Feeling discouraged at my work :(

[PinkDrinkz]

I've been working as a veterinary technician at a small-animal practice for a couple months now and I've been feeling discouraged 🙁 I've had a one-on-one talk with the practice manager and a supervisor twice now about how they feel that I am not holding/restraining very well and/or that I seem scared. They mention certain situations that have occurred in the past and use those as examples of how I am not holding well. I have always thought I was holding fine because no one had said anything to me about holding incorrectly or how to fix it during those specific events they listed!

So I have always thought I was holding fine except for the occasional incident where a wiggly animal gets all squirmy in my arms or where I have to hold an uncooperative large dog where I need multiple people to help. I don't feel like I am scared at all and I'm always calm when interacting with any animal.

I've been bringing animals from the exam room to the treatment room so that I can practice and refine my restraining techniques. Everything seems fine and well but this is of course when the supervisors are not watching me. I noticed that I've been getting anxiety now when they are there because I feel like they are trying to catch any mistake I make. They tell me to start with animals that are cooperative and eventually 'have wins' and move onto more fractious animals. I understand their point but I feel like they are not crediting me for the majority of the time where I am holding correctly and everything goes well. I'm trying really hard and taking their advice but every time they tell me how they don't feel like I'm holding well, it makes me feel embarrassed and just discouraged.

I understand their concern and of course I am not denying the fact I am not the best holder (because if I was, they wouldn't say anything), but I feel like they're not giving me enough credit. There was another technician that let one of the doctors get bit in the room and I don't think she got a talk or any sort of meeting about holding or safety! Another thing that has been bothering me is that I feel out of place because everyone in the hospital are friends with each other and I feel like an outcast. :\ Any advice?

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[LetItSnow]

I've been working as a veterinary technician at a small-animal practice for a couple months now and I've been feeling discouraged 🙁 I've had a one-on-one talk with the practice manager and a supervisor twice now about how they feel that I am not holding/restraining very well and/or that I seem scared. They mention certain situations that have occurred in the past and use those as examples of how I am not holding well. I have always thought I was holding fine because no one had said anything to me about holding incorrectly or how to fix it during those specific events they listed!

So I have always thought I was holding fine except for the occasional incident where a wiggly animal gets all squirmy in my arms or where I have to hold an uncooperative large dog where I need multiple people to help. I don't feel like I am scared at all and I'm always calm when interacting with any animal.

I've been bringing animals from the exam room to the treatment room so that I can practice and refine my restraining techniques. Everything seems fine and well but this is of course when the supervisors are not watching me. I noticed that I've been getting anxiety now when they are there because I feel like they are trying to catch any mistake I make. They tell me to start with animals that are cooperative and eventually 'have wins' and move onto more fractious animals. I understand their point but I feel like they are not crediting me for the majority of the time where I am holding correctly and everything goes well. I'm trying really hard and taking their advice but every time they tell me how they don't feel like I'm holding well, it makes me feel embarrassed and just discouraged.

I understand their concern and of course I am not denying the fact I am not the best holder (because if I was, they wouldn't say anything), but I feel like they're not giving me enough credit. There was another technician that let one of the doctors get bit in the room and I don't think she got a talk or any sort of meeting about holding or safety! Another thing that has been bothering me is that I feel out of place because everyone in the hospital are friends with each other and I feel like an outcast. :\ Any advice?

Sure, here are some thoughts, for what they are worth:

1) Ask them for *specific* technique changes. If they feel you aren't doing it correctly, they should be able to verbalize how you should do it. If it's where you're holding the animal, how tightly, your body position, the animal's body position ... whatever it is, if they can't specifically say "do X, don't do Y" then it's not fair to expect you to change. "Just do better" isn't good training or leadership.

2) Don't take this the wrong way but I agree 100% with them about starting with animals that are cooperative and moving on to more fractious animals. You said they aren't crediting you for the "majority of the time where I am holding correctly." The "majority of the time" isn't good enough. Restraint is very literally critical. All it takes is exactly 1 patient out of the thousands I'll examine this upcoming year to bite my face off. Accidents happen, and it isn't always the fault of the restrainer, but it's just not a task that you can only do well "most of the time"....

