Veterinary Medicine as a Discourse Community
Abstract
The importance of communication skills in veterinary medicine is often overlooked. However, being proficient in science and technology, receiving high grades, and knowing how to work with patients is not sufficient enough to become a successful veterinarian, it is only enough to become an adequate veterinarian. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to relay essential and effective communication skills to those interested in veterinary medicine. To accomplish this, I conducted an interview with the office manager of a veterinary hospital, analyzed a scientific research paper on communication skills in a veterinary practice, conducted a genre analysis of veterinary software, and used my own work experience in the field to highlight the importance of communication in the field as well convey skills needed to maintain a thriving practice. I found that having a more client-centered approach to communication, emphasizing teamwork in the clinic, and using various methods of intercommunication all improve quality of care. It can be concluded that working in the field of veterinary medicine requires proficient interpersonal skills.
Introduction
Much of the work done in the field of veterinary medicine is centered around human-human interactions, in addition to the obvious human-animal interactions. Patients, being animals, cannot speak for themselves and thus successful communication between veterinarian and the human client is essential to the health of the animal patient. Additionally, the lives of animals can be dependent upon teamwork among staff and doctors. Nearly 70% of U.S. households own a pet, and 85% of all pet owners consider their pet part of the family and the numbers keep rising (Shaw et. al., 2010). Thus, providing high quality care via both communication and hands-on skills is important not only to the veterinarians, but also the families who immensely value the lives of their pets. The aim of this paper is to convey the interpersonal skills needed to be successful in the field of veterinary medicine. This will be accomplished by analyzing the discourse community of veterinary medicine as a whole. John Swales, a professor of linguistics at the University of Michigan, describes discourse communities in his book Genre Analysis as having members which share similar goals, values, and specific interests (Swales, 1990, p. 220-222). Swales outlines six pieces of criteria that must be met to consider a community a discourse community, four of which will be analyzed in this paper in the context of veterinary medicine: common public goals, methods of communicating among members, genres that define the community, and a standard of knowledge needed for membership. I aim to demonstrate how effective communication can improve a practice’s services and client satisfaction. Undergraduates and vets students must know what it takes to be a successful member of the discourse community of veterinary medicine.
Methods
To gain insight in the field, I conducted an interview with Rosa Hiraga, the current office manager of Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital in Pleasant Hill, California, regarding her experiences with communication as a member of this discourse community. Hiraga worked as a registered veterinary technician (RVT) for a number of years before moving into a management position. Additionally, I analyzed several pieces of scientific literature to demonstrate how integrating communication skills training in both undergraduate and vet school education could foster professionalism in veterinary medicine. Lastly, primary research was done in the form of observation and participation in the discourse community of veterinary medicine. As a pre-veterinary student myself, I worked full-time at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital as a technician’s assistant during the summer of 2019. A genre analysis was done based on my participation in team meetings and agendas. I worked directly with doctors, technicians, clients, and patients. Consequently, I was able to learn key communication skills that are required when working in any professional position. Via the interview, scholarly articles, and observation, people interested in this field can extract information and techniques needed to be a successful member in the veterinary medicine community.
Results and Discussion
Experienced Required in Field
Swales states that “a discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise” and that the “survival of the community depends on a reasonable ratio between novices and experts” (Swales, 1990, p. 222). The veterinary community consists of members of different abilities and education levels ranging from veterinarians, to technicians, to technician’s assistants, to receptionists. All members of each tier in the hospital must have similar levels of competence. For instance, a technician will not be hired if they do not know how to draw blood, administer vaccines, take radiographs, and clean wounds. Hiraga discussed the ability of technicians to absorb what a doctor says and accurately carry out those instructions. Working in the field is hard work, it is extremely demanding. Hiraga explained that when she is hiring, she looks for someone who does not just have the ability to work with and treat patients but also is hard working, has drive and energy, good communication skills, and a positive attitude. In order for any member of this discourse community to be successful in their job, they must have a certain set of skills. For example, veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at an accredited college of veterinary medicine.
