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  • Wellness and Well-being Committee

Wellness and Well-being Committee

The Professional Wellness and Well-being Committee’s purpose is to provide Florida veterinarians with resources and support for chemical dependency, psychiatric illness, eating disorders, anger management, professional burnout and compassion fatigue. The goal is to provide veterinarians with better resources that address issues like work-life balance, job satisfaction, how to deal with work and life struggles, and to create awareness and prevention of suicide within the profession. The committee will provide education on these topics through resources that include the FVMA Advocate, newsletters, the FVMA website, and lectures and workshops at conferences. The committee also encourages colleagues to be of service and in a statewide peer support network. We also hope to offer support groups in the larger metropolitan areas within the next year. The committee also assists with the implementation of in-clinic wellness and well-being programs and is of service to student members of the FVMA at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

Often times we hesitate to intervene out of fear or other barriers. If you are concerned about yourself or someone else, do not wait until there is a problem that may threaten their career, license or their life. The Professional Resources Center provides the following signs and symptoms to look for:

  • You suspect alcohol/drugs and/or psychiatric illness may be involved in a workplace incident
  • Inaccessibility to patients and staff
  • Decreased workload or workload intolerance and performance
  • Frequent trips to the bathroom or other unexplained absences
  • Frequent absences or illness
  • Sporadic punctuality
  • Defensive when questioned or confronted
  • Alcohol on breath with attempts to cover with mints or mouthwash
  • Deadlines not met
  • Questionable practice judgment
  • Unsatisfactory documentation performances
  • Deteriorating personal hygiene
  • Personality and behavior changes
  • Shakiness, tremors of hands, agitation

Committee Members

Chair: Philip Richmond, DVM
Cherie Buisson, DVM
Dani McVety, DVM
Nanette Parratto-Wagner, DVM, Ph.D.
Juan Samper, DVM, MSc, Ph.D., DACT

  • Self-assessments
    • AVMA: https://myvetlife.avma.org/rising-professional/your-wellbeing/wellbeing-self-assessment
    • SAMHSA: https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/AUDIT_screener_for_alcohol.pdf
    • SAMHSA: https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/Patient_Stress_Questionnaire.pdf
    • NCADD: https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-test
  • In-clinic Wellness Program & Gatekeeper Resources
    • AVMA: https://www.avma.org/professionaldevelopment/peerandwellness/pages/default.aspx?utm_source=prettyurl&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=mktg&utm_term=wellness
    • AVMA: https://www.avma.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/PeerAndWellness/Pages/Wellness-Gatekeeper-Training-for-Veterinarians.aspx
  • Suicide
    • American Association of Suicidology: www.suicidology.org
    • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
    • Centre for Suicide Prevention: www.suicideinfo.ca
    • Grassroots Suicide Prevention: www.prevent-suicide.org.uk
    • National Suicide Prevention Alliance: www.nspa.org.uk
  • Mental Health
    • Mental and Emotional Health Resource List for Veterinary Teams (DVM360): veterinarynews.dvm360.com/mental-and-emotional-health-resource-list-veterinary-teams
    • Mental Health America: www.mentalhealthamerica.net
    • Mental Health Commission of Canada: www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
    • Mind Matters Initiative: www.vetmindmatters.org
    • National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
    • Vetlife: www.vetlife.org.uk
  • Compassion Fatigue
    • Burnout and compassion fatigue in veterinary medicine (YouTube):
      www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb3n4JGX8c
    • Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project: www.compassionfatigue.com
    • When Caring Hurts: Managing Compassion Fatigue (VetMed Team): www.vetmedteam.com/library/local/compassion-fatigue-677/compassion_fatigue.pdf
    • Rekindle Solutions: http://rekindlesolutions.com/
  • Organizational Support
    • AAHA’s Guide to Veterinary Practice Wellbeing: www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/team_wellbeing_guide.pdf
    • Australian Veterinary Association (VetHealth): www.ava.com.au/VetHealth
    • AVMA Wellness and Peer Assistance: www.avma.org/professionaldevelopment/personal/peerandwellness/pages/default.aspx
    • AVMA Workplace Wellness Program: www.avma.org/professionaldevelopment/personal/peerandwellness/pages/setting-up-wellness-program.aspx
    • Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (Veterinarian Wellness):
      www.canadianveterinarians.net/veterinarian-wellness
    • Pets Plus Us (The Social Side of Practice):
      www.petsplusus.com/community/social-side-of-practice
    • VECCS Wellness Video Series (YouTube):
      • Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs85gHKNpfw
      • Part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hVoeXraKg4
      • Part 3: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTii4pgJC_E
      • You are not alone: www.youtube.com/watch?v=evezJlHX370
      • Hit the pause button: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZcdt46mBvk
      • Maintaining wellness in the veterinary profession: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLNpUux8u70
  • Counselors in Florida (experienced with medical professionals)
    • Gerald A Kurtz, Ph.D.: Hialeah, 305.343.4441
    • Alexis Polles, MD: Fernandina Beach, 904.447.5433
    • Quinn and Truett: Lakeland, 863.683.9600
    • Karin E Courchaine, Ph.D.: Marion County, 352.874.9914
    • Lynne Spinney: St. Petersburg, 727.493.0347
    • Michael Whalen: St. Petersburg, 727.493.0347
    • Tom Antonek, Ph.D.: Ocala/Port Richey, 813.358.2053
    • Kelly Brady, LMHC, AP: Tampa, 813.335.2060
    • Deborah Troupe, LMHC: Jacksonville, 904.568.9008
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