3) Video yourself restraining several animals, and then watch the video first by yourself, and then with an experienced technician and/or your supervisor, and get their feedback. Maybe when you watch it, you'll see deficiencies. If not, maybe they will. If nobody spots deficiencies, then you're doing well.

4) Don't be afraid to say "I'm not comfortable restraining this animal." That's far better than trying and someone getting bit. Sometimes doctors expect you to restrain a patient when it's really not the most appropriate choice, and chemical restraint is better. It's ok to say "hey, I'm not comfortable with this."

5) Don't look for credit so much. Don't worry about that. Just focus on learning how to be an excellent restrainer. When people see a deficiency in someone, it just takes extra time to overcome that perception. You can't fix it overnight, or even in a few weeks. It takes months.

6) Don't blame them for wanting you to be excellent at restraint - it's their face that you're protecting, after all, and they are literally trusting you to prevent a life-changing injury to them. They have every right to expect you to do it confidently and excellently.

 

[MDB74]

If your supervisors are telling you aren't restraining animals correctly, it's most likely because the people you're restraining for are telling them you aren't restraining correctly. They don't need to be there to see every animal you hold. Saying they're not crediting you for your successful times in silly. Of course they are. But you have to realize that the mistakes are apparently happening frequently enough that it needs to be addressed. Consider if you were trying to get blood on a patient but felt you could be bitten at any moment. 90% is NOT an acceptable success rate for holding an animal, it needs to be as close to 100% as possible. Make sure you're picking up little tips and tricks from the more experienced members of the team.

You also have to get over your nerves when they're watching you. Believe me, you'll be in much higher pressure situations over your career as either a vet or tech. Your first blood draw with a client watching, your first cpr, your first scramble to find a bleeder as you see blood pressure tank, etc. Your supervisors are not out to get you. They want to make you a productive member of the team and if you can't hold animals then you aren't doing what you're paid to do.

I'm trying really hard and taking their advice but every time they tell me how they don't feel like I'm holding well, it makes me feel embarrassed and just discouraged.

Remember all those thing's I mentioned above (blood draws, cpr, ect)? Be prepared to be corrected on all of them. You will rarely do something exactly right on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even 10th try. Absorbing that criticism and using it the next time is how you get better at something.

There was another technician that let one of the doctors get bit in the room and I don't think she got a talk or any sort of meeting about holding or safety! Another thing that has been bothering me is that I feel out of place because everyone in the hospital are friends with each other and I feel like an outcast. :\ Any advice?

Don't do this. You weren't in the room and don't know what happened. May have been the tech's fault may have been the doctor's fault. Focus on your skills and what you can do to improve. If they feel that the other tech's restraint skills are lacking then they'll have that talk with her.

 

[PppermintTwist]

your last comment struck a chord. You feel out of place and like an outsider.

Vet teams become very close and it can feel very intimidating being new. It can take a long time to feel like part of the group. Don't let this get to you. It doesn't mean everyone hates you. You're just still new and people are still getting to know you.

Now some places I've worked people have been downright mean. But generally people are just reserved around you until they really get to know you.

Ask after each restraint or during as appropriate if you did/are doing a good job. If not ask someone to show you what they would do with this particular animal. Yes start with tolerant animals that will allow a little show and tell without becoming overly stressed and fractious.

 

[that redhead]

How long have you been working as a technician? How long have you been at this place?

I agree with the above that it can be challenging to integrate with an existing group - we all become very close with the type of work that we do and trust is an essential factor in that relationship. You cannot inspire trust instantly, and that can be frustrating if you feel that you are doing the best you can and that you aren't appreciated for the good work that you do. It's very fair to ask that you be told when you've done a good job.

