Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Social Work
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Adam Quinn
Keywords
COVID-19, euthanasia, end-of-life veterinary care, pet loss, compassion fatigue, mental health support
Abstract
Veterinary staff experience job-specific psychological stress from both providing medical care to pets and supporting pet-owner clients through end-of-life care and the euthanasia process. COVID-19 has impacted the provision of veterinary care and substantially affected communication between providers and pet owners. This phenomenological research project explores the experiences of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research question is, what is the lived experience of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia in the age of COVID-19? Participants for this qualitative study were recruited and interviewed using criterion sampling from four veterinary practices in the Portland, Maine region, and inductive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data collected. Significant findings include that veterinary staff are overwhelmed by the spike in animal care due to increased pet ownership during COVID-19, that changes in provision of care have created additional stressors in veterinary medicine, that veterinary providers feel “emotionally distanced” from their clients, and that veterinary providers recognize a need for increased mental health support in the field.
Included in
Veterinary End-of-life Care and Euthanasia in the Age of Covid-19: A Qualitative Study of Provider Perspectives
Veterinary staff experience job-specific psychological stress from both providing medical care to pets and supporting pet-owner clients through end-of-life care and the euthanasia process. COVID-19 has impacted the provision of veterinary care and substantially affected communication between providers and pet owners. This phenomenological research project explores the experiences of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research question is, what is the lived experience of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia in the age of COVID-19? Participants for this qualitative study were recruited and interviewed using criterion sampling from four veterinary practices in the Portland, Maine region, and inductive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data collected. Significant findings include that veterinary staff are overwhelmed by the spike in animal care due to increased pet ownership during COVID-19, that changes in provision of care have created additional stressors in veterinary medicine, that veterinary providers feel “emotionally distanced” from their clients, and that veterinary providers recognize a need for increased mental health support in the field.
