college connection
PROFESSIONALISM
their behaviour . If nothing else , the individual now becomes aware that their behaviour has been the cause of some upset , and he or she is afforded the opportunity to reflect upon that . They have received the gift of feedback . And , of course , reaching out to any recipient of hurtful or problematic behaviour is a caring and responsible thing to do as well . The same opening question works very well !
Being Responsible For Workplace Culture
I have heard culture defined as “ the way we do things around here .” Workplace cultures vary tremendously , described as collegial , respectful , fragmented , competitive , supportive , toxic , healthy , and so on .
And there are cultures within cultures where the social tone can vary widely and civility values seem to be at odds with one another . So often I have heard how the same veterinarian can be rude and intimidating in the operating room yet warm and supportive in the clinic . Learners describe different cultures as well , experiencing respect in some environments and belittlement in others .
Leadership is key . All veterinarians are leaders by virtue of their professional standing and the patient care dynamic . But it is the special responsibility of our designated veterinarian leaders , be they practice owners , academia , leaders of associations or species groups and others to understand their role in shaping and guiding workplace and professional cultures . Thoughtful , well-trained and collaborative , these are colleagues entrusted with creating safe and supportive professional environments . In such a workplace , any one of us can lead by seizing the moment , stepping up and forward when our senses and intuition tell us the time is right .
In these complex professional environments characterized by stressful political and economic changes , power imbalances , multiple agendas , technological evolution and revolution and so much more , civility as a shared responsibility might be the only way through .
Being Responsible For The Culture Of Medicine
The idea of memes as units of transmissible cultural information ( like genes in a biological sense ) is intriguing . It can be argued that there are a number of veterinary medicine memes contributing to a rise in incivility in the veterinary profession . Some examples include :
• A veterinarian ’ s sacrifice of vital personal needs ( e . g ., sleep , nourishment , time with family ) in the service of medical training and patient care is virtuous .
• Superior knowledge and technical excellence permits and forgives rudeness and other forms of incivility .
• The ultimate responsibility for patient outcomes lies solely with the veterinarian , thereby justifying any form of workplace behaviour no matter how it might affect co-workers .
I think of these as memes because I have heard about them , observed them and lived them , and others like them , throughout my career in medicine . They inform our attitudes and beliefs . They are modelled for us , overtly or implied , reinforced through training and practice , and passed along to each subsequent generation of veterinarians . But are they true ? Unalterable ? Which of our memes ought to be preserved and which ones require change ? And continuing the metaphor , should the change be gradual and sporadic ( as in genetic mutation ) or sudden and deliberate ( like infection or genetic engineering )? A culture of civility , like incivility , after all , can spread like contagion or be passed from one generation to the next .
Here , compassion , courage and humility are required . Do we care enough about ourselves , our colleagues , or co-workers , our workplaces and our profession to challenge our long-held beliefs that might not be serving us well ? Our senior colleagues , seasoned by experience , may have a particular wisdom to offer .
The newest members of our profession carry with them modern personal and social
values that might improve the humanity of our profession . I submit that opening our minds to these perspectives , or any others that challenge our long-held cultural beliefs , will add to the civility within the profession while simultaneously enhancing patient care .
Conclusion
And so this phase of the conversation , a consideration of Five Fundamentals of Civility for Physicians , comes to a close . We end as we began , by questioning :
• Are we able to dig deep and find respect at the core of all of our professional behavioural choices ?
• Will we learn , practise and teach selfawareness skills that will enable us to choose civility deliberately ?
• How will we incorporate teaching of effective communication skills into all aspects of veterinary training and practice ?
• Will we be able to elevate the concept of self-care from a good idea to a cultural value and professional imperative ?
And finally , maybe most importantly , it is our responsibility to challenge ourselves :
• Who are we at work and what kind of individuals do we aspire to be ?
• Can we improve relationships among colleagues and co-workers as members of our veterinary care teams ?
• How do we come together to create the most grand veterinary profession imaginable ?
Let ’ s keep this conversation going . Responsibility is at the heart of a caring and civilized profession . Choose Civility
Dr . Michael Kaufmann is the former Medical Director of the OMA Physician Health Program and Physician Workplace Support Program . At a 2016 Council meeting , Dr . Kaufmann delivered a presentation on civility and explained the five fundamentals of civility for veterinarians . View the presentation at www . cvo . org / video .
Summer 2017 / 3