Rhonda Andrews

A surgeon hurls a scalpel across theatre. It clatters off the wall. Nobody looks up. Twenty minutes later he's in the tearoom offering everyone a biscuit, and someone shrugs: "That's just him when he's stressed." If you've worked in veterinary practice for any length of time, you've got your own version of that story - maybe a bit less dramatic, but still things that completely destroy psychological safety. This episode is about that stuff, and the new psychosocial safety laws now rolling ...

Psychologist Rhonda Andrews shares insights on improving workplace culture, leadership, and mental health in the veterinary profession. Reflecting on her years working with veterinary teams, she highlights the profession’s strengths, such as innovation, compassion-driven problem-solving, and a willingness to learn. She also addresses challenges like transitioning from small family-owned practices to larger corporate structures, managing human interactions alongside clinical duties, and mitigating risks related to governance and staff wellbeing. The discussion delves into actionable solutions, including enhancing communication, delegating tasks effectively, fostering trusted networks, and creating tailored workplace cultures. Practical examples illustrate how addressing these challenges can reduce burnout, increase team cohesion, and improve outcomes for both clients and veterinary professionals.

Rhonda is back for another thorough probing of the mind, and in this episode, we examine the phenomenon of compassion fatigue from tip to… tail. What is it, how is it different from burnout, how do we recognise it, and what can we do to head it off long before it rears its ugly head? (Spoiler alert: yes, rest and self-care and boundaries and all of those other common sense things all play an important role, but you might be surprised by what the ONE THING is that can provide you with the best pr...

If you’re a regular Vet Vaulter you’ll be well familiar by now with psychologist Rhonda Andrews from our previous episodes with her on trauma and grief. We love Rhonda, and based on your feedback YOU loved Rhonda. So we’re going to make this a regular thing. Here's what we're thinking: Rhonda will have conversations and counselling sessions with real vets facing real challenges about something that the guest is wrestling with. Rhonda will help them explore solutions and strategies to help them g...

You'll bump onto grief several times a day on an average shift at a vet clinic. But do you UNDERSTAND it? Do you face it head-on, or does it make you uncomfortable, so you run and hide when you see it coming? Do you even see it coming? Can you recognise the stages of grief in your clients and your co-workers? What about yourself? Did you know, for example, that when that client is lashing out at you and your team, it may just be that they are stuck in one of the stages of grief, and that with t...