How Hospitals can Create a 5-Star Relief Work Experience

Roo Team

April 5, 2022

In today’s day and age, good reviews are more important than ever. You’ve likely taken a look at the Google and Yelp reviews that clients have left for your clinic, but did you know that relief veterinarians & techs can leave reviews on Roo.vet too? A high rating makes your practice more appealing for prospective relief work, therefore making it more likely that your shifts will be filled. So how can you go about achieving a higher rating?

We took a look at the highest-rated hospitals on Roo.vet and compiled notes on what makes for a good relief experience. Here are a few helpful tips that hospitals can implement to create a better experience for relief staff and work towards a high rating.

Efficiency and organization

During their time at your practice, a relief veterinarian/tech will likely encounter several patients, staff members, and clients. To ensure that their shift goes as smoothly as possible, efficiency and organization are key.

Make sure that all equipment is clearly labeled, in the right place, and accessible. For example, if a relief worker needs syringes and they spend several minutes searching around for them only to come up empty-handed, this can be frustrating and lead to a negative experience for them.

Additionally, not having equipment and meds properly organized can make each patient visit go overtime, leading to impatient clients and a disrupted schedule. To avoid this and create a more pleasant experience for everyone, make sure that things are labeled and clearly organized.

Create a welcoming environment

A relief worker is coming into an existing team for only a short amount of time, but it’s important that they feel welcomed and comfortable during that time. Before their shift, let your staff know there will be a relief vet or tech coming in and what their name is. If the other staff can address them by name and don’t act surprised that they are there, it will make the relief worker feel much more valued and welcomed.

Additionally, providing a “buddy” will ensure that the relief worker never feels left to fend for themselves. This can be any member of the staff who will be available to answer questions and show them where equipment is during their shift. Knowing that there is someone there to help will provide a pleasant experience for the relief vet!

Alhambra Veterinary Hospital ensures an excellent relief work experience by providing a welcome packet to new relief veterinarians. They provide logins and everything else the relief worker needs to have a successful day. The staff is notified that there will be a relief worker coming, which allows for a welcome, positive experience.

Professionalism is key

Although most relief vets are only at your practice for a single shift, the professionalism of the staff they encounter during their shift can make a big difference in their overall experience. Professionalism is a great way to leave a good impression even after the shift ends.

You can schedule a staff meeting to go over expectations & policies for when there’s a relief veterinarian on duty. It’s as simple as making them feel welcomed and like they’re never completely on their own during their shift.

Keeping any “problem clients” with the regular staff and allowing the relief vet to handle routine checkups during any of these will create a better experience for them. It’s impossible to fully predict how the day will go, but giving them the best experience possible and ensuring that they have everything they need will make a major difference and give them a more positive feeling despite any hiccups that make occur.

Have clear expectations

As a vet or tech coming in to provide relief work, it can be intimidating to step into a shift. By implementing a buddy system, you can ensure that they know where to go with questions. However, a quick tour at the beginning of the shift can go a long way. Have a fellow doctor or a receptionist greet them, show them around, and hand them any necessary equipment they’ll need during their shift. Greeting them in a welcoming manner will make a great first impression, alleviate the nerves that can come with working in an unfamiliar environment, and will help them feel more comfortable during their shift.

Additionally, make sure that your staff and the relief worker have a clear understanding of what they’ll be expected to do. Whether you want them interfacing with patients or staying with patients in the back room, having clear expectations will help your staff know what they can expect from the relief worker and help the relief veterinarian know what to do during the shift.

Know what makes your practice unique

The Vets of Houston is a mobile vet practice that uses Roo to find relief staff. They’re also a 5-star rated hospital. Here are some of the reviews that Roo vets have left after completing shifts:

“This was my first time working a mobile service. I had a great time. The staff were very helpful and welcoming. Looking forward to another shift!”

“Such a fun day with wonderful clients and fun pets. I love how much happier pets are at home and so much more compliant. Owners were also much more relaxed.”

Being a mobile practice gives them a unique edge—because it’s a new experience, it’s likely to leave a stronger impression. However, you can see from the reviews that vets not only enjoyed the unique setting, but they also appreciated the experience they had with the staff and the practice overall.

Know what sets your practice apart, but also, know that a good experience starts with your staff and the groundwork that you’ve laid down.

Spruce up your profile

When selecting shifts, relief vets and techs have the opportunity to look at all shifts available that day and choose the one that appeals to them the most. Some are looking for shifts that are close to their house or for specific specialties and settings. While you can’t control those preferences, you can control what they see when they come across your shift.

Adding photos is a great way to differentiate your practice from the rest. Additionally, make sure that you have completely filled out all of the settings, added a well-thought-out description, and proofread everything. A completed profile will help you stand out and provide a great first impression before they’ve even started the shift!

Ask for feedback

A 5-star rating may seem difficult to achieve, but by doing everything you can to create a great relief work experience, you are providing what relief staff are looking for! If you have a lower rating, then take a look at what you can do to improve (based on the tips above), and go from there.

Finally, encourage vets & techs to leave a review on Roo.vet sharing their experience, especially if you feel like they had a great experience during their shift. Their review is likely to help boost your rating. If they do have feedback on things that could be improved, take that constructively and look at what changes you can make to provide a better experience for all future relief vets & techs!

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Related resources

How Hospitals can Create a 5-Star Relief Work Experience

Efficiency and organization

Create a welcoming environment

Professionalism is key

Have clear expectations

Know what makes your practice unique

Spruce up your profile

Ask for feedback

Related resources

Hospital Relief Tips: Key Elements for a Seamless Relief Shift

How Veterinary Leaders can Avoid Burnout by making the Workplace Fun

Growing vet school classes key to tackling vet shortage

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