Employee Reactions and Adjustment to Euthanasia-Related Work: Identifying Turning-Point Events Through Retrospective Narratives

Abstract

This study used a retrospective narrative procedure to examine the critical events that influence reactions and adjustment to euthanasia-related work of 35 employees who have stayed in the animal care and welfare field for at least 2 years. The study analyzed adjustment trajectory graphs and interview notes to identify turning-point events that spurred either a positive or negative change in shelter workers' psychological well-being. Analysis of the identified turning-point events revealed 10 common event themes that have implications for a range of work, personnel, and organizational practices. The article discusses implications for shelter, employee, and animal welfare.

Occupational Stress & Compassion Fatigue: The effects on workers in animal-related occupations

“…Congruent results were identified between this study and previous research which found that euthanasia typically has a negative impact on an individual's health and well-being (Arluke 1991, White and Shawhan 1996, Stamm 1997, Reeve, Spitzmuller et al 2004, Reeve, Rogelberg et al 2005, Rohlf and Bennett 2005. With a survey instrument devised by the researchers, this particular cross-sectional study (Rogelberg, Reeve et al 2007) found a significant correlation between euthanasia rates and employee turnover index (r = 0.36, P < 0.05) that is, higher euthanasia rates were associated with increased employee turnover.…”

“…Included throughout this thesis are comments and statements that the researcher found particularly poignant and important to emphasise to the audience of this work; these are presented in boxes at the beginning or end of each Chapter. The themes identified in Chapter 4 recur in other Chapters of this thesis as well as being generally present in existing knowledge (Arluke 1991, White and Shawhan 1996, Reeve, Spitzmuller et al 2004, Reeve, Rogelberg et al 2005, Rohlf and Bennett 2005, Rogelberg, DiGiacomo et al 2007, Baran, Allen et al 2009, Baran, Rogelberg et al 2012). …”

“…The method of participant recruitment and the way in which data were analysed and reported also varied. Three studies used quantitative methodology (Reeve, Rogelberg et al 2005, Rogelberg, Reeve et al 2007, Black, Winefield et al 2011, five were qualitative studies (Arluke 1991, Reeve, Spitzmuller et al 2004, Rogelberg, DiGiacomo et al 2007, Baran, Allen et al 2009, Davies and Lewis 2010, and four used a mixed-method approach (Rohlf and Bennett 2005, Foster and Maples 2011, Baran, Rogelberg et al 2012, Anderson et al 2013. Two studies were conducted in Australia (Rohlf andBennett 2005, Black, Winefield et al 2011), and one study in the United Kingdom (Davies and Lewis 2010), with the remaining studies conducted in the United States.…”

“…Reeve et.al (Reeve, Spitzmuller et al 2004) conducted 38 interviews with attendees at the 2002 Animal Care Expo in Florida. More than half of the participants worked at a humane society, while the remainder were employed in animal control, veterinary services, or other animal care capacities that involved euthanasia.…”

“…29 Table 2 Summary of Qualitative Studies (Arluke 1991, Reeve, Spitzmuller et al 2004, Rogelberg, DiGiacomo et al 2007, Baran, Allen et al 2009, Davies and Lewis 2010 to someone just starting out in this career field in regard to coping with euthanasia-related work tasks. Consistent with other qualitative studies, analysis was conducted using thematic coding analysis techniques and provided 26 distinct categories of coping strategies.…”