However, being receptive to constructive criticism is an important life skill to develop and I think your current tone borders on the defensive. Perhaps ask your managers/other technicians to be more specific with their advice - maybe practice holding another employee's dog for a fake nail trim or blood draw or what have you and have them give you real-time feedback. Another way to build a good relationship is to say, "Head Technician, what's the best way to hold for (insert scenario here)?" We all like to feel like our experience and input is valued and respected.

 

[greeneyegal92]

I'm currently working as a vet tech and my suggestion is practice, practice, practice!!! I serve as the head technician when our actual head is MIA (she's soon to be on pregnancy leave) even though I'm uncertified and have only been a tech a little over a year and a half. How? I'm very pragmatic I MAKE myself do whatever I'm uncomfortable with. Aggressive dog and you get nervous (I use to have this problem) ask the tech about to take the case if you can do it, I usually say I need practice with this do you mind? Most people are supportive and say go for it 🙂 the only way to get better is to make yourself practice! It'll get better the first couple of months are the most difficult!

 

[hopefuldogtor]

I agree with a lot of the other replies on this post, but I can 100% relate to your struggles and frustrations. I recently left the clinic I was working at to focus on my last year of college, but I started ~2 years ago with no prior experience. Like you, I was not the best holder when I walked through the door, and have had numerous times where I was unable to keep an animal from squirming- especially the tiny dogs where there isn't much to hold lol. Instead of simply saying "okay" When the veterinarian told me I wasn't holding correctly, I asked her to SHOW me how she would hold the animal and to explain why she was holding that way. Once the animal was properly restrained, I would then trade places with her and make sure I held EXACTLY the same way as the veterinarian did. And guess what? It immediately worked, and I immediately improved. She also made it a big point to tell me how every animal is different, and what works for one will not work for all, so don't be afraid to try a few different things until you get it right.

Don't be afraid to speak up, ask questions, and ask for help when you need it. Your supervisors will be a lot more impressed with you for asking questions when you're unsure of what to do rather than staying silent and hoping someone else will do said task.

In life, rarely is someone going to commend you on all your small successes. Its great that in most cases your restraint is fine, but the real problem is when the restraint is not adequate. It only takes ONE time for the veterinarian or another technician to be seriously injured by a bite, therefore you have to be perfect EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Your supervisors have to show concern for other's safety, and if another technician does not feel safe with you holding an animal it is likely for a good reason. I have had this experience- a technician was holding a large dog while I cleaned out his ears. The technician was distracted at other things going on in the room and had an extremely loose grasp on the dogs neck/head. I asked her to please hold his head, she did not change anything about her restraint. The dog began growling at me at one point, and the technician even allowed the dogs head to turn to the side toward me. I asked her again several times to change her restraint but she kept talking to another technician in the room and essentially ignoring my request. Thankfully the dog did not bite- but he absolutely had the opportunity to do so. Keep in mind that this was a technician with over 4+ years of experience (no matter how long you have been a tech there is always more to learn, you can always do better). I chalk it up to being distracted but regardless- it doesn't matter if you hold correctly 99.99% of the time, it is that 0.01% that matters and it is that same margin of error that your supervisors are concerned about.

There was another technician that let one of the doctors get bit in the room and I don't think she got a talk or any sort of meeting about holding or safety!

side note: please please please, DO NOT compare yourself to any other technician. Pointing fingers at other technicians will not make you more favorable to your superiors, and will reflect extremely poorly on yourself. Focus on what you are doing, not on anyone else. In addition, comparing yourself to other technicians may lower your self esteem if you believe another technician is "better" than you.

 

[pp9]

If you're more preoccupied with making sure your supervisors don't catch a mistake, you might be paying less attention to your restraint than you think. I started out being the assistant who no one trusted (mostly because I was new to the field/clinic, why would they trust me?) and became the go-to for the worst patients. Part of what helped me get there was focusing on the animal and just the animal. You may think you feel calm, but what you think and what others see/what the animals sense can be very different, especially if you're worrying more about how things look.

