined by the way they react to intellectual difficulty, not the difficulty itself. This distinction has implications for educational interventions for any difficult subject, not just neurology.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Euthanasia of dogs and cats by veterinarians in New Zealand: protocols, procedures and experiences.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-04-25) Gates MC; Kells NJ; Kongara K; Littlewood KE
    AIMS: To collect data on protocols used by New Zealand veterinarians to perform euthanasia of dogs and cats, and to explore opinions towards the training they received in euthanasia during veterinary school. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to all veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. The survey asked respondents about their practices' policies for euthanasia; protocols for performing euthanasia of dogs and cats; opinions towards euthanasia training received in veterinary school; and subsequent experiences with euthanasia in practice. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and thematic analysis was performed on the free-text comments. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 361/1,448 (24.9%) veterinarians in companion or mixed animal practice. The mean numbers of dogs and cats euthanised each month were 7.2 (median 5; min 0; max 60) and 7.9 (median 5; min 0; max 60), respectively. Fewer than half of respondents reported that their clinic had a standard protocol for euthanising dogs (147/361; 40.7%) or cats (157/361; 43.5%). For euthanasia of dogs, 119/361 (32.9%) always used sedation while 71/361 (19.7%) indicated that they would not use sedation. For euthanasia of cats, 170/361 (47.1%) always used sedation while 53/361 (14.7%) indicated that they would not use sedation. Placement of IV catheters, methods for patient restraint, preferences towards the presence of owners during euthanasia, services provided with euthanasia, and discussions with owners were also highly variable and handled case-by-case depending on the client, patient, and clinical scenario. When asked about the euthanasia training received at veterinary school, it was generally ranked as below satisfactory, with approximately one-third of respondents indicating that they received no training in dealing with emotional clients (113/361; 31.3%), sedation protocols for euthanasia (107/361; 29.6%), or managing compassion fatigue (132/361; 36.6%). Most respondents (268/361; 74.2%) received no formal training in euthanasia after graduation and learned from experience or discussions with colleagues. Providing animals and owners with a good experience during the euthanasia process was highlighted as important for managing compassion fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Euthanasia is a common procedure in companion animal practice and there is considerable variation in how veterinarians approach both the technical and non-technical elements. Training provided during veterinary school was generally considered below satisfactory, particularly regarding managing compassion fatigue and clients' emotional needs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Providing veterinarians with additional training on adapting their euthanasia protocols to different clinical scenarios may improve the experience for patients, owners and veterinary staff.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Teaching tomorrow's great veterinarians
    (American Veterinary Medical Association, 2022-11) Jillings E; Gordon E
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Career pathways of New Zealand veterinary graduates : influences, experiences, and decisions : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) King, Natalie
    As local and international concern about a shortage of veterinarians grows, developing an understanding of veterinarians’ career pathways and the factors that influence their career decisions is of increasing importance. The aim of this research was to explore the patterns that exist among the career pathways of two cohorts of New Zealand veterinary graduates, 10- and 20-years post-graduation, and to identify the factors that had been influential in shaping their career trajectories. A mixed methods approach provided a means to develop a detailed understanding of veterinarians’ career pathways through integration of survey (n=109) and interview (n=25) data. Perceptions of why people cease veterinary work were documented alongside the lived career experiences of these two cohorts of Massey University veterinary graduates. Cohort members’ career pathways were varied. Most (83%) held a clinical veterinary role 10 years after graduation. However, after 20 years, fewer (57%) held clinical veterinary roles. Almost one-quarter of the 20-year cohort worked in non-veterinary roles, and a further 14% held non-clinical veterinary roles. Some aspects of career patterns differed between the men and women and between the two cohorts, but there were also similarities. Veterinarians’ career decisions were multifaceted, and six key themes were developed to describe the factors that influenced them. Considering the cohort members’ material, social, and cognitive work values provided a useful lens through which to explore how their work environments and personal characteristics and aspirations influenced their career decisions. Veterinarians’ workplace experiences and the degree of fit between their personal characteristics and aspirations, and the workplace environment, influenced their feelings towards their work and their state of wellbeing, which in turn influenced their career decisions. However, these factors alone were insufficient to fully describe the influences on veterinarians’ career decision-making. Opportunities, professional networks, and non-work factors also played a key role in shaping cohort members’ career trajectories. The findings of this research provide insight into the career patterns and decision-making of New Zealand veterinarians which will be useful for future workforce planning, and in developing initiatives to enhance veterinarians’ career fulfilment and retention within clinical practice and the New Zealand veterinary profession.