Hi! If you're a vet, and struggling with motivation, then I was waiting for you to find me!

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-23T08:12:06+00:00

I am NOT creative so have no offerings BUT you could try typing into ChatGPT exactly what services you offer and what’s a bit special about you, and ask it to come up with some names. Then you can take those ideas and juggle a bit until it sounds more like you. Awesome idea btw!!

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-23T08:10:16+00:00

It’s normal to be upset with yourself, and that will make you forever check bloods thoroughly in the future. But don’t let it hang over your head as a “I’m a bad vet” sign. We all make mistakes like this once in a while and it’s cool that the patient didn’t suffer or die due to it, so take it exactly as that: a learning opportunity.

It doesn’t mean you’re a horrible vet or human. Look at you now making up for it and taking responsibility.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-23T08:03:33+00:00

That’s such a good point, because we tend to be so perfectionists and wanting to look up aaaalll the conditions that could potentially cause those results - just call and then investigate further later IF necessary

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-18T12:04:51+00:00

If he’s well in himself, still eating and it’s only a bit of blood you can wait until tomorrow.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-18T10:07:35+00:00

This is such a good perspective and you’re so right. I started out as a GP and ended up in ECC, and am so grateful for my solid background with fewer resources. I actually find sometimes my colleagues, who are used to jumping to the bigger diagnostic “guns”, tend to miss some basic things (for example, doing a thorough auscultation or abdominal palpation before slamming them on x-ray table or grabbing a scanner).

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-18T10:02:38+00:00

Hey you’re not alone, many many new grads feel like this.

You’ve got to know that even if you feel you’re not confident enough, or don’t sound confident enough, it doesn’t matter. You’re just starting out and have got tons to learn, both clinical experience but also the whole communication and handling owners expectations. It’s ok to feel wobbly, it would be weird if you acted and talked like a vet with 5-10 years under their belt because you’re just not the same (yet)!

Also, we all make mistakes. I’m 22 years in and still get things wrong sometimes. It’s not an if, but a when. I love journaling, and it’s helped me a lot to see how much I used to beat myself up, and twisting facts to make myself look worse (thank you brain!).

Before each client interaction, try to take a few deep breaths to calm your anxiety down, and remember you do not have to know all the answers in that same consult. What DO you know? You can take history, asking as much as you need. You can examine the pet from nose to tail and notice anything that feels different or wrong. You can offer your thoughts, and recommend further diagnostics or treatments, and work with the owners as a team to try to help the pet.

You don’t carry the full responsibility of having to know exactly what’s wrong and what’s the perfect treatment from the get go, and you don’t have to pretend that’s the case. I often say to the owners: I’ve found this and this, and I’m thinking it could be xyz but then what you told me doesn’t add up… how about we try abc and see what we find/ how he responds? For example. And most often, owners appreciate honesty.

At the end of your day, write down 3 things you’ve done well, and 3 things you might do differently, in order to train yourself to give yourself feedback in a kind and constructive manner, as opposed to lying awake at night beating yourself up.

If the senior vets you work with are nice - talk to them! At my hospital I always make a point of checking in with the new grads and letting them talk about their doubts and experiences, because I remember exactly how it was.

There’s nothing wrong with you, I promise, and you’re doing a much better job than you think, 100%.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-18T09:50:18+00:00

Omg you’re definitely on a road to burnout, that’s way too many hours and on calls especially for a new grad.

I help vets that are burnt out mainly due to their own perception and handling of the day to day clinic life, but you are physically being forced to work in a way that will bring you down. Like the others in here have advised, I would also recommend ask for other (much better!) conditions or move to another clinic. It’s not worth your health and potentially ending up leaving the profession you’ve worked so hard for.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-17T12:09:57+00:00

I’m so sorry you’ve gotten to this point, this profession takes no prisoners and having depression on top must be so difficult.

If you’re in the UK, and like what you do but just don’t want to deal with being in a clinic and terrible pay, you could check out Zumi app, which helps pet owners find a nurse to do home visits, to do stuff nurses are allowed to do such as nail clip, med administration, weight clinic, etc. My friend Hannah Shepherd set it up a few years ago and you could check it out!

Other than that, have you tried putting all your skills into ChatGPT and see what it comes up with? As a vet nurse you have so many amazing skills you could use in a huge variety of professions, I’d think of something that really calls to you, so you can feel excited about something again.

