Compassion Fatigue in Laboratory Animal Personnel during the COVID‑19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E Thurston ◽  
Goldia Chan ◽  
Lisa A Burlingame ◽  
Jennifer A Jones ◽  
Patrick A Lester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Laboratory Animal ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Institutional Changes ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Stress Isolation ◽  
Animal Community ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Animal Care

Compassion Fatigue (CF) is commonly observed in professions associated with human and animal care. The COVID-19 pandemic compelled laboratory animal research institutions to implement new work practices in order to maintain essential animal care operations. These modifications ranged from shift changes to last-resort measures, such as culling animal colonies, to accommodate reduced staffing. Such changes could cause personnel to experience increased stress, isolation, and helplessness—all of which can increase CF risk. In the current study, 200 persons involved with animal research completed an online survey to gauge whether CF among laboratory animal personnel had increased during the pandemic. The survey examined professional quality of life, self-assessed levels of CF, institutional changes, perceived changes in animal welfare, and institutional measures intended to alleviate CF. A total of 86% of participants had experienced CF at some point in their career, with 41% experiencing a CF event (new or worsening symptoms of CF) during the pandemic. In addition, 90% of participants who reported a CF event also reported subsequent effects on their personal or professional lives. Health, employment, and animal-related stress that arose due to the pandemic were all found to influence CF scores significantly. Although 96% of respondents were considered essential workers, 67% did not feel as valued for their work as other essential personnel. Furthermore, 88% of personnel responsible for the euthanasia of healthy animals who experienced a CF event reported that CF also affected their personal life, professional life, or both, and 78% responded that interventions from internal CF programs or leadership did not help to alleviate symptoms of CF. The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant institutional changes will likely have lasting effects on persons and organizations. By determining and subsequently mitigating sources of CF, we can better assist the laboratory animal community during future crises.

scholarly journals Compassion Fatigue, Euthanasia Stress, and Their Management in Laboratory Animal Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph T Newsome ◽  
Elizabeth A Clemmons ◽  
Dawn C Fitzhugh ◽  
Tracy L Gluckman ◽  
Michelle A Creamer-Hente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Laboratory Animal ◽  
Animal Research

Laboratory Animal Research Centre (Larc) “A Specific Pathogen Free Rodent Facility” - Covid – 19 Pandemic Response Plan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muralitharan Shanmugakonar ◽  
Vijay Kanth Govindharajan ◽  
Kavitha Varadharajan ◽  
Hamda Al-Naemi
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Animal ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Functional Requirement ◽  
Specific Pathogen Free ◽  
Specific Pathogen ◽  
Response Plan ◽  
Pandemic Response ◽  
Operational Plan

Laboratory Animal Research Centre (LARC) has developed an early emergency operational plan for COVID-19 pandemic situation. Biosafety and biosecurity measures were planned and implemented ahead of time to check the functional requirement to prevent the infection. Identified necessary support for IT, transport, procurement, finance, admin and research to make the operations remotely and successfully.

Learning organizations and animal care programs in the absence of appropriate national legislation

2021 ◽  
pp. 002367722110192
Author(s):  
Lazara Martínez-Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Laboratory Animal ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Animal Science ◽  
Five Disciplines ◽  
Research Facilities ◽  
Animal Care ◽  
Latin American Countries ◽  
Working Method

The absence, in many nations, of appropriate and corresponding legislation for the protection of experimental animals as well as continual management education programs, significantly affects the inclusion and recognition of experimental results, worldwide. For more than a decade, researchers from Latin American countries have unsuccessfully struggled to get proper legislation. Until today, not many effective results have been seen. After reviewing previous literature and carefully analyzing the available methodologies and practical examples, this paper aims at redesigning the actions and strategies of the members of the research facilities to implement an effective laboratory animal care and use program, and permit the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) accreditation, independent of national legislative network .This paper also suggests a domestic working method for the teamwork to assume international harmonized legislation, through the application of the Five Disciplines stated by Senge, as methodological process linked with laboratory animal science as scientific background.

scholarly journals 344 The Ag Guide serves as a primary standard for animal scientists and AAALAC accreditation of Ag research programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 71-72
Author(s):  
Janeen Salak-Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Primary Standard ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Professional Judgment ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Accreditation Program ◽  
Agricultural Animal ◽  
Animal Care