Also, life tip, but don't expect acknowledgement for every good thing you do. It just doesn't happen. You shouldn't need a pat on the back for doing your job adequately imo. Restraint is one of the most basic requirements of a clinic employee, which is why people get easily frustrated when someone cannot restrain a patient. Everyone takes practice to get good at it, but for some reason it's always assumed that everyone is good at it until someone gets hurt and it's too late. Come to think of it, I've never actually witnessed a boss ask someone "Are you comfortable restraining?" It's always "Hold this dog for me."

This might be a bit of a stretch, but it came to mind based off of personal experience with a coworker in a situation similar to yours: You call yourself a technician, and you applied for a tech job. To some, that already implies that you are experienced in all things tech. Now, the clinic should have been well aware of your experience based off of your resume, but is it possible that they assumed you were ready to hit the ground running when you started this job when you actually weren't? The fact that you've been chastised rather than trained is what makes me think there could have been some miscommunication about your abilities right off the bat.

As for the cliquey-ness of the hospital, that happens probably at almost every clinic. Every time I've worked at a new clinic, I've felt unwelcome. Usually things would change in a few weeks.

 

[cellowars]

I've been working as a veterinary technician at a small-animal practice for a couple months now and I've been feeling discouraged 🙁 I've had a one-on-one talk with the practice manager and a supervisor twice now about how they feel that I am not holding/restraining very well and/or that I seem scared. They mention certain situations that have occurred in the past and use those as examples of how I am not holding well. I have always thought I was holding fine because no one had said anything to me about holding incorrectly or how to fix it during those specific events they listed!

So I have always thought I was holding fine except for the occasional incident where a wiggly animal gets all squirmy in my arms or where I have to hold an uncooperative large dog where I need multiple people to help. I don't feel like I am scared at all and I'm always calm when interacting with any animal.

I've been bringing animals from the exam room to the treatment room so that I can practice and refine my restraining techniques. Everything seems fine and well but this is of course when the supervisors are not watching me. I noticed that I've been getting anxiety now when they are there because I feel like they are trying to catch any mistake I make. They tell me to start with animals that are cooperative and eventually 'have wins' and move onto more fractious animals. I understand their point but I feel like they are not crediting me for the majority of the time where I am holding correctly and everything goes well. I'm trying really hard and taking their advice but every time they tell me how they don't feel like I'm holding well, it makes me feel embarrassed and just discouraged.

I understand their concern and of course I am not denying the fact I am not the best holder (because if I was, they wouldn't say anything), but I feel like they're not giving me enough credit. There was another technician that let one of the doctors get bit in the room and I don't think she got a talk or any sort of meeting about holding or safety! Another thing that has been bothering me is that I feel out of place because everyone in the hospital are friends with each other and I feel like an outcast. :\ Any advice?

I think anyone would be nervous if they were constantly being watched, and animals don't feel safe when they are being held by someone who is nervous, so, they naturally try to escape. Also, because they are usually the ones doing the procedures, sometimes, veterinarians forget how difficult it can be to safely restrain an animal who is squirming and may also be as big as you are. I'm not that far along in my studies to be a vet tech, but, one thing I have learned about restraint is that, when an animal starts squirming, you say, "Stop! I'm losing him!" then give the animal a minute to calm down and adjust your grip. With bigger or more fractious animals, I have always seen two technicians restraining large animals and one technician with one standing by for more fractious small animals.

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[canyonman]

I agree with @that redhead that you appear to be defensive and are portraying your situation in a way that your supervisors are "out to get you". I can (almost) promise you this is not the case. They have nothing to gain from that. However, expect criticism as you continue down this career path. You will receive criticism, both constructive and otherwise, from people who know way more than you and from people who know way less than you. Learn to positively deal with criticism of all shapes and sizes.