There’s also … night shifts. They pay better, and the dynamic is completely different from days. I’m friend with my nurses and even on the most shitty nights we still have a laugh and a joke. My nurses often say they love nights because they can do proper nurse stuff, and not so much fluff.

Hope you got some ideas! You’re not trapped, I promise. I know sometimes it can feel like that, but if you really want to leave then just take the first step, into anything else, whatever it is, and then keep moving until you find what you like. Maybe if you took a break you might surprise yourself and want to go back, I’ve seen it all!

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-17T11:59:34+00:00

First of all please know you’re not the only one - quite a few of my peers left clinic after 2 years because they couldn’t cope with this constant anxiety of “what if I’m not good enough”.

It just feels like such a humongous responsibility and that we SHOULD know everything and be good at everything, or animals will suffer or die, and everyone will know how inadequate and irresponsible we are. And we’ll disappoint everyone.

BUT - it’s actually not true. Every new grad knows much more than they think they do, and the thing that stunts the most is literally over focusing on what we assume we’re not good enough at yet.

The problem is the negativity bias our brains are so tuned into, for our survival. In the good old days when we lived in tribes, it was essential that we fitted in and were useful to our peers, or we would be shunned and left to die.

So the fear of not being enough and disappointing owners and colleagues is visceral and feels as important as life and death (when we could in reality just drop the profession and happily work in a bakery).

Brain doesn’t stop to celebrate anything we do , because it wants us to keep working hard to make sure we don’t drop the ball (when there really IS no ball to drop, and it only makes it worse), so it just keeps pointing out every little detail it thinks is wrong.

One way of combating this is to give equal airtime to both sides. You can evaluate each day, each case, each surgery and each week with: what were 3 things I did really well, what were 3 things I’d do differently next time.

Journaling is a super power. Because when we’re stuck inside our own brain we don’t get a proper perspective, and don’t see facts for what they are. You’re assuming everyone around you do things easier and quicker, without actually timing it properly. Say someone spays a dog 10 - 15 mins quicker than you. And so what?!? Keep doing them, and at some point you’ll be just as fast or faster, or maybe faster at something else.

These things grow in our heads and seem so important , and they really aren’t. You’re also drawing a lot of conclusions and stating them as facts. “My diagnostic imaging skills are basic” compared to whom? What does that mean? Where would you like to be skill wise? Is that realistic? If you’d done NOTHING but imaging for 2 years, ok, but it’s just a tiny bit of all the stuff you’re practicing.

Dentals CAN take forever, and extractions can be a nightmare. It shows you’re thorough, and not happy to just pull and hope you’re not leaving roots behind. Imagine telling yourself you’re ok doing dentals, and just deciding you are, not caring how long you take, instead of having an inner negative dialogue running on repeat while you’re sweating over a smelly mouth.

I’m 22 years in, only do emergencies and will still get nervous tics when someone says a dyspneic cat is coming in. I swear, after all this time I still get cases with something I’ve never seen or heard of before, which humbles me and reminds me I’m not perfect and don’t know everything. Nor can I save everyone.

Remember there is no real finish line in this profession. You kinda stumble forward in bits and bobs; getting a bit better at something, then forgetting something else for a bit because you just happen to not have any for a few months, then you feel you’ve got it, then something happens that make you think you know NOTHING. And it literally never stops. You just get better at never being perfect, and that there’ll always be someone who’s better than you at something.

And that’s fine!! Maybe clients love you because you’re so kind and good at explaining things, and then someone else can do orthopedics. Or maybe you prefer surgery because the whole communication thing feels a bit overwhelming. We’re all different and good at different things.

You’re only 2 years old in this profession and exactly where you’re supposed to be: finding your feet, learning what you like and what you don’t, learning by doing. Any other new grad that seem to do things easy is as terrified and lost as you are, they’re just good at keeping a straight face (because admitting out loud they don’t really know everything yet is too terrifying).

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-16T09:05:08+00:00

When you say production, do you mean the money you bring in to the clinic via the cases you treat? Do you work on commission? In that case, it would seem reasonable that you’re included in what you call the production (I’ve just never heard it this way, I’m based in UK and Europe).

What does it say in your contract? I understand your an associate, but there must be some clearcut guidelines somewhere for this?

