An examination of veterinarians' negotiation of emotional labor.

Abstract

Veterinarians are expected to care for animals while managing clients' emotions and dealing with stress, depression, burnout, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and other mental health struggles that accompany their profession. Through an open-ended qualitative survey of 124 alumni of a southeastern U.S. vet school, this study was designed to provide a rich, holistic examination regarding veterinarians' management of emotional labor. The investigation found that although veterinarians felt overwhelmed, frustrated, powerless, and fearful, they were institutionally expected to suppress these feelings, which they did by focusing on logic and facts over emotions and by reframing negatives into positives. The study also showcases how participants, by staying neutral and strong for themselves and clients, engaged in double-faced emotion management, newly applying this concept to veterinary medicine. Participants coped with emotional labor demands by turning backstage, where they sought support, allowed themselves to get emotional, engaged in self-care, and decided to enact tangible changes. Some participants were unable to truly find peace backstage, however, due to an entrenched veterinarian identity, lack of communication skills, or preexisting mental health struggles that made it difficult to disengage from their emotions. This study largely supports the claim that emotional labor may be worsening some vets' preexisting stressors and mental health struggles and recommends that veterinary programs universally incorporate training that targets development of interpersonal communication competence, emotional labor, and wellbeing and their ability to decompress backstage.