Better scheduling emerges as a practical burnout lever in vet practice
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new Today’s Veterinary Nurse article argues that schedule design is a practical lever for improving retention, wellbeing, and care quality in veterinary practice. Drawing on a 2025 master’s thesis-led mixed-methods study and related literature, the piece says veterinary professionals across roles linked outdated scheduling patterns with burnout, reduced recovery time, and daily operational friction. Among survey respondents, 60% said they felt trapped by their schedule, 75.6% favored predictable scheduling patterns, and 80% said flexible schedules would improve their overall wellbeing. The article translates those findings into practical changes for general practice, emergency, and referral settings, including protected breaks, clearer end-of-shift boundaries, overlap coverage during peak periods, and appointment templates that match actual staffing. That framing also aligns with Not One More Vet’s guidance that sustainable schedules should include dedicated non-patient-care blocks and be built to help clinicians leave on time. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message is that scheduling is no longer just an administrative issue. It sits squarely inside workforce sustainability, safety, and retention. The broader backdrop supports that framing: the AVMA’s 2025 Economic State of the Profession report found veterinarians worked an average of 42.4 hours a week in the 2024 census, down from pandemic-era highs and closer to pre-2020 norms, while a 2024 JAVMA study found work-life balance, healthy coping, and positive clinic culture were significant predictors of better wellbeing and lower burnout. Other recent commentary points in the same direction: a 2021 industry burnout survey found younger professionals and veterinary technicians reported especially high burnout, and dvm360 recently highlighted psychological safety and checklists as practical system tools for reducing error risk in high-pressure clinical settings. That suggests practices may have more room now to redesign schedules intentionally rather than simply react to overload. (ebusiness.avma.org)
What to watch: Expect more practices to test predictable rotations, protected administrative blocks, and role-specific coverage models as leaders look for retention gains without adding headcount. Just as important will be whether schedule changes are paired with broader team supports, such as open discussion of mental health, clear escalation pathways, and psychologically safe workflows that make it easier for staff to speak up when the day is no longer workable. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)