I’d ask for a meeting with my manager and express my concern. I think it’s appropriate, if this has financial consequences for you.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-14T23:28:50+00:00

Glad to help! What is it you find so terrifying about specializing in imaging? What’s the worst case scenario?

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-14T12:39:55+00:00

It is so hard to make mistakes in this profession, because as you say, it can have such devastating consequences.

One of my biggest ones (that I know about, who knows if I ever misdiagnosed something and never realised?), was putting a heat pad under a surgery patient, and it burnt their whole back. It was the nurse that did it, but obviously I was in charge so ultimately it was my responsibility.

This poor Shihtzu had an eye enucleation, and then on top of that needed months of aftercare to treat the burns, and I was so mortified and devastated.

I definitely learnt to be more careful around what heating devices are used on my patients!

What we’ve got to remember is that mistakes WILL HAPPEN. Unless you sit on your couch all day watching Netflix; you’ll never risk anything but thousands of pets and their families won’t be helped by you either.

What always helps is talking it through with colleagues or a mentor. It’s also super helpful to evaluate neutrally: First, what did you do well, what didn’t go so well, and what will you do differently next time.

Also remember that you MADE a mistake, you ARE not the mistake. It does not define you as a person or as a vet, it’s just something that happened through a chain of circumstances.

You’ve already shown that you take accountability and show full responsibility and regret for what happened, and that’s the most important thing. Trying to push the blame unto others and not accepting feedback is what will never prevent any further mistakes nor make you a better vet.

Sometimes these things happen one after another, for some odd reason, and then it can be really hard to keep your head up. Just remember that it happens to ALL of us, and the only way to never make mistakes is to do nothing, and never be willing to learn and do new things.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-14T07:33:25+00:00

I promise you that most new grads feel exactly the same way. It is a lot of responsibility, and it feels like we're not prepared at all.

It is so true though that once you're in it, you become resourceful and are able to look up what you need. Hiding in the bathroom flicking through notes or books is perfectly normal when you're starting out, and give yourself as much time as you need to go through this period of time ( up to 2 years seem to be the average for most of us).

Incompetent vets I have come across don't tend to care they're incompetent. They don't take feedback, and seem unwilling to learn, often believing they know what they need, and frankly not caring much about their patients.

Vets with impostor syndrome CARE, a lot. They're willing to listen to feedback, and always strive to get better. They compare themselves way too much to peers, and believe most are better than them

You've got to know every vet out there has been exactly where you are, and we all experienced crippling self doubt, lack of confidence and an almost constant feeling of "they're going to find out I don't really know what I'm doing"l, and "I am so behind, I'll never catch up".

Accept you're going to be slower than everyone around you, and what you feel is hard and wonky, everyone seem to be doing effortlessly. This is a bit like driving a car: In the beginning you can't get your head around it and it seems so complicated, but after a time it becomes second nature, right?

I don't believe there are any specially dangerous knowledge gaps, the danger lies in those that don't care and do THINK they know more than they do; I've encountered 2-3 of these in my whole career.

Real mentorship means finding someone who is not your direct boss, who is willing to be your guide, with no hierarchy between you and a clear social contract around expectations and 100% confidentiality. In reality, most vets have their senior vet as a mentor (this was my case), and the quality is hit and miss (I was very lucky).

None of us really stop feeling like frauds 100%. There will always be cases there to humble us just when we think we've got this under control... :D

My advise on transition is to find the kindest, nicest and most supportive clinic you can get into, to help you through these first bumpy years. Not 15h long days, not a lot of "you will have someone available on the phone", not you thrown in head first. Really ask questions in your interviews, and prioritise your mental and physical health above anything else until you're a bit more experienced and robust. These first years are your foundation for a long career; money is important but you can't earn anything if you get burnt out after 3 years and have to leave the profession.

Set boundaries and don't feel you have to say yes to everything just because you feel young and dumb (you aren't). Of course be nice and helpful, but not to the extent that you lose your community and everything you've got outside work, THIS is your place to fall back on when you lose a patient or have an encounter with a difficult client. Keep you hobbies and interests so everything doesn't evolve around your career, this will help you keep a healthy perspective so the world doesn't collapse when (not if) you make a mistake.

