Table 1 Survey responses given by veterinarians
From: Causes of stress and conflict in the veterinary professional workplace – a perspective from Poland
Questions and answers | n (answers received) | Percent |
|---|---|---|
Q1a. What is the type of your employment? | ||
Owner of veterinary practice | 80 | 28.6% |
Employee in veterinary practice | 88 | 31.4% |
Approved Veterinarian (self-employed, nominated by District Veterinary Officer for official activities, e.g. meat inspection) | 28 | 10% |
Official Veterinarian (employed full-time in Veterinary Inspectorate) | 20 | 7.1% |
Employee in a veterinary laboratory | 4 | 1.4% |
Representative of a veterinary pharmaceutical company working for marketing and sale promotion | 32 | 11.4% |
Employee in veterinary drugs warehouse | 0 | 0% |
Employee in a plant producing feed for poultry, swine or cattle | 12 | 4.3% |
Employee in the company involved in animal sale and purchase | 8 | 2.9% |
Other | 8 | 2.9% |
Q2. What is your gender? | ||
Female | 76 | 35.8% |
Male | 136 | 64.2% |
Q3. Select your age. | ||
25–35 | 80 | 37.7% |
36–45 | 44 | 20.8% |
46–55 | 48 | 22.6% |
56–65 | 40 | 18.9% |
Over 65 | 0 | 0% |
Q4. How often do you encounter conflicts at work? | ||
At least once a week | 36 | 17% |
Once every two weeks | 12 | 5.7% |
Once a month | 48 | 22.6% |
Once a quarter | 36 | 17% |
Once in six months | 32 | 15.1% |
Once a year | 12 | 5.7% |
Less than once a year | 36 | 17% |
Q5.a Which animal groups do conflicts most often involve? | ||
Exotic animals | 4 | 1.5% |
Wild animals | 0 | 0% |
Companion animals | 76 | 29.2% |
Ruminants | 24 | 9.2% |
Horses | 0 | 0% |
Swine | 100 | 38.5% |
Fur animals | 0 | 0% |
Poultry | 56 | 21.5% |
Q6.a With whom does the conflict arise? | ||
Animal owner | 132 | 43.4% |
Employer | 32 | 10.5% |
Workmate | 48 | 15.8% |
Animal supplier | 0 | 0% |
Feed supplier | 36 | 11.8% |
Laboratory | 4 | 1.3% |
Official Veterinarian | 36 | 11.8% |
Other | 16 | 5.3% |
Q7. How do you assess your work in terms of conflict-causing factors? | ||
Low conflict | 72 | 34% |
Moderate conflict | 100 | 47.1% |
High conflict | 40 | 18.9% |
Q8. How do you assess your work in terms of the number of conflicts when compared to other professions? | ||
Less conflicting | 10 | 4.7% |
Equally conflicting | 124 | 58.5% |
More conflicting | 60 | 28.3% |
Definitely more conflicting | 18 | 8.5% |
Q9. Do you often think about your conflict from work in your private time? | ||
Practically always | 88 | 41.5% |
Occasionally | 60 | 28.3% |
Rarely | 60 | 28.3% |
Not at all | 4 | 1.9% |
Q10. Does the conflict party often questions your authority? | ||
It has never happened to me | 28 | 13.2% |
Rarely | 64 | 30.2% |
Occasionally | 68 | 32.1% |
Often | 44 | 20.7% |
Always | 8 | 3.8% |
Q11. Do you think that conflicts in your work negatively affect you and your attitude towards other people? | ||
No | 28 | 13.2% |
Rather no | 72 | 34% |
Rather yes | 70 | 33% |
Yes | 28 | 13% |
I have no opinion | 14 | 6.6% |
Q12.a What is the most important source of conflicts at your work? | ||
Too high expectations of animal owners | 92 | 29.9% |
Failure in feed quality by its supplier | 28 | 9.1% |
Failure in quality by animal supplier | 44 | 14.3% |
Random situations | 96 | 31.2% |
Other | 48 | 15.6% |
Q13.a What is the most common cause of conflict escalation? | ||
One party wants to show its superiority at all costs (“mine on top”) | 72 | 23.1% |
Money | 88 | 28.2% |
Cultural, religious and social differences | 4 | 1.3% |
Emotional attachment of the owner to the animal | 36 | 11.5% |
Lack of information and wrong conclusions | 96 | 30.8% |
Own internal conflict over the situation | 4 | 1.3% |
Other | 12 | 3.8% |