A primary takes away for me was the concept of the veterinary social contract the industry has with the public. Then the inability to answer what the 'agreed ends' of this contract is in comparison to the role the veterinary industry has vaguely put itself into. The trust the public has in us we need to uphold and our inability to know how to uphold it. Where veterinary nurses fit into that, and the professional identity issues associated. Have we earned out social contract privilege, and do we uphold it? Should the public trust us?

I wonder about the disconnect in the profession from culture, beliefs, values, and relationship building. Which support client trust and therefore retention, education, understanding and patient outcomes. I have relatives who refuse to go to human doctors out of distrust from their experienced lack of respect on previous visits. It's applicable to the veterinary industry because while yes animal welfare is #1, you need to get those animals into the clinic for treatment. Then the struggles of a relationship-based approach in comparison to policing of the welfare act. The instant distrust that comes with removing client control. Then clients never coming back to the clinic with future animals if they weren't educated on why their control was removed in an appropriate, considerate, and empathetic manner. or instead, the effects of pawning that legal responsibility off onto the SPCA in NZ (which still includes veterinarians and nurses). 

Also interesting to me was the fact that pet ownership veterinary is inherently a private healthcare industry. Therefore, there are the struggles of being compared to or adapting public healthcare structures and mechanisms, which don't translate well. Particularly legally and socioeconomically. 

Then the struggles of creating overarching systems, ethics and morals and imposing those on sectors of the industry that weren't taken into consideration or discussed with. Such as behavior, farm, research, wildlife, population control (feral cats), etc. How surgeons talked mainly about their position and not until the end of the discussion mentioning other aspects of the veterinary multidisciplinary team when they spoke up. We need to speak up and speak for ourselves. Then there's also the aspects 'outside' of the industry that we are inherently linked to and have delegated tasks to that aren't apart of the 'veterinary clinic'. Such as rescues, the SPCA, investigators, animal control, lawyers, insurance, etc. 

The limitations of the scientific approach in terms of positive language -> self-perception. Reduction of social empathy in the industry through language. So interesting.  

I also want to write about behavior veterinary science in comparison to ethical and moral challenges, but I would not be able to do it concisely. 

I have so much more I could write,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 

Social contact, recognizing relationships, defining 'agreed ends', assessing changes, assessing role, scope, public awareness/education, transparency, policy, regulation, legislation, ease of access to discussion and information. 
Our version of this unique to veterinary nursing as our industry. Our voice.

Also, the effects on students or those wanting advice before joining the industry,,,,, 

I also understand the points raised about maintaining the relationship with the public and maintaining trust with owners, which is something that can be incredibly fragile. Definitely highlights the pressures on vets and the profession to do things right by the owners, the pets and to maintain your own personal ethics. 

The issues with having a ‘gold standard’ of care in a vet clinic, how policies and procedures are often not followed when the clinic is busy and short-staffed, which can cause compassion fatigue in all of the veterinary staff as they are unable to give the best care to their patients. That it is important to not load that on our shoulders and instead reflect on what could have been done better in different circumstances, and give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done under less than ideal conditions.

Considering the transparency of the complexity of the relationships in the veterinary profession to society. It makes me think of the dog who mauled the vet in Tauranga, and how the vet has now become a social pariah because of several things beyond her control in regards to the owners being charged by the council following an appeal of the court decision. This situation has most certainly reduced the amount of trust the New Zealand society as a whole has toward the veterinary profession, and I believe transparency in cases like this may allow more people to understand the complexities around the responsibilities veterinarians have to clients, animals, governing bodies, colleagues, and society, and the responsibilities that the owners have towards their animals, veterinarians, and governing bodies like the local councils.