However, several studies have highlighted the disparity between the skills taught in vet school and the skills required to be a successful veterinarian (Shaw et. al., 2010). Veterinarians and technicians, must be able to work as a team, understand cultural differences and values, acknowledge the opinions of others, be able to respectfully negotiate, and effectively communicate with both clients and staff. Working at a veterinary hospital can be stressful - both mentally and physically - thus all team members must be able to work under stress, know when to stop, and know how to handle difficult situations.
Improving Outcomes with Professional-Client Communication
The first piece of defining criteria that Swales lists in his composition as necessary for identifying a group of individuals as a discourse community is a set of common goals (Swales, 1990, p. 220). In the field of veterinary medicine, everyone must work together for the benefit of the animals. The aim of hospitals, and the discourse community as a whole, is not only to provide the best care for the patients but also the best veterinarian-client and technician-client communication which can affect patient and client satisfaction. A study conducted at Colorado State University found that bettering communication in a veterinary practice must include promoting a more client-centered approach to staff-client communication (Shaw et. al., 2010). To provide essential care to the animal, veterinarians and techs must be able to effectively communicate with clients to obtain accurate and descriptive information about the patient. For example, if a dog comes in throwing up and extremely ill and the owner has no idea why but relays that the dog spends a lot of time outside and that the owner has an interest in gardening then the vet can narrow down what the dog might have been poisoned with and what treatment to proceed with, improving the outcome of the case. Therefore, creating an open dialogue with the client by encouraging open communication with them ensures participation and better outcomes through seeking their opinion and acknowledging the human-animal bond (Shaw et. al., 2010). The more information the staff can obtain from the client, the better care they can provide the patient. No one understands a pet’s behavior like their owner does. Animals cannot explicitly dictate their feelings or their symptoms, so a strong relationship with the owner is necessary. However, providing the best care for the patient is also affected by communication among staff. To achieve this common goal, staff members must work as a team.
Team Communication
Mechanisms of intercommunication amongst members of a discourse community can vary based upon the needs and goals of the community (Swales, 1990, p.221). In terms of veterinary medicine, Hiraga emphasized the importance of verbal communication, among fellow staff and with clients in the practice. All team members must be on the same page in regards to treatment of a patient. For example, if a technician does share vital information about an aggressive patient with other team members, then team members may be harmed and their patient’s care compromised. Additionally, making sure a dose of medicine is correct or that a specific vaccine is required is vital to correctly treating patients. An important method of communication is team meetings. At Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital, meetings are held roughly once a month. The meeting is run by the practice manager. Each staff member is given a packet at the meeting that includes the meeting agenda and a new OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Association) topic. For example, it could regard safety when taking X-rays - how to minimize radiation exposure while successfully using the machine. Teaching team members new skills, or reminding them of safety techniques, keeps members up to date and relevant. The bulk of each meeting includes reviewing reminders, incidence reports, and new protocols to ensure that every member is aware of new procedures and on the same page. This is the ideal time to provide general feedback, share ideas, and ask questions. At the end of the meeting, kudos are given out; this is when staff members have the chance to shoutout another member. This raises morale and helps keep everyone motivated.
Veterinary Software
Not only is verbal communication important, but so is written communication which is often based on technological applications, such as database software. Swales emphasizes the importance of genre for discourse goal achievement (Swales, 1990, p. 221). One very common and effective genre utilized in veterinary clinics and hospitals is practice management programs. Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital utilizes IDEXX Cornerstone Software (Hiraga).The software is specifically designed for veterinary hospitals. The versatile practice management software helps the hospital run smoothly by providing high quality care via its several features. Cornerstone allows staff to process payments, order labs, select, order, and view diagnostic images, manage appointments and surgeries, check in patients, and send medical reminders. This type of software is essential for the effectiveness of the practice. Techs, doctors, and receptionists can access the software from any computer in the hospital. Once an appointment is scheduled, staff can simply move the mouse over the appointment to reveal these details. This ensures that everyone knows the schedule - when patients are coming in, why they are coming in, and who they are seeing. The daily schedule is divided into sections based on who the patient is seeing - a doctor or a technician (Figure 1). Color coding is used to convey the type of appointment - wellness check, health issues, surgery, or euthanasia. The program is simple, objective, and easy to learn.
