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You can take the person out of vetting but can you take vetting out of the person?   

This series of episodes with Dr Jade Hackney was recorded a few months’ ago but I thought the topic was very relevant – especially for veterinary professionals who may be reconsidering their careers in the veterinary space… especially the clinical veterinary space.

For example, when you reconsider your career as a veterinarian – not once, but twice – what might that look like and what’s life like on the other side?

This episode is personal and emotional.  If you’re standing on a bit of shaky ground right now, hopefully you’ll find Jade’s journey both insightful and hopeful.  

If you’re standing on VERY shaky ground please call or text 1737 and chat with someone who won’t judge you.  That’s 1737.  

Today’s episode doesn’t talk about suicide but it is about burnout.   And hope and recovery.

I’m with locum Companion Animal Veterinarian - Dr Jade Hackney – a graduate from the University of Dublin - shares her personal burnout, meltdown and recovery journey about what life is like on the other side as a practicing veterinarian.

Jade was born in Northern Ireland but when she was 11 months old her parents moved to Malawi, where she lived until she was 11.   

She encountered a huge culture shock when her parents returned to Northern Ireland.  This lead to the beginning of unpleasant times for Jade.

In 2014 she experienced burnout through working 1-in-4 weekends + 1 night a week on call, with no time off in lieu, and minimal collegial support.   As she shares, she thought at this point she’d never practice as a clinical veterinarian again.   

In 2015 Jade started her journey of self-care, recovery and work-life balance.   

One thing that really struck me with Jade’s language is her ownership of her own EQ – her own emotional intelligence.   

It’s a very small thing but when Jade catches herself referring to the “global you” when she’s really meaning herself, she corrects from “you” – disownership, to “I” – full ownership.

Listen out for it as it’s something that people who have high emotional intelligence do … she starts off by saying “you” and will correct to say “I”.

We kick off with me asking Jade when she knew she wanted to be a vet.

VetStaff
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