Upload
harold-spencer
View
215
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Coping with Animal Loss in the Research Environment
Michael S. Rand, DVM, DACLAMUniversity Animal CareUniversity of Arizona
Necessary characteristics of an animal care worker:
• Kindness and concern for animals
• Compassionate
• Patient
• Sensitive
• More skilled at applying restraint and More skilled at applying restraint and other procedures with animals.other procedures with animals.
• Leads to earlier recognition of signs of Leads to earlier recognition of signs of disease and distress.disease and distress.
• Reduction of stress.Reduction of stress.• Ensures that the animals live in Ensures that the animals live in
conditions that provide for their health conditions that provide for their health and comfortand comfort..
• IncreasedIncreased job satisfaction.job satisfaction.
Grief and Guilt
These emotional responses are not individual isolated incidents but happen to everyone doing this work!
Caused by:Caused by:
• Providing health care and environmental Providing health care and environmental enrichmentenrichment
• Then, inducing disease or carrying out Then, inducing disease or carrying out euthanasiaeuthanasia
Human-Animal Bonding:• Centers on the capacity to empathize• Highly developed sense of social awareness• Demonstrated by our ability to:
– reach out to another– ease each other’s sorrow– share in each other’s joy– identify with animals & want to care for them– anthropomorphize
Grief may result in:• High staff turnoverHigh staff turnover• Loss of workdaysLoss of workdays• Decreased moraleDecreased morale• Diminished productivityDiminished productivity• Stress-related burnoutStress-related burnout• A callous attitude toward the animalsA callous attitude toward the animals
Grief can lead to:Grief can lead to:Grief can lead to:Grief can lead to:
• Disassociation
• Anticipatory grief
• Compassion fatigue
Disassociation
• Also called detachment• Isolation of feelings• Placing physical and emotional distance between
actions, including:– Intellectual and professional responses– Intuition
• Used to prevent internal conflict, feelings of guilt, sadness, bonding
Danger:
• Unable to feel empathy and compassion→
• Failure to recognize behavioral changes in animal →
• Increased pain or distress →
• Jeopardy to research project
Anticipatory Grief
• Early mourning →
• Detachment →
• Feelings of grief and guilt return at death of animal
Compassion fatigue (caused by excessive and long-term stress) may lead to:
• Headaches• Stomachaches• Inability to sleep• Poor appetite• Impatience• Difficulty concentrating or staying on task• Severe mood swings
• Irritability
• Impaired social relationships
• Hopelessness or frustration
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Nightmares
• Substance abuse
Methods to increase toleranceto stress
• Regular exercise and relaxation
• Developing interests outside of work
• Having pets
• Religious involvement
• A healthy diet• A good sense of humor• Open communication with friends,
family, and coworkers• Concentrate on the benefits of
research
Seek out professional help if:
Feelings of frustration, fear, or a sense of having no control persist!