Mistakes are an inevitable part of veterinary practice, and if you’ve been in the field for any length of time, chances are you’ve made one. In this episode, we delve into the various types of mistakes that can occur, from minor errors like miscalculating a drug dose to more serious ones that may have significant consequences. Drawing from personal experiences and professional insights, we explore the emotional toll mistakes can take and share strategies for coping and thriving in their aftermath.

We discuss the importance of technical learning, full disclosure, expanding perspectives, and finding support among colleagues. Additionally, we emphasize the power of self-compassion in silencing the inner critic that often emerges after a mistake. Whether you’ve just made a mistake or are supporting someone who has, this episode offers valuable tools to help navigate the challenging yet common experiences that all veterinary professionals face.

Resources

Article: Medical errors cause harm in veterinary hospitals (Frontiers in Vet Sci 2019): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6370638/

Article: Veterinarians' experiences with near misses and adverse events (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2018): https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/252/5/javma.252.5.586.xml

Article: Veterinarians’ emotional reactions and coping strategies for adverse events in spay-neuter surgical practice (Anthrozoos 2018): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08927936.2018.1406205

Download: Self-Compassion Exercises After Making a Mistake: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/selfcompassion

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