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Young L, Ferrara F, Kelly L, Martin T, Thompson-Iritani S, LaFollette MR. Professional quality of life in animal research personnel is linked to retention & job satisfaction: A mixed-methods cross-sectional survey on compassion fatigue in the USA. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298744. [PMID: 38626016 PMCID: PMC11020707 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working with research animals can be both rewarding and challenging. The rewarding part of the work is associated with understanding the necessity for animal research to improve the health of humans and animals and the knowledge that one can provide care and compassion for the animals. Challenges with animal research include witnessing stress/pain in animals necessitated by scientific requirements, end of study euthanasia, and societal stigmatization about animal research. These challenges could be compounded with more general workplace stresses, in turn, impacting job retention and satisfaction. However, these factors have yet to be formally evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this survey was to comprehensively evaluate professional quality of life's correlation with key workplace metrics. METHODS Six institutions were recruited to participate in a longitudinal intervention trial on compassion fatigue resiliency. This manuscript reports key baseline metrics from this survey. A cross-sectional mixed methods survey was developed to evaluate professional quality of life, job satisfaction, retention, and factors influencing compassion fatigue resiliency. Quantitative data were analyzed via general linear models and qualitative data were analyzed by theme. RESULTS Baseline data was collected from 198 participants. Personnel who reported higher compassion satisfaction also reported higher retention and job satisfaction. Conversely, personnel who reported higher burnout also reported lower job satisfaction. In response to open-ended questions, participants said their compassion fatigue was impacted by institutional culture (70% of participants), animal research (58%), general mental health (41%), and specific compassion fatigue support (24%). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, these results show that professional quality of life is related to important operational metrics of job satisfaction and retention. Furthermore, compassion fatigue is impacted by factors beyond working with research animals, including institutional culture and general mental health support. Overall, this project provides rationale and insight for institutional support of compassion fatigue resiliency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Young
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- The 3Rs Collaborative, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Lisa Kelly
- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tara Martin
- Refinement and Enrichment Advancements Laboratory, Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sally Thompson-Iritani
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Office of Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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Graham JC, Wong L, Adedeji AO, Kusi A, Lee B, Lee D, Dybdal N. Fostering Animal Welfare and Advancing 3Rs Principles through the Establishment of a 3Rs Advisory Group. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3863. [PMID: 38136900 PMCID: PMC10740783 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the current state of science, the use of animals remains essential in bringing safe and effective medicines to patients. Respect for laboratory animal welfare and the application of 3Rs principles (the replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use in research) are a priority throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Given the rapid pace of development, technological progress, and the emergence of new-approach methodologies (NAMs) in the field of biomedical research, maintaining a leading position in scientific advancements with a focus on the principles of replace, reduce, and refine (3Rs) can be quite challenging. To effectively address these challenges and sustain a prominent position in the scientific community, organizations can derive significant advantages from establishing an internal 3Rs advisory group (3Rs AG). The primary objective of a 3Rs AG is to stay at the forefront of the knowledge of best practices related to the 3Rs principles in the industry. This group plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and facilitating the seamless integration and implementation of 3Rs principles into a company's policies and procedures. The thoughtful reduction in and replacement of animal studies and the refinement of study designs and practices, enabled by a 3Rs AG, can minimize animal use as well as guide resources and positively impact study and data quality. This article provides guidance on how to establish a successful and impactful 3Rs AG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Graham
- Product Quality and Occupational Toxicology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lisa Wong
- Non-Clinical Operations, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (L.W.); (A.K.)
| | - Adeyemi O. Adedeji
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
| | - Aija Kusi
- Non-Clinical Operations, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (L.W.); (A.K.)