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Multiple veterinary stakeholders' perspectives on important professionalism attributes for career success in veterinary clinical practice : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Gordon, Stuart John Galt
    There is an increasing body of literature on professionalism in the health sciences. Most research has, however, elicited the opinions of single groups of experts and tried to use these to generalise across the profession. The aim of the thesis was, therefore, to gain a broad understanding of professionalism by appraising the voices of many tiers of veterinary stakeholders involved in veterinary clinical practice. Through a mixed methods approach using card-sort analysis, online questionnaires, focus groups, critical incident reporting and analysis of client complaints, information was collected from first year and final year Massey University veterinary students, clinical veterinary practitioners and veterinary clients. An online questionnaire was also used to gather the final year veterinary students’ opinions on veterinary professionalism pedagogy. The iterative sampling method ensured that a wide range of perceptions were represented. These multiple perspectives, along with the existing knowledge contained within the literature on veterinary and medical professionalism, provide the basis upon which to develop a theoretical framework on professionalism in the veterinary context. The synthesis of data into a framework was undertaken primarily through a grounded theory approach. The research also provides support for the importance of including professionalism in veterinary curricula. Three overarching themes emerged from the analysis of the veterinary stakeholders’ opinions, namely: ‘committing to best practice’, ‘building the veterinarian-client relationship’ and ‘client expectations’. The framework of veterinary professionalism that has evolved from scrutiny of these themes revolves around the principles of ‘veterinary care’. Career success and satisfaction for practising clinical veterinarians hinges on three crucial domains of veterinary care: ‘patient-centred care’, ‘relationship-centred care’, and ‘self-care’. The focus of patient-centred care is the animal, while the foci of relationship-centred care are the client and veterinary colleagues. The self-care domain focuses on the practising veterinarian as a person. Professionalism, therefore, fundamentally revolves around veterinarians’ accountability to a social contract with patients, clients and colleagues as well as to themselves. Analysis of veterinary student opinions on the teaching of professionalism revealed constructive viewpoints and recommendations. Students recommended that the veterinary professionalism course be embedded across the whole primary veterinary teaching programme, including in the early years of study. It was further suggested that role-playing and reflective practice should be used throughout the programme to support the development of professionalism. The need to assess professionalism adequately and appropriately was also highlighted, as was the need to include rewards for displays of good professional behaviour. The potential for the hidden curriculum and negative clinical role models to undermine the teaching of professionalism was also addressed. Additionally, students recommended that the veterinary professionalism curriculum should prepare graduates for the job market by accommodating the requirements of veterinary employers. This research represents the first time that the opinions of multiple veterinary stakeholders on the attributes of professionalism important for career success have been solicited in one series of research studies. Furthermore, this study has used novel methodologies to determine the opinions of stakeholders. For the first time, a card-sort analysis has been used to solicit veterinary students’ opinions and the critical incident technique has been used to determine the perspectives of practising veterinarians. Analysing client complaints lodged with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand also represents an original method of determining those attributes of professionalism that will promote veterinary career success and satisfaction. By seeking the perspectives of multiple veterinary stakeholders, the body of knowledge about professionalism has been extended. Furthermore, the neoteric framework of veterinary professionalism, developed in the study, could help to form the basis for constructing a robust curriculum prescribing the teaching and assessment of veterinary professionalism. It may also be used by veterinarians as a guide in the practice of veterinary medicine and in their relationships with patients, clients, colleagues and society.