The new buzz word, and all of its derivations, in my work circles is pivot. My colleagues in clinical practice have been working harder than ever with many pivoting their clinical tasks to be delivered with a more telemedicine approach. My colleagues in academia have been working harder than ever with most pivoting to deliver curriculum in a virtual format. We have all pivoted in our jobs and personal lives.
I pivoted back to my message from the March-April 2020 issue, titled “Recognition,” to reflect upon what I felt was important to write about in early 2020. I wrote the March-April 2020 message just prior to the realization that we were about to enter a global pandemic and that all of our lives were about to change, eg, pivot. Now one year later, I feel that message warrants repeating and so I simply want to bring a section of it here again:1
It seems that today’s work force is expected to do more with less and workload is increasing with a seemingly unlimited ceiling. Veterinary medicine, regardless of which area of the profession you are involved with, is not immune to such work- load pressures. Personnel are the most valuable asset of any organization regardless of job description, ie, veterinary technician, administrative staff. There have been review papers published in the human nursing literature documenting that staff workload has a direct relationship with adverse patient outcomes, hospital mortality, and medical mistakes.[2] Other job satisfaction surveys have reported that employees would rather have more staff to allow for more time to be spent with patients or customers and better communication between staff and upper management.[3]
Now it is perhaps even more obvious that today’s work force is indeed expected to “do more with less” but now in a virtual environment. Spending time directly with people is now, for many, in a virtual environment. I usually use the November-December issue of JSHAP to thank my reviewers, editorial board, and journal staff. But I wanted to send another thank you to everyone involved with the journal. Schedules are busy, everyone has pivoted, and the journal success is attributed to all those who contribute. This message will reach you just after the virtual 2021 AASV Annual Meeting. I am looking forward to the meeting and “Navigating the Future…Together.” I am also looking forward to less pivoting - it is starting to make me dizzy.
I hope you enjoy this issue.
Terri O’Sullivan, DVM, PhD
Executive Editor
References
*1. O’Sullivan T. Recognition [editorial]. J Swine Health Prod. 2020;28(2):69
2. Osaro E, Chima N. Challenges of a negative work load and implications on morale, productivity and quality of service delivered in NHS laboratories in England. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2014;4(6):421-429.
3. Pizzolon CN, Coe JB, Shar JR. Evaluation of team effectiveness and personal quality of life and job satisfaction in companion animal practice personnel. JAVMA. 2019;254(10):1204-1217.
* Non-referred reference.