As a student veterinary nurse, I often feel stressed and daunted by the prospect of examinations, my seemingly never-ending Nursing Progress Log, and the truly terrifying idea that mistakes I make could cost my patients their lives. It is a wonder we are not all complete gibbering wrecks by the end of our training.

But stress does not have to be the overarching emotion during our training and professional lives. Developing positive coping strategies now – including seeking professional help if needed – will hopefully result in life-long positive changes allowing us to be more resilient to stressful situations. After all, stress is a survival mechanism keeping us alert and aiding us in achieving short-term goals. It is only when we allow it to rule our lives that it becomes detrimental.

Finding hobbies and ways to relax outside of work is vital, but so is creating strategies which allow you to manage anxiety in the (stressful) veterinary environment!

Creating plans and breaking big tasks into smaller steps helps make things seem more manageable, and gives you a sense of pride as you achieve small goals, which boosts your confidence. Finding a supportive training practice with a good clinical coach to oversee your training is imperative – I have been so lucky with my placements so far to have such amazing mentors guiding me through my training.

Finally, take a deep breath, relax and think positive. Force yourself to smile, hold your chin up high and give everything your best shot. Stress and anxiety do not have to rule your life; we cannot control the situations around us, but we can control how we react to them. 

Author

Flora Foxx SVN

Flora has just finished the first year of her degree at the Royal Veterinary College, with placements at Wimbledon Veterinary Surgery. She lives in London with her two lovely cats, Helga (in the picture) and Sniff, and enjoys running, yoga and volunteering at her local greyhound rescue shelter during her spare time. Email: ffoxx19@rvc.ac.uk

DOI: 10.1080/17415349.2020.1850770

• VOL 35 • August 2020 • Veterinary Nursing Journal