Happy New Year, Viewfinders! This week our hosts preview the veterinary profession’s toughest topics and trends we predict for 2022!

Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT join in a rapid-fire discussion of the top challenges they foresee for 2022 (and beyond).

Some of the issues they discuss include:

• Veterinary workforce shortages

• Mental health issues (burnout, depression, compassion fatigue, substance abuse, etc.)

• Veterinary staff wages and benefits

• Student loans an date rising cost of DVM/RVT degrees

• Inflation of vet services and products - what impacts will inflation have on patient care and client communications?

• Social media complaints - We’re seeing reports of vets being charged with ethics and professional behavior violations when they engage clients online. Yikes!

• Corporatization vs Independent Practices: How can we get along and compete?

• Core vaccines - potential challenges post-pandemic vaccine controversies?

• Politics - Veterinary Practices and 2022 Midterms

• What happened to the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI)? Our continuing plea for veterinary technician Title Protection

• Telemedicine - Muddy waters ahead or smooth sailing?

• Brachycephalic breeds - Will US veterinary professionals speak out as they are in the UK?

• CBD - definitely maybe?

• Climate change

• Animal welfare and Food animal production, ventilation Shutdown (VSD)

Looks like 2022 is going to be an exciting and promising year! Happy New Year, Viewfinders!

There’s a new TikTok trend we believe could potentially harm dogs called the “Bark at your Dog Challenge.” Veterinary colleagues and concerned pet parents, let’s discuss. And, WTF is wrong with people?

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT revisit their concern that some popular social media trends could be harmful to animals. This week our hosts discuss what many are calling a “funny, hilarious and surprising” challenge that they categorize as “disturbing.”

Beckie recalls the history of potentially problematic social media trends (and our past podcasts addressing them) and why this particular challenge especially irks her.

Dr. Ward ponders if these “scary” challenges are an extension of other “bad behavior” social media trends and what impact social media may have on the the human:animal bond among the youngest pet owners (we’re looking at you, late Get Z pet parents out there). Dr. Ward also shares his concerns that this is an extension of a broader expansion of “videos of people behaving badly” that seems to get more social media likes, views, or attention. Again, WTF is wrong with people?

Viewfinders, once again, we’re bringing you a veterinary topic lurking just below the mainstream that we think needs more discussion by our colleagues. Beckie repeats her wish for a dollar every time we’ve said, “Let’s get out in front of this topic.” We accept all major forms of payment!

Our loyal Viewfinder Family, what do you think about these trends? What do you think about Beckie and Dr. Ward’s advice on how veterinary professionals can - and should - address them? We want to hear from you!

Lately, we’ve been hearing stories of veterinary practice managers and owners making departing staff feel guilty for finding a better job. After a team member puts in their notice, they then face a barrage of guilt-inducing blame and judgment, further eroding their self confidence and assertiveness. But it doesn’t end there.

Hosts Beckie Mossor, RVT and Dr. Ernie Ward also share their concerns about the rapidly approaching holiday season and the impact "holiday time off" may have on our already overwhelmed teams' morale, productivity, and patient care. Ho, ho, hold on for this one, Viewfinders!

This week our hosts discuss the importance of respectfully and professionally handling an employee leaving their job for another, and why exit interviews may, “help you save the rest,” as Dr. Ward puts it.

The pair also tackle the topic of holiday time off and each share real-time vacation dilemmas they are hearing from veterinary colleagues around the country. Beckie advises, “Get ahead of your holiday planning now!” We explain…

Viewfinders, once again we cover A LOT of territory in this half-hour conversation. Share your thoughts by email or direct message!

During the past 18 months, nearly every veterinary practice has experienced unprecedented demands and challenges. Throw in the reality of an historically-tight job market, with few available veterinarians and vet techs to go around, and you’ve got even more problems. These difficulties have caused considerable professional (and personal) burnout, with many colleagues not knowing how they could possibly take a break. That’s where relief (or locus) veterinary staff could help heal your practice ills.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by Dr. Cindy Trice, Founder of Relief Rover, an online service that connect veterinary clinics with relief help.

Dr. Trice shares how she started in relief work, what led to the formation of ReliefRover.com, and how impactful leveraging relief staff can be for an overworked team.

Viewfinders, you know we’re compactly lamenting the fact that you’re overworked, underpaid, and under appreciated. Here’s a solution we think could help you (at least) get a break to recharge your spirit (and body, relationships, etc.).

What have your experiences with relief vets or vet techs been? Is this something you think would help your clinic? Share your thoughts (and a 5-star review) over on Apple Podcasts or our social media! Thank you!

Burnout. Debt. Suicide. These are some of the topics closely associated with the veterinary profession in 2021. But are these negative narratives hurting our appeal to the next generation of veterinary professionals? This week we discuss the current public perceptions of veterinary medicine and how we can change them for the better.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle the topic of how an onslaught of negative news about veterinary professionals may be influencing - and perhaps curtailing - the future of our profession.

The pair discuss burnout, student debt, suicide and depression, title protection, (dis)organized veterinary medicine, and a whole lot more during this episode.

Viewfinders, this is another wide-ranging conversation about a topic we think deserves more attention and action from our colleagues. Share your thoughts with us online or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com

Are we inadvertently confusing our clients by using vague terms and acronyms on our invoices? What about unclear communication in the exam room? Do different veterinarians recommend different drugs or preventives, leaving support staff to decipher? This week we tackle a constellation of confusing communications in veterinary practice.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT begin by discussing a Mother’s Day dilemma in which Dr. Ward’s mom was utterly confused - and upset - by her dentist’s invoice. A medical term with our context led to almost losing a client and certainly sparked some neighborhood complaining.

The pair share tips on avoiding invoice and written communication misunderstandings, why plain language wins in the exam room, and the importance of having unified product and protocol recommendations in your practice.

Viewfinders, we believe this is another topic that occurs much more frequently than we wished. Beckie sums it up by explaining why “Yes” or “No” is rarely a good answer from clients and how we can learn from “comical communications” and misunderstandings to become better communicators.

What happens when your personal social media blows up in your veterinary clinic? Can you post controversial content on your personal pages without professional consequences? Viewfinders, this is one tough topic we tackle this week!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT address people being fired, reprimanded, or causing conflict in their workplace because of something they posted or shared on their personal TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter feeds. Where are the online boundaries between work and private life, if there are any?

The duo divulge times they’ve stepped out of bounds online, stories from colleagues who have experienced consequences of their content, and strategies for everyone scrolling and posting these days.

Viewfinders, have you witnessed workplace tension because of online messages? How do you navigate these potentially stormy waters? Share your stories!

Thank you again for listening! Talk to you next Wednesday!

Have you ever been told to “quiet down the laughter” in your clinic? What about “lighten up on the good vibes and get serious”? Can you be playful, happy, and joyous and still be productive and provide excellent patient care? Well, yeah.

This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss what happens when management kills the joy of working in a veterinary clinic. Whether a clinic’s leadership means to or not, by discouraging playful interactions between coworkers, they may be contributing to burnout, poor productivity, and even suboptimal patient care. No bueno.

Dr. Ward shares some interesting studies of Navy SEALS and the neurobiology of laughter and joy and why “a happy treatment area is a productive one.” Science.

Beckie digs deep into how veterinary ER teams rely on humor to get through stressful times and how keeping things light can benefit your clinic.

Viewfinders, this is another important topic that isn’t discussed enough in the veterinary profession. How do you find joy and humor in your work? Let us know!