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“I got sober in my prior career, and was fortunate enough to get a second chance and go to vet school. It was amazing the level of reliance on alcohol (rounds at the union around a pitcher of beer) in the school. I opened a lot of eyes, but it is clear the profession attracts addictive personalities.”
— ANONYMOUS
percent of respondents said the person sought treatment on his or her own, and 18% said the person resigned. Addicted co-workers can not only
endanger themselves and patients, they can also create a very awkward situa- tion among staff members. In Atkinson’s case, she and the staff were afraid the veterinarian would wind up overdosing or committing suicide. So she reported the veterinarian to the licensing board, which mandated rehab again. Atkinson eventually had to leave her position at that hospital and found another job. “The incident really was traumatic
for myself, the patients and all the staff involved,” Atkinson said. “With the cur- rent limited employment situation for associates, I worry that associates may be placed in a precarious situation of having to report owner veterinarians and suf- fer undue financial hardship because of ‘doing the right thing’ and subsequently losing their jobs.” The survey left room for respondents
to make comments on the issue of addic- tion. The comments ranged from anger to sympathy and everything in between. “I have known techs and DVMs
that have used everything from heroin, ketamine, oxymorphone, morphine, acepromazine, isoflurane, alcohol, cocaine and even oxytocin,” said one anonymous respondent. “This is a seri- ous problem, and whereas part of the issue is that these people need medical help, they also need to know that there are serious repercussions to their addic- tion. Every case I have known ‘got a slap on the wrist,’ and many of them returned to abuse, just getting smarter about how they hid it, knowing that they would, if caught again, get ‘victim status’ and be able to return to work again soon.” Another respondent (also anony-
mous) said that sympathy is the way to approach these individuals. “I fully believe that we need to be
supportive and encouraging to the per- son who is dealing with substance abuse,” the respondent said. “Having had a family member who has dealt with
Trends magazine, May 2013
this problem I know first-hand that the abusee needs support from family and friends rather than a turning away from that person. There needs to be boundar- ies set, especially in the work place, but the employee also has to know that if he/ she is compliant he/she will receive the help he/she needs.”
Is enough being done? But what options are available for individuals who either choose to help themselves or are caught in the act and are required to get help? The vast majority of practices sur-
veyed (81%) do not offer their own coun- seling or intervention programs for sub- stance abuse issues. But those practices that do have programs in place fill a void that might not otherwise be filled by state programs. One respondent said his prac- tice works with third parties to help staff with addiction problems. “We have a connection with a licensed substance abuse counselor (who also works with the courts and police) through which we have used for interventions as well as offered to provide counseling to addicted staff (unfortunately, we have had a few),” said the respondent, who wished to remain anonymous. “With our staff in the past, we have even offered to give them their positions back if they would go through counseling and ‘clean up.’” Studies have been published describ-
ing the increased risk of suicide for vet- erinarians, which could be linked to substance abuse and depression. A 2011 study, Failure to Acknowledge High Sui- cide Risk among Veterinarians, was pub- lished in the Journal of Veterinary Medi- cal Education. “A high suicide risk has been
reported among veterinarians in com- parison to the general population,” the study says. “Postulated causes have included depression, substance abuse, work-related stress, reluctance to admit psychiatric problems, and access to lethal drugs and/or familiarity with euthanasia.”
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