Your Surgeon's Experience and Skill Level

Ability to Stay Focused in a Stressful Situation

What does it mean to have the ability to stay focused in a stressful situation?

This simply means what it sounds like. In life, many people have great capabilities; under calm circumstances, it is easy to shine and use our full potential. When stressed or rushed, some people are better than others at being able to stay focused and concentrate on what they are doing (this is called emotional intelligence, which is far more powerful than IQ to obtain the best outcome). This can be another influence in the outcome you want, so it’s worth considering.

Why is it important that my ferret’s surgeon stays focused in a stressful situation?

Practicing veterinary medicine can be stressful. As a veterinarian, I am responsible for the well-being of my clients as well as my patients. I am obligated to help my clients out to the best of my ability, and I am responsible to keep up with the rapid advances in medicine and surgery. In addition to this, on any given day, we may have to stop and take emergency cases, help people through the emotional roller coaster of losing their beloved pet, manage potential surgical and medical complications, and do this all in a timely manner, so our clients don’t wait too long for us. This is certainly not a complaint, because I love serving our clients and patients. But, with all of these potential stresses (just like we all have in life), it is critical that our veterinary surgeon is able to devote his or her full attention to performing surgery on your ferret. Although you can’t control how busy your veterinarian is, you can look for many clues that will tell you how well your veterinarian stays focused in a stressful (or busy) situation.

How will I know my veterinarian’s ability to stay focused in a stressful situation?

All humans have patterns of behavior. Any time we perceive stress, we react or act in a certain way, and this way of reacting or acting becomes a pattern for us. So, once we see certain behaviors (positive or negative), we know they are likely to repeat. If you ever get the opportunity to see your vet during a very stressful day, you can watch how he or she interacts with other clients, staff, and pets. This may give you a good idea about how he or she reacts in a stressful or busy situation.

Please always remember, though, that our behavioral patterns can change, and they don’t define who we are. I believe every human has great potential inside us, but sometimes we temporarily lose our way. I’m not suggesting anyone is good or bad; these are just things to consider in choosing your veterinarian.

Things we should look for

How does your veterinarian see the clients and patients (as a blessing or as a nuisance)?

Clues that may tell you how your veterinarian feels include:

Does the veterinarian complain about people, animals, or cases, or is the veterinarian thankful to be able to help?
Have you seen your veterinarian lose his or her cool, or does he or she stay centered and focused?
Is your veterinarian short-tempered with the staff, other clients or patients, or is your veterinarian always patient, calm, and centered?

I am proud to say at the Bradley Hills Animal Hospital, you will find Dr. Weiss’s ability to stay focused in stressful or time-sensitive situations is excellent. This is important to us and this quality is practiced by all of our staff members in order to be the most valuable team we can be. This is one of the elements that makes our team able to deliver excellent care.

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