Also, understand that restraint is arguably the most crucial skill to perfect as an assistant/ tech, and it takes time for a veterinarian to feel comfortable with a new person restraining for them. I've worked as an assistant at an equine practice for 2.5 years now. Every time I restrain a horse, the veterinarian is quite literally trusting me to protect her life, as a horse can kill you without even thinking about it (especially when you start poking it with needles). When I first started, the vets would only let me handle the most tranquil horses; ones that they had been working with for years and knew were very calm and predictable. If there was any chance of a horse becoming fractious, I had to be WAY out of the way. Sometimes this would frustrate me, as I had already had 8+ years of horse experience and felt as though I could handle these fractious horses. However, little by little I was given opportunities to deal with more "intense" horses, and each time I proved myself a little bit more to the vets. Fast forward to today and I'm their go-to-guy when they have to work on the most fractious, most dangerous horses. The point of all of this is that these kinds of things take time... don't get frustrated/ defensive/ discouraged because you're not an expert restrainer yet. Take your meetings with your supervisors as encouragement to do better and learn more, and a sign that they believe you can do better.

 

[cellowars]

I agree with @that redhead that you appear to be defensive and are portraying your situation in a way that your supervisors are "out to get you". I can (almost) promise you this is not the case. They have nothing to gain from that. However, expect criticism as you continue down this career path. You will receive criticism, both constructive and otherwise, from people who know way more than you and from people who know way less than you. Learn to positively deal with criticism of all shapes and sizes.

Also, understand that restraint is arguably the most crucial skill to perfect as an assistant/ tech, and it takes time for a veterinarian to feel comfortable with a new person restraining for them. I've worked as an assistant at an equine practice for 2.5 years now. Every time I restrain a horse, the veterinarian is quite literally trusting me to protect her life, as a horse can kill you without even thinking about it (especially when you start poking it with needles). When I first started, the vets would only let me handle the most tranquil horses; ones that they had been working with for years and knew were very calm and predictable. If there was any chance of a horse becoming fractious, I had to be WAY out of the way. Sometimes this would frustrate me, as I had already had 8+ years of horse experience and felt as though I could handle these fractious horses. However, little by little I was given opportunities to deal with more "intense" horses, and each time I proved myself a little bit more to the vets. Fast forward to today and I'm their go-to-guy when they have to work on the most fractious, most dangerous horses. The point of all of this is that these kinds of things take time... don't get frustrated/ defensive/ discouraged because you're not an expert restrainer yet. Take your meetings with your supervisors as encouragement to do better and learn more, and a sign that they believe you can do better.

You know, I think anyone would feel nervous if they had someone looming over them all the time, which would make the animals feel nervous as well. They should just show her the way they want her to restrain the animal first, then have her do it when she's comfortable with it.

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[canyonman]

Not sure what that has to do with anything I said. And people “looming over you” as you work is never going to stop, in this field or any other field, so that’s something you need to learn to be comfortable with.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I think anyone would be nervous if they were constantly being watched, and animals don't feel safe when they are being held by someone who is nervous, so, they naturally try to escape. Also, because they are usually the ones doing the procedures, sometimes, veterinarians forget how difficult it can be to safely restrain an animal who is squirming and may also be as big as you are. I'm not that far along in my studies to be a vet tech, but, one thing I have learned about restraint is that, when an animal starts squirming, you say, "Stop! I'm losing him!" then give the animal a minute to calm down and adjust your grip. With bigger or more fractious animals, I have always seen two technicians restraining large animals and one technician with one standing by for more fractious small animals.

You know, I think anyone would feel nervous if they had someone looming over them all the time, which would make the animals feel nervous as well. They should just show her the way they want her to restrain the animal first, then have her do it when she's comfortable with it.

Not sure how well you can properly assess someone's restraint technique and determine if they are comfortable (and more importantly, proficient) or not without, you know, watching them.

It's not the vet's fault if an animal gets nervous because the holding tech is getting nervous from being watched by the vet. That's the tech's fault for not being able to keep a basic modicum of calm when someone is watching them do something.

 

[cellowars]

Not sure what that has to do with anything I said. And people “looming over you” as you work is never going to stop, in this field or any other field, so that’s something you need to learn to be comfortable with.

It has everything to do with it. If you tell someone who has that type of personality they're wrong, it might seem threatening to them, and they won't change. However, when something is offered as a suggestion, they are more likely to accept it as help and change. Perhaps she would be better off with this approach.