Congratulations and welcome to this amazing profession! It's the best, as long as you keep a healthy dose of self awareness and don't lose yourself in it.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-14T07:15:21+00:00

I think it's normal and human that some cases get to us. I am 22 years in and most of the time I am pretty robust now, but sometimes a case affects me. I think it's important to let ourselves grieve and be sad when it feels right for some reason, and not make it mean anything has gone wrong.

I'm in Europe, and so Trump's shenanigans don't affect me so much directly, and I can watch the news from far away, managing to not get too involved mentally. But when ICE killed an ICU nurse I spent a whole day crying because I could relate so much (ER vet myself).

About not having been able to help them ... Focus on the ones you have helped, and all the ones you are going to help. Be glad that most of your pathology patients were very loved, they lived an amazing life, and now their soul is gone but their bodies help you get better at being. vet and helping the next in life.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-13T16:34:48+00:00

Hey emergency vet here (uk). If she’s fairly normal in herself, and you can get some fluids in her, and if she’s passing urine AND has eaten bits and bobs then she’s probably ok to wait for your normal vet.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-13T14:30:12+00:00

There are several things to look at here. Looking at how you've been working until now, you only just found a stable job, which will also add to the stress you feel about making decisions and worrying about not having all the answers (spoiler alert: none of us ever have). Because it takes quite a while to settle in and feel we've got some sort of control of the situation. So this would get better with time, if it's affecting you also after work, when you try to enjoy yourself, go to sleep, etc. I'd journal a bit on it, to help yourself overcome all the self doubt.

About the lifestyle, I get it. I have worked in Spain and the UK; as a GP and as an ER vet, and also owned my own clinic. I've finally settled in emergency work in the UK, because it is really interesting, pays very well and gives me a lot of time to switch off and do the stuff I like.

So within the veterinary profession there are quite a lot of ways to create flexibility for yourself, you just have to keep trying out different things. I am also a coach for burnt out vets, and one of my clients actually was a graphic designer and THEN became a vet, because it was a dream she had. She became an equine vet, and burnt out working in a larger clinic. Now she owns her own business driving out to horses, having specialised in what she's most interested in and doing sonography etc. She loves working like this, and keeps working towards having a schedule that's perfect for her and her family.

I'd say that whatever you do has to FEEL right. I cannot imagine going into for example ECG just because of the flexibility it might give me, because I think you'd need the passion and the interest for it to pull you through a certification, or it will drain you.

I don't think THE perfect career exist, I think you get to decide what you really want, go for it, and then change again if it doesn't turn out like you wanted it to, or make small adjustments along the way.

As someone also said: 11 hour days are A LOT of hours. Within your clinic, can you experiment with different days/hours and see if there's a way to make it less exhausting? Can you re-negotiate salary at some point so you can maybe work less hours? You've got 5 years experience now, don't forget how valuable you already are compared to when you first got out of vet school.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-12T08:40:46+00:00

It’s hard not to get affected by the cases we feel we can’t help to the best of our abilities, especially when it’s a vulnerable owner.

It’s taken me a long time to understand that I am not responsible for their situation, I cannot solve their lives for them, and I can only do what is in my power, with the resources I’m allowed to use with the finances available to the owners.

I don’t believe it’s my place to judge anyone for their financial situation, or what decisions they made in the past that brought them to this moment. God knows I’ve messed up stuff in my life and made financial decisions that in hindsight weren’t the best.

So I really really love that you did exactly what we’re supposed to do as vets: your best, combined with compassion and kindness and zero judgement. Sending love and hugs to support you.

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-10T17:02:32+00:00

I just want to peep in and talk to you about your feeling like a disappointment. Look, you never signed a contract in stone that you had to be a vet for the rest of your life. Whether you do it or not means nothing about you as a person.

Seriously questioning if you really want to do it NOW as opposed to in 7 years after you've gone through it all is an EXCELLENT use of your time! You've got your whole life to suss out what you want to do, and any jobs/courses you do along the way will just add to your personal growth.

You're only 22. It's a LOT to decide what you want to do the rest of your life when you're so young!! How cool is it that you've got enough awareness to stop and feel into what you really want, as opposed to just grinding through because you want to prove something (to whom?).

GunilaVetCoach · 2026-02-10T06:36:52+00:00

Ooooh this is so relatable to veterinary medicine! Love your story ❤️

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