COVID-19: Putting the team first
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MAY 28, 2020
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"Veterinary practice is being challenged as never before with the COVID-19 pandemic; this article outlines steps to consider which can help the team and the business successfully meet the challenges presented by the crisis.
Antje Blaettner
DVM, Germany
Antje Blättner grew up in South Africa and Germany, graduated in 1988 after studying Veterinary Medicine in Berlin and Munich, and then engaged in her own small animal practice.
In 2001, she took part in a post-graduation course on training and coaching at the University of Linz, Austria, and founded “Vetkom” — a company dedicated to educating vet practitioners and vet nurses on practice management through lectures, seminars and in-house training. Antje Blättner is the editor of “team.konkret”, a professional journal for veterinary nurses and “Veterinär Spiegel”, a professional journal for vet practitioners.
Nowadays, she lectures and trains vet practitioners and vet nurses on client communication, marketing and other management-related topics in Germany and — together with Royal Canin — in over 21 countries worldwide.
Key Points
- The COVID-19 crisis means that good leadership is now more important than ever in veterinary practice.
- Safety of individuals within the team – both from a physical and emotional point of view – is paramount.
- It will be necessary to disrupt and adapt the team’s daily routine, but this must be done carefully and thoughtfully, and good communication is essential.
- Encourage team members to think laterally in order to seek solutions to problems raised by the pandemic.
Introduction
In times of crisis, good leadership becomes even more important than when you and your team are sailing in smooth waters. When the going gets rough, your staff will expect more from their boss; they will look to you to keep them safe, to give them clear guidance and direction, and to prioritize the tasks to be done. With the current threat of COVID-19 it is now essential to approach the pandemic as a team; by taking care of each other you can take care of your clients during the pandemic and maintain a functioning clinic, both during and after the crisis (Figure 1). [...]
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How to reference this publication (Harvard system)?
(2020) “COVID-19: Putting the team first”, COVID-19, Special Practice Management - Veterinary Focus - May 2020. Available at: https://www.ivis.org/library/veterinary-focus/covid-19-special-practice-management-veterinary-focus-may-2020/covid-19-putting-team-first (Accessed: 30 March 2023).
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