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[LetItSnow]

It's not the vet's fault if an animal gets nervous because the holding tech is getting nervous from being watched by the vet. That's the tech's fault for not being able to keep a basic modicum of calm when someone is watching them do something.

Hahaha. So true. *I* am horrible when I feel I am being graded. Someone just watching me out of interest or whatever won't do it, but someone grading me, evaluating me, or just someone I highly respect? Holy hand-shaking, Batman. Can I keep my calm with a GDV on one table, CPR going on at the next, and a HBC trying to die over on the third? Sure. That's just my job. Now have a mentor standing there "observing" and watch my hands shake as I try to just get my stethoscope in my ears.

Apparently I am very sympathetic tone oriented. 😉

 

[dyachei]

Hahaha. So true. *I* am horrible when I feel I am being graded. Someone just watching me out of interest or whatever won't do it, but someone grading me, evaluating me, or just someone I highly respect? Holy hand-shaking, Batman. Can I keep my calm with a GDV on one table, CPR going on at the next, and a HBC trying to die over on the third? Sure. That's just my job. Now have a mentor standing there "observing" and watch my hands shake as I try to just get my stethoscope in my ears.

Apparently I am very sympathetic tone oriented. 😉

There's a lot of truth to this.

 

[that redhead]

However, little by little I was given opportunities to deal with more "intense" horses, and each time I proved myself a little bit more to the vets. Fast forward to today and I'm their go-to-guy when they have to work on the most fractious, most dangerous horses. The point of all of this is that these kinds of things take time... don't get frustrated/ defensive/ discouraged because you're not an expert restrainer yet.

Right on the money. Some of the techs I helped to train are now my most trusted helpers for the dangerous critters. I do my best to reciprocate and earn their trust too - I'm not asking them to try to wrangle the animal that clearly needs to be sedated for services.

 

[Lupin21]

Hahaha. So true. *I* am horrible when I feel I am being graded. Someone just watching me out of interest or whatever won't do it, but someone grading me, evaluating me, or just someone I highly respect? Holy hand-shaking, Batman. Can I keep my calm with a GDV on one table, CPR going on at the next, and a HBC trying to die over on the third? Sure. That's just my job. Now have a mentor standing there "observing" and watch my hands shake as I try to just get my stethoscope in my ears.

Apparently I am very sympathetic tone oriented. 😉

My favorite is trying to get the blade on the handle. hehe

 

[that redhead]

My favorite is trying to get the blade on the handle. hehe

Real G's don't put their blade on the handle 😎

 

[Coquette22]

Hahaha. So true. *I* am horrible when I feel I am being graded. Someone just watching me out of interest or whatever won't do it, but someone grading me, evaluating me, or just someone I highly respect? Holy hand-shaking, Batman. Can I keep my calm with a GDV on one table, CPR going on at the next, and a HBC trying to die over on the third? Sure. That's just my job. Now have a mentor standing there "observing" and watch my hands shake as I try to just get my stethoscope in my ears.

Apparently I am very sympathetic tone oriented. 😉

My favorite is trying to get the blade on the handle. hehe

All of this. It's a large part of why I'll attempt things at my current job that I'd never do at my last job (unless my old boss was gone away and therefore unable to interfere). Don't stand over me. Don't watch me if you're my superior. Hell sometimes even just very experienced techs make me nervous. Students, younger techs, management, no problem. I like having mentors around to grab when I need help (one vet has hugely helped my dental extraction game), but I'd rather them not loom during the rest of it.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

For clarification, I'm not talking about oversolicitous "looming" (which just annoys me more than anything else). I mean simply watching someone carefully to make sure they are doing something correctly. You need to be able to still perform in those circumstances. If it makes you feel uncomfortable - tough titties, you still have to do it. I don't care if it doesn't jive with your "personality" or you find it "threatening" - especially when it comes to something as critical as restraint, where I damn well want you to be able to restrain exactly how I want you to so I don't get MY face bitten off.

