Three View Dissection of Ethical Dilemmas in Veterinary Care

This presentation offers perspectives on ethical guidelines from three perspectives: the veterinarian, the veterinary nurse, and the veterinary social worker. Each presenter will discuss ethical tenets associated with her profession, and then all presenters will engage the audience in applying the guidelines to a case presentations.

Dr. Elizabeth Strand is the Founding Director of Veterinary Social Work (VSW) at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a licensed clinical social worker, experienced family therapist, Grief Recovery Specialist, and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher. She also is trained as a Rule 31 Mediator, Child and Adult Anicare Animal Abuse Treatment counselor, a Compassion Fatigue Specialist and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work.

Dr. Strand's service-work centers around anti-animal abuse and anti-racism efforts. Her interest-areas include the link between human and animal violence, animals in family systems, the scholarly and practice development of veterinary social work as a sub-specialty of social work practice, communication skills, conflict resolution, and mediation and stress management techniques in animal welfare environments. Her professional mission is to encourage the humane treatment of both people and animals and to care for those professionals who care for animals.

Dr. Dianne Mawby is a 1986 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), University of Saskatchewan in Canada. She completed a small animal internship and a small animal medicine residency with a Master of Veterinary Science also at the WCVM. Dr. Mawby is a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She has been employed by the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine since 1991 and has enjoyed working with both the internal medicine service and the day time emergency service.

Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR, began as a registered veterinary technician in 1992. In 2006 she became a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM). In 2008, she created interFace Veterinary HR Systems, LLC, a consulting company that focuses on professional development and performance management. Katherine became a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) in June 2008, and a Compassion Fatigue Specialist in 2009, and has studied compassion fatigue extensively since that time. Katherine has been published in various veterinary journals in the United States, UK, and Canada. Her public speaking experience includes many national, regional, and state meetings and conferences.