Abstract Institutions that engage in animal research and production must ensure that high standards of animal care and use meet expectations of society while being ethical stewards of the animals they use in research. In order to achieve engagement in best practices, the Ag Guide is the most appropriate standard for assessing agricultural animals used in research and teaching. The Ag Guide minimizes the potential to overuse performance standards while enhancing the ability to appropriately address specific performance-derived exceptions to situations for which they have been validated. The primary objectives of the standards established in the Ag Guide are well-aligned with the goals of the AAALAC International accreditation program. The Ag Guide provides scientifically-sound, performance-based approaches to animal care and housing, which meet the expectations of AAALAC’s accreditation program. AAALAC provides a third-party peer review of all facets of the animal care and use program that serves as an effective mechanism to ensure institutions meet the standards of the Ag Guide. The process is designed to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the program to ensure high-quality scientific outcomes and a high level of animal welfare. AAALAC accreditation program for agricultural animal research program is built on the cornerstone of the Ag Guide standards and connects science and responsible animal care. AAALAC accreditation promotes a comprehensive, institutionally supported program with a commitment to continuous improvement, humane and ethical animal care resulting in high-quality animal welfare, and scientific validity. AAALAC takes the position that, in accredited programs, the housing and care for agricultural animals should meet the standards that prevail on a high-quality, well-managed farm and the Ag Guide serves as this foundation. Therefore, the use of the Ag Guide for agricultural animal programs ensures a review that is based on science, professional judgment, and the best interests of the animal.

scholarly journals Compassion fatigue of funeral directors during and after the first wave of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roel Van Overmeire ◽  
Rose-Lima Van Keer ◽  
Marie Cocquyt ◽  
Johan Bilsen
Keyword(s):  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Secondary Trauma ◽  
Compassion Satisfaction ◽  
Funeral Directors ◽  
Quality Of Life Scale ◽  
Life Scale ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Background Compassion fatigue has not been studied among funeral directors. Yet, funeral directors have been exposed to the same risks for compassion fatigue as other caregivers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods An online survey was spread two times to 287 employees of funeral home DELA, in Belgium. Once during the height of the first wave of COVID-19 in Belgium, and a second time at the end of the first wave. The professional quality of life-scale 5 (PROQOL-5) was used to measure compassion fatigue, which includes burnout, compassion satisfaction and secondary trauma. Non-parametric tests were performed. Results In total, 104 participants answered the first survey, and 107 the second. Burnout increases from survey 1 to survey 2 (P < 0.001), while compassion satisfaction (P = 0.011) and secondary trauma decrease (P < 0.001). In survey 1, only age (P = 0.007) and gender (P = 0.040) were found to be significantly associated with secondary trauma. In survey 2, having more work experience is associated with having a higher burnout (P = 0.008) and secondary trauma (P = 0.001) score. Neither for burnout (P < 0.001), nor for secondary trauma (P < 0.001) are there any respondents in the highest category. Conclusions Although overall funeral directors do not have acute problems with compassion fatigue, burnout scores increase significantly after the first wave.

scholarly journals Why IACUCs Need Ethicists

ILAR Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Nobis
Keyword(s):  
Animal Research ◽  
Animal Care

Abstract Some animal research is arguably morally wrong, and some animal research is morally bad but could be improved. Who is most likely to be able to identify wrong or bad animal research and advocate for improvements? I argue that philosophical ethicists have the expertise that makes them the likely best candidates for these tasks. I review the skills, knowledge, and perspectives that philosophical ethicists tend to have that makes them ethical experts. I argue that, insofar as Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees are expected to ensure that research is ethical, they must have philosophical ethicists as members.

scholarly journals Foreword and Introduction to This Issue on Contemporary Safety Topics in Animal Research

ILAR Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-126
Author(s):  
John Bradfield ◽  
Esmeralda Meyer ◽  
John N Norton
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Status ◽  
Safety Considerations ◽  
Animal Care ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Institutions with animal care and use programs are obligated to provide for the health and well-being of the animals, but are equally obligated to provide for safety of individuals associated with the program. The topics in this issue of the ILAR Journal, in association with those within the complimentary issue of the Journal of Applied Biosafety, provide a variety of contemporary occupational health and safety considerations in today’s animal research programs. Each article addresses key or emerging occupational health and safety topics in institutional animal care and use programs, where the status of the topic, contemporary challenges, and future directions are provided.

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