That doesn't mean I'm going to be a dick or "loom", but your (generic "you") feelies and needs for a "sympathetic tone" or whatever? Not my job. Same thing with students using necropsy knives - those things are dangerous and I'm going to be watching you to make sure you use them correctly. You feeling uncomfortable with me watching you is *your* problem. Not mine.

 

[hygebeorht]

Your comments really hit home, because I remember feeling exactly the same. I would show up to this practice I was volunteering at for hours and mop and clean and do laundry for 11 hours straight and no one would talk to me or acknowledge me at all. They were all buddies and they ignored me. It sucked.

The feedback you're getting stings extra because you feel like an outsider. If you felt like a part of the practice and a part of the team, it would hurt less. It's hard to feel like you're doing your best and doing scut work for free and still get scolded. It never feels great, but at least eventually you'll be like "eh, I've been yelled at before, no big deal. I'm doing my best, and I'll keep trying."

Over time...months at least...you'll become a part of the crew. Don't push it. Just be there and do an excellent job of whatever they ask you to do. The nurses started joking around that they knew I had been there because the laundry room was spotless. I lined those towels up like I had a laser sight. So when someone needed a hand to do a procedure, they started yelling my name, because they knew I was there to work hard.

Sometimes I think back and it seems like the volunteering portion of the road to vet med was an exercise in learning how to work hard for nothing. No pay, no praise, no acknowledgment, nothing. It's total **** and I wish it were different. Sometimes you're even doing your best and getting yelled at for your efforts. Working hard for nothing is a good skill to learn, because at multiple points in your vet career, you'll be in the same or similar shoes again. If you can take it with a cheerful attitude, you'll be rewarded. (That said, abusive treatment - personal insults or unreasonable demands - should not be tolerated. It can be hard to tell the difference sometimes.)

There are great videos on YouTube about restraining animals. And when it comes to learning new skills, or if someone tells you to do something in an emergency that you don't know how to do, your best response is "happy to help - can you walk me through it?"

AND: If someone is explaining something to you that you already know, don't cut them off. They will never want to teach you anything again.

Lastly, one of the things I remember TO THIS DAY was that after a week of being completely ignored by all the nurses and doctors at the practice I had started volunteering at, a new doctor came on shift for the first time. She stuck her hand out and introduced herself to me. That meant so much to me - I try to do so for the volunteers and student shadowers I work with now. Don't forget what it was like to be in those shoes, and do right by the new people once you're a doctor.

 

[LetItSnow]

That doesn't mean I'm going to be a dick or "loom", but your (generic "you") feelies and needs for a "sympathetic tone" or whatever? Not my job. Same thing with students using necropsy knives - those things are dangerous and I'm going to be watching you to make sure you use them correctly. You feeling uncomfortable with me watching you is *your* problem. Not mine.

Um. As best I know I'm the only person that used the phrase "sympathetic tone," and it was a neurology joke about being more sympathetic driven than parasympathetic.

But I agree - you have to be able to perform with someone watching. All I was saying was that I can understand being uncomfortable. Doesn't mean you don't have to perform.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

It has everything to do with it. If you tell someone who has that type of personality they're wrong, it might seem threatening to them, and they won't change. However, when something is offered as a suggestion, they are more likely to accept it as help and change. Perhaps she would be better off with this approach.

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Um. As best I know I'm the only person that used the phrase "sympathetic tone," and it was a neurology joke about being more sympathetic driven than parasympathetic.

But I agree - you have to be able to perform with someone watching. All I was saying was that I can understand being uncomfortable. Doesn't mean you don't have to perform.

Ah, sorry. My sense of humor isn't the best ATM. I confounded these two things.

WTF is serious grumpypants right now.

 

[cellowars]

Ah, sorry. My sense of humor isn't the best ATM. I confounded these two things.

WTF is serious grumpypants right now.

I'm not mad. I was just trying to make a solid point.

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[WhtsThFrequency]

I'm not mad. I was just trying to make a solid point.

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I wasn't referring to you, but okay. Making you mad wasn't exactly something that was terribly concerning to me.