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‘Tis the season to be… on call for Christmas

17 Dec 2024 | Rob Williams

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Between lower staffing and distance from family and friends, the festive season can be tough for those on call. BVA Junior Vice President and former small animal vet, Rob Williams shares his advice for vet teams working over the holidays.

‘Tis the season to be… on call for Christmas Image

Christmas, 2001

My first Christmas as a vet was also my first Christmas away from home and my first time doing more than just overnight on call. Everyone in practice will recognise the ‘why me’ moment when you get the Christmas rota, but I was particularly aggrieved as I figured (without asking!) that I would be able to travel home to Ireland for Christmas. I could not; I had drawn the short straw!

I was assured that it would be quiet and this turned out to be mostly true, however, the phone did eventually ring at 10 minutes to midnight on Christmas Day. I could hear the anguish in the client’s voice as they told me their Boxer was dying. I had no choice but to drive to the owner’s house. This was before smartphones, I didn’t have sat nav and I had never been to the neighbourhood where the client lived; so, rather predictably I got very, very lost!

Just as I was about to give up I spotted a parked police car, so I parked up and tapped on the driver’s window. A very tired and slightly grumpy policeman opened the window. I explained my predicament and when I told him where the client’s house was he gave me a big smile and informed me I was indeed lost but also in luck. He was due to end his shift and as his police station was about half a mile from the client’s house, he offered to ‘escort’ me to the address.

Suffice it to say, I accepted and followed with my single best-ever display of obeying all of the Highway Code. Unfortunately, Georgie the Boxer was in end-stage heart failure so after quite a bit of discussion the family agreed it was best to euthanise. As I walked down the drive, back to my car the owner called me back to the front door; “Happy Christmas, young man, I really appreciate what you’ve done for Georgie tonight”. He passed me an ice-cold bottle of Champagne and a box of mince pies.

Being there for each other

My last Christmas in clinical practice wasn’t on call but as I led a practice I was back-up for the team. My phone rang just after midnight and our normally calm and experienced RVN, Sarah, was a little panicked. “Jim is starting to freak out, he’s been operating for the last hour and a half and he’s convinced there’s major haemorrhage, I don’t think there is but he needs help.”

I was at the practice 15 minutes later and scrubbed into the surgery to find an immaculately executed gastropexy, reasonably healthy-looking stomach, no signs of haemorrhage despite Jim having performed a splenectomy. I looked at Jim, he looked like someone who’d just finished running a marathon. “Jim, this surgery looks really good, why don’t you leave the on-call phone here, I’ll close up and help Sarah recover the dog, have a break and make yourself a cup of tea.”

In discussion with Sarah, it turned out to have been one of the busiest Christmas Days she’d encountered, this was their third emergency surgery, they’d seen lots of consults and had two Christmas dinners delivered by grateful clients. Once we recovered the dog, I sent Sarah off for a break and spent the next 3 hours tidying, scrubbing, and cleaning until the theatre sparkled. Sarah arrived just as I was finished and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nurse smile with their whole body before. I still had the on-call phone which hadn’t rung and found Jim snoring in the kitchen, I sat opposite him and fell asleep.

Kindness breeds kindness

What have these experiences taught me? Fundamentally people are kind and thoughtful and will reciprocate your actions and particularly the kindness you show them. If you are in a leadership role, the example you set defines how your team work. I’m happy I could repay the kindness shown to me by a very tired police officer back in 2001. Christmas can bring out the best in people but it can also be a stressful and lonely time if you’re stuck away from friends and family. Remember that the lovely team at Vetlife are always available to listen if you’re having a hard time.

Vetlife Helpline

To speak to someone in confidence, Vetlife Helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0303 040 2551 or email via www.vetlife.org.uk

 

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