Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The quality of health and care of our animals in the veterinary clinic is dependent on the veterinary nurse. Therefore it is important that the nurse has a good mental health and can provide this. Research shows that veterinarians are exposed to an elevated risk of suicide, moral stress, depression and anxiety. One of the factors contributing is believed to be exposure to euthanasia. The impact of euthanasia to veterinary nurses is yet unclear, as research focuses on veterinarians. The aim of this study was to explore veterinary nurses’ experiences during euthanasia and what factors negatively contributes to these experiences, if they had and wanted emotional support from their employer, weather or not they felt able to meet the owners´ feelings and if this ability had been provided to them through their education. The respondents were attained through a survey focusing on those who were profession active in the small animal veterinary practice.

The conclusion of the survey is that every moment, every patient, every owner, every day creates new challenges and opportunities for the veterinary nurse. The majority felt able to meet the owners´ feelings and the toughest feeling to meet was perceived as “Anger”. The knowledge and ability to meet these feelings was felt as provided to the respondents by experience rather than through education. The factor that most negatively affected the respondents was the euthanasia of a healthy animal.

The health of the veterinary nurse can be positively affected through meeting only 1-3 patients every day and having emotional support, this together with the art of communication can contribute to a better care, both of our animals and their owners. As a calm interaction has a soothing effect on the patients, it is important that the nurse has no mental stress which is paraded towards the animal. A mentally healthy nurse can therefore provide a better care for the patients.