Observation
My own experience as a technician’s assistant made me appreciate the importance of human-human interactions in the veterinary hospital. I noticed that clients’ attitudes toward care were affected by their interactions with the receptionist, the first person they talk to when they walk into the practice. When the receptionist had a positive, upbeat mood, used humor and talked in a more engaging voice toward both the client and the patient, the client was less worried about their animal and more inclined to share useful information about themself and the pet. This same trend was seen with the behavior of the veterinarian. When the veterinarian came into the exam room and used a higher pitch, cooing voice to talk to the animal, the client seemed more satisfied with the care and more willing to do approve necessary care for their pet. Acknowledging the human-animal bond and the patient as part of the family made for a happier client. Furthermore, I noticed a convention of the discourse community is to change one’s tone of voice depending on the recipient of the communication. For example, when any staff member talked to a client in person or on the phone, their voice got higher and they laughed more. When staff members communicated among each other they used more formal, personal language and lexis.
Conclusion
Research into the field of veterinary medicine has revealed that creating strong veterinarian-client relationships and working as a team is essential to building and maintaining a thriving practice. Quality of care is improved by effective communication between team members and with clients. The manner in which technicians and veterinarians communicate with clients and with each other has the potential to affect patient health, client satisfaction, and reputation of the practice. The values, goals, and beliefs of the discourse community of veterinary medicine are centered around the appreciation and love of animals. To successfully achieve these goals, one must have strong interpersonal skills as “veterinarian’s responsibilities have expanded to include attending to the well-being of their clients, as well as their pets” (Shaw et. al., 2010). Veterinary schools must not only teach scientific skills, they must teach students how to successfully communicate in a professional setting. Taking what I have learned during my research, I will work to better my interpersonal skills so that I can be the most capable veterinarian possible. The skills presented in this paper can be utilized by those interested in, or already involved in the field of veterinary medicine.
References
Hiraga, R.N. (2020). Email interview.
Shaw, J. R., Barley, G. E., Hill, A.E., Larson, S., & Roter, D. L. (2010). Communication skills education onsite in a veterinary practice. Patient Education and Counseling, 80(3), 337-344. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073839911000371X
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge University Press.
The importance of communication skills in veterinary medicine is often overlooked. However, being proficient in science and technology, receiving high grades, and knowing how to work with patients is not sufficient enough to become a successful veterinarian, it is only enough to become an adequate veterinarian. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to relay essential and effective communication skills to those interested in veterinary medicine. To accomplish this, I conducted an interview with the office manager of a veterinary hospital, analyzed a scientific research paper on communication skills in a veterinary practice, conducted a genre analysis of veterinary software, and used my own work experience in the field to highlight the importance of communication in the field as well convey skills needed to maintain a thriving practice. I found that having a more client-centered approach to communication, emphasizing teamwork in the clinic, and using various methods of intercommunication all improve quality of care. It can be concluded that working in the field of veterinary medicine requires proficient interpersonal skills.
Introduction
Much of the work done in the field of veterinary medicine is centered around human-human interactions, in addition to the obvious human-animal interactions. Patients, being animals, cannot speak for themselves and thus successful communication between veterinarian and the human client is essential to the health of the animal patient. Additionally, the lives of animals can be dependent upon teamwork among staff and doctors. Nearly 70% of U.S. households own a pet, and 85% of all pet owners consider their pet part of the family and the numbers keep rising (Shaw et. al., 2010). Thus, providing high quality care via both communication and hands-on skills is important not only to the veterinarians, but also the families who immensely value the lives of their pets. The aim of this paper is to convey the interpersonal skills needed to be successful in the field of veterinary medicine. This will be accomplished by analyzing the discourse community of veterinary medicine as a whole. John Swales, a professor of linguistics at the University of Michigan, describes discourse communities in his book Genre Analysis as having members which share similar goals, values, and specific interests (Swales, 1990, p. 220-222). Swales outlines six pieces of criteria that must be met to consider a community a discourse community, four of which will be analyzed in this paper in the context of veterinary medicine: common public goals, methods of communicating among members, genres that define the community, and a standard of knowledge needed for membership. I aim to demonstrate how effective communication can improve a practice’s services and client satisfaction. Undergraduates and vets students must know what it takes to be a successful member of the discourse community of veterinary medicine.
