Incivility guide aims to tackle lack of respect

A new guide offering advice on how to tackle incivility in veterinary practice, and why doing so could lead to better outcomes for patients, has been published.

Several leading figures in the sector, plus experts from the field of psychology, have contributed to the Keeping It Civil guide, which has been released through the University of Aberdeen.

Measures such as in-house training sessions and specific campaigns to promote more respectful communications are among the ideas presented in the 68-page document.

But, as well as considering the impact on practice staff, the guide also emphasises the impact that the issue can also have on the animals in their care.

‘Supportive environment’

Vet Rochelle Low, who leads on patient safety and quality for Mars Veterinary Health, said: “People perform best when they are part of a team and in a supportive environment even during the most stressful times.

“Incivility has a direct impact on our patients, leading to adverse events, medical errors and compromised patient outcomes.

Meanwhile, Helen Silver-MacMahon, RVN and co-founder of Being Human Consulting, also highlighted research among human medical staff, in which 75% of participants acknowledged negative behaviours within their teams that they felt had led to medical errors.

Patient deaths

A quarter of respondents also felt that negative behaviours within staff teams had contributed to patient deaths.

She wrote: “Within a health care setting, where the goal, regardless of species, is to restore or improve health and well-being, it is imperative that co-operative relationships, likely built on civil exchanges, are fostered between the health care team, patients and their families.

“However, the reality is that civility can break down, or be compromised, resulting in rudeness in the workplace. The consequences of this incivility can impact us, our colleagues and our patients.”

The guide is the latest project to follow an Aberdeen study two years ago, which warned veterinary professionals were more likely to feel burned out, or leave the sector altogether, if they experienced rudeness from either clients or senior colleagues.

Demand concerns

At the time the study was published, the BVA warned the problem could ultimately leave the professions unable to meet demand for its services if it continued to grow and developments like the Competition and Markets Authority review meant the trend was unlikely to have reversed.

But Amy Irwin, a senior lecturer in psychology at Aberdeen, said: “There are multiple reasons for incivility and not all incivility is intentional.

“If we seek to understand why incivility has occurred we might be one step closer to resolving incivility at work.”

Potential strategies

The guide, which also follows the release of an online resource toolkit on the subject last year, outlines potential strategies for dealing with incivility as individuals or collectively within practice, as well as examining situations involving colleagues or clients.

It also highlights links between incivility and wider mental health challenges, urging professionals to “recognise that your internal resources are not infinite, and that we should all be kind to ourselves and others”.

Other contributors include leading vets and veterinary nurses, a senior official of the RCVS and academics from both the veterinary and psychological spheres. The guide is available through completing a short form.