Being the client – the view from the other side

Being back in education puts me in that odd position of being a VN, but not having a practice to call home.

However, I have been lucky enough to have a new, independent practice open very near me. It’s great – good facilities and friendly staff – and this has proved a blessing today.

Little Blue needed a check after her recent illness, so we took Hollie along for ongoing socialisation and for a weight check. While we were there I mentioned the little lump on Hollie’s side that is sometimes large, sometimes small. FNA (fine-needle aspiration) was taken, she was very brave. I hadn’t put any thought into it at all.

Fast forward an hour. I’m back at the surgery for pre-op steroids. She’s got a mast cell tumour. It’ll be graded after the bank holiday weekend, and then she’ll have surgery.

I’m in shock and can’t think straight.

Thankfully the practice staff treat me like a client, and are not expecting my nursing brain to function – which is good, as it isn’t!

Being on the other side gives you an amazing insight into the journey clients go on with sick pets, and how lonely it can feel. What is a routine event in work is a personal event for the client.

I’d usually now rant about customer service as it’s a favourite topic – but this week, I’ll just thank my lucky stars I’ve got such a good practice and go and cuddle my Peke.