Methods
To gain insight in the field, I conducted an interview with Rosa Hiraga, the current office manager of Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital in Pleasant Hill, California, regarding her experiences with communication as a member of this discourse community. Hiraga worked as a registered veterinary technician (RVT) for a number of years before moving into a management position. Additionally, I analyzed several pieces of scientific literature to demonstrate how integrating communication skills training in both undergraduate and vet school education could foster professionalism in veterinary medicine. Lastly, primary research was done in the form of observation and participation in the discourse community of veterinary medicine. As a pre-veterinary student myself, I worked full-time at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital as a technician’s assistant during the summer of 2019. A genre analysis was done based on my participation in team meetings and agendas. I worked directly with doctors, technicians, clients, and patients. Consequently, I was able to learn key communication skills that are required when working in any professional position. Via the interview, scholarly articles, and observation, people interested in this field can extract information and techniques needed to be a successful member in the veterinary medicine community.
Results and Discussion
Experienced Required in Field
Swales states that “a discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise” and that the “survival of the community depends on a reasonable ratio between novices and experts” (Swales, 1990, p. 222). The veterinary community consists of members of different abilities and education levels ranging from veterinarians, to technicians, to technician’s assistants, to receptionists. All members of each tier in the hospital must have similar levels of competence. For instance, a technician will not be hired if they do not know how to draw blood, administer vaccines, take radiographs, and clean wounds. Hiraga discussed the ability of technicians to absorb what a doctor says and accurately carry out those instructions. Working in the field is hard work, it is extremely demanding. Hiraga explained that when she is hiring, she looks for someone who does not just have the ability to work with and treat patients but also is hard working, has drive and energy, good communication skills, and a positive attitude. In order for any member of this discourse community to be successful in their job, they must have a certain set of skills. For example, veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at an accredited college of veterinary medicine.
However, several studies have highlighted the disparity between the skills taught in vet school and the skills required to be a successful veterinarian (Shaw et. al., 2010). Veterinarians and technicians, must be able to work as a team, understand cultural differences and values, acknowledge the opinions of others, be able to respectfully negotiate, and effectively communicate with both clients and staff. Working at a veterinary hospital can be stressful - both mentally and physically - thus all team members must be able to work under stress, know when to stop, and know how to handle difficult situations.
Improving Outcomes with Professional-Client Communication
The first piece of defining criteria that Swales lists in his composition as necessary for identifying a group of individuals as a discourse community is a set of common goals (Swales, 1990, p. 220). In the field of veterinary medicine, everyone must work together for the benefit of the animals. The aim of hospitals, and the discourse community as a whole, is not only to provide the best care for the patients but also the best veterinarian-client and technician-client communication which can affect patient and client satisfaction. A study conducted at Colorado State University found that bettering communication in a veterinary practice must include promoting a more client-centered approach to staff-client communication (Shaw et. al., 2010). To provide essential care to the animal, veterinarians and techs must be able to effectively communicate with clients to obtain accurate and descriptive information about the patient. For example, if a dog comes in throwing up and extremely ill and the owner has no idea why but relays that the dog spends a lot of time outside and that the owner has an interest in gardening then the vet can narrow down what the dog might have been poisoned with and what treatment to proceed with, improving the outcome of the case. Therefore, creating an open dialogue with the client by encouraging open communication with them ensures participation and better outcomes through seeking their opinion and acknowledging the human-animal bond (Shaw et. al., 2010). The more information the staff can obtain from the client, the better care they can provide the patient. No one understands a pet’s behavior like their owner does. Animals cannot explicitly dictate their feelings or their symptoms, so a strong relationship with the owner is necessary. However, providing the best care for the patient is also affected by communication among staff. To achieve this common goal, staff members must work as a team.
