INTERNATIONAL ONE HEALTH CONGRESS ABSTRACT AND POSTER 2018
Compassion Fatigue and One Health: supporting our relationship with the animals we care for thru an integrated One Health approach
Christina PETTAN-BREWER1, J. Preston VAN HOOSER3 *, Peter RABINOWITZ2, and Sally THOMPSON-IRITANI3
1Department of Comparative Medicine, School of Medicine and One Health Brazil Latin America, 2Center for One Health Research and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, and 3Office of the Animal Welfare, Health Sciences Administration, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
This presentation will focus on Compassion Fatigue (CF) in the Laboratory Animal Professional community and how the One Health concept can be used to understand and support these personnel when they experience CF. The ultimate goal is to provide a program that can be utilized internationally to support Laboratory Animal Professionals in their important work caring for animals and supporting advancements in science.
Compassion Fatigue (CF) is the “cost of caring” for other beings and can result in emotional, mental and physical pain (Figley, 1982). The One Health concept takes a holistic approach to the relationship of humans, animals, and the environment and focuses on optimizing the relationship between the triad. Laboratory Animal Professionals (animal caregivers, researchers, veterinarians, veterinarian technicians, animal care committee members, etc.) are in a unique situation where they are balancing their feelings and emotions to support advancements in medicine and science and the use of animals in experimental studies. One Health becomes critical in all aspects of this as it is combining the human and animal health improvements and the environmental stewardship with the balance of caring for the animals that are used to make new discoveries. In addition, post-traumatic disorders in Laboratory Animal Professionals after natural disasters have been mentioned but are still under reported and under diagnosed. It is becoming more evident that Laboratory Animal Professionals need help in recognizing and coping with CF in their daily work life. Many programs have been introduced and attempts made to alleviate the effect of CF in these circumstances. Most of these programs fail and are not sustained as personnel changes occur in a facility. The authors will share their approach to developing a sustainable CF program in an academic setting that can be applied and utilized in multiple environments. This has included a thorough needs assessment, a diverse committee composition with delegation of responsibilities, a focused mission of the team and a consistent appreciation for what everyone has to contribute. We will share our program ‘Dare 2 Care’ (D2C) and provide a checklist for institutions to take with them to develop a program in their own work environment. There should be clear incorporation and encouragement of D2C programs internationally to support One Health advances and acceptance and to help in the understanding of how people are integrated with animals and their environment.