Team Communication
Mechanisms of intercommunication amongst members of a discourse community can vary based upon the needs and goals of the community (Swales, 1990, p.221). In terms of veterinary medicine, Hiraga emphasized the importance of verbal communication, among fellow staff and with clients in the practice. All team members must be on the same page in regards to treatment of a patient. For example, if a technician does share vital information about an aggressive patient with other team members, then team members may be harmed and their patient’s care compromised. Additionally, making sure a dose of medicine is correct or that a specific vaccine is required is vital to correctly treating patients. An important method of communication is team meetings. At Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital, meetings are held roughly once a month. The meeting is run by the practice manager. Each staff member is given a packet at the meeting that includes the meeting agenda and a new OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Association) topic. For example, it could regard safety when taking X-rays - how to minimize radiation exposure while successfully using the machine. Teaching team members new skills, or reminding them of safety techniques, keeps members up to date and relevant. The bulk of each meeting includes reviewing reminders, incidence reports, and new protocols to ensure that every member is aware of new procedures and on the same page. This is the ideal time to provide general feedback, share ideas, and ask questions. At the end of the meeting, kudos are given out; this is when staff members have the chance to shoutout another member. This raises morale and helps keep everyone motivated.
Veterinary Software
Not only is verbal communication important, but so is written communication which is often based on technological applications, such as database software. Swales emphasizes the importance of genre for discourse goal achievement (Swales, 1990, p. 221). One very common and effective genre utilized in veterinary clinics and hospitals is practice management programs. Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital utilizes IDEXX Cornerstone Software (Hiraga).The software is specifically designed for veterinary hospitals. The versatile practice management software helps the hospital run smoothly by providing high quality care via its several features. Cornerstone allows staff to process payments, order labs, select, order, and view diagnostic images, manage appointments and surgeries, check in patients, and send medical reminders. This type of software is essential for the effectiveness of the practice. Techs, doctors, and receptionists can access the software from any computer in the hospital. Once an appointment is scheduled, staff can simply move the mouse over the appointment to reveal these details. This ensures that everyone knows the schedule - when patients are coming in, why they are coming in, and who they are seeing. The daily schedule is divided into sections based on who the patient is seeing - a doctor or a technician (Figure 1). Color coding is used to convey the type of appointment - wellness check, health issues, surgery, or euthanasia. The program is simple, objective, and easy to learn.
Observation
My own experience as a technician’s assistant made me appreciate the importance of human-human interactions in the veterinary hospital. I noticed that clients’ attitudes toward care were affected by their interactions with the receptionist, the first person they talk to when they walk into the practice. When the receptionist had a positive, upbeat mood, used humor and talked in a more engaging voice toward both the client and the patient, the client was less worried about their animal and more inclined to share useful information about themself and the pet. This same trend was seen with the behavior of the veterinarian. When the veterinarian came into the exam room and used a higher pitch, cooing voice to talk to the animal, the client seemed more satisfied with the care and more willing to do approve necessary care for their pet. Acknowledging the human-animal bond and the patient as part of the family made for a happier client. Furthermore, I noticed a convention of the discourse community is to change one’s tone of voice depending on the recipient of the communication. For example, when any staff member talked to a client in person or on the phone, their voice got higher and they laughed more. When staff members communicated among each other they used more formal, personal language and lexis.
Conclusion
Research into the field of veterinary medicine has revealed that creating strong veterinarian-client relationships and working as a team is essential to building and maintaining a thriving practice. Quality of care is improved by effective communication between team members and with clients. The manner in which technicians and veterinarians communicate with clients and with each other has the potential to affect patient health, client satisfaction, and reputation of the practice. The values, goals, and beliefs of the discourse community of veterinary medicine are centered around the appreciation and love of animals. To successfully achieve these goals, one must have strong interpersonal skills as “veterinarian’s responsibilities have expanded to include attending to the well-being of their clients, as well as their pets” (Shaw et. al., 2010). Veterinary schools must not only teach scientific skills, they must teach students how to successfully communicate in a professional setting. Taking what I have learned during my research, I will work to better my interpersonal skills so that I can be the most capable veterinarian possible. The skills presented in this paper can be utilized by those interested in, or already involved in the field of veterinary medicine.
References
Hiraga, R.N. (2020). Email interview.
Shaw, J. R., Barley, G. E., Hill, A.E., Larson, S., & Roter, D. L. (2010). Communication skills education onsite in a veterinary practice. Patient Education and Counseling, 80(3), 337-344. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073839911000371X
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge University Press.