| | - Becky Lee
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
| | - Donna Lee
- Safety Assessment Toxicology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
| | - Noel Dybdal
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
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Daly R, Hetherington K, Hazell E, Wadling BR, Tyrrell V, Tucker KM, Marshall GM, Ziegler DS, Lau LMS, Trahair TN, O'Brien TA, Collins K, Gifford AJ, Haber M, Pinese M, Malkin D, Cowley MJ, Karpelowsky J, Drew D, Jacobs C, Wakefield CE. Precision Medicine Is Changing the Roles of Healthcare Professionals, Scientists, and Research Staff: Learnings from a Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Trial. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1033. [PMID: 37511646 PMCID: PMC10381580 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine programs aim to utilize novel technologies to identify personalized treatments for children with cancer. Delivering these programs requires interdisciplinary efforts, yet the many groups involved are understudied. This study explored the experiences of a broad range of professionals delivering Australia's first precision medicine trial for children with poor-prognosis cancer: the PRecISion Medicine for Children with Cancer (PRISM) national clinical trial of the Zero Childhood Cancer Program. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 85 PRISM professionals from eight professional groups, including oncologists, surgeons, clinical research associates, scientists, genetic professionals, pathologists, animal care technicians, and nurses. We analyzed interviews thematically. Professionals shared that precision medicine can add complexity to their role and result in less certain outcomes for families. Although many participants described experiencing a greater emotional impact from their work, most expressed very positive views about the impact of precision medicine on their profession and its future potential. Most reported navigating precision medicine without formal training. Each group described unique challenges involved in adapting to precision medicine in their profession. Addressing training gaps and meeting the specific needs of many professional groups involved in precision medicine will be essential to ensure the successful implementation of standard care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Daly
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kate Hetherington
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Emily Hazell
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bethany R Wadling
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Vanessa Tyrrell
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Katherine M Tucker
- Hereditary Cancer Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Glenn M Marshall
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - David S Ziegler
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Loretta M S Lau
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Toby N Trahair
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Tracey A O'Brien
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kiri Collins
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Gifford
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Anatomical Pathology, NSW Health Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Michelle Haber
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mark Pinese
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - David Malkin
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Mark J Cowley
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, Garvan Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Jonathan Karpelowsky
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Children's Cancer Research Unit, Kids Research Institute, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Division of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Donna Drew
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Chris Jacobs
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Claire E Wakefield
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
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Goñi-Balentziaga O, Ortega-Saez I, Vila S, Azkona G. Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing. Lab Anim Res 2021; 37:18. [PMID: 34315536 PMCID: PMC8314439 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Replacement, reduction and refinement, the 3R principles, provide a framework to minimize the use and suffering of animals in science. In this context, we aimed to determine the actual perception that individuals working with laboratory rodents in biomedical research have on animal welfare and on their interaction with the animals, as well as how they perceive its impact on their social relations. To this end, we designed an anonymous on-line survey for people working with rodents, at three responsibility levels, in Spain. Results Of the 356 participants, 239 were women (67 %); 263 were researchers (74 %), and 93 animal facility staff (26 %), of which 55 were caretakers/technicians (15 %), and 38 welfare officer/veterinarians (11 %). Animal facility staff indicated environmental enrichment to be a universal practice. About half of the participants reported that, in their opinion, animals suffer “little to none” or “minor” stress and pain. Animal caretakers/technicians and researchers perceived higher levels of stress and pain than welfare officers/veterinarians. Participants judged decapitation the most unpleasant method to kill rodents, whereas anaesthetic overdose was the least one. A sizable proportion − 21 % of animal caretakers/technicians and 11.4 % of researchers - stated that they were never given the choice not to euthanize the rodents they work with. Overall, women reported higher interactions with animals than men. Nevertheless, we could detect a significant correlation between time spent with the animals and interaction scores. Notably, 80 % of animal facility staff and 92 % of researchers rarely talked about their work with laboratory rodents with people outside their inner social circle. Conclusions Overall, the participants showed high awareness and sensitivity to rodent wellbeing; animal facility staff reported a similar perception on welfare questions, independently of their category, while researchers, who spent less time with the animals, showed less awareness and manifested lower human-animal interaction and less social support. Regarding the perception on social acceptance of laboratory animal work, all groups were cautious and rarely talked about their job, suggesting that it is considered a sensitive issue in Spain. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain
| | - Iván Ortega-Saez
- Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Vila
- Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Garikoitz Azkona
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain.
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Sarah K, Oceane S, Emily F, Carole F. Learning from lockdown - Assessing the positive and negative experiences, and coping strategies of researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 236:105269. [PMID: 36540095 PMCID: PMC9755055 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
With the disruption of nonessential research due to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers faced unexpected changes in their work and personal life. We assessed what challenges researchers encountered during lockdown and whether gender, career level, discipline, and job-permanency influenced their experiences (negative and positive), thereby collecting empirical material which could provide valuable information for future mentoring/supporting practices. Data were collected between July-August 2020 via an online-survey, and answers from 210 respondents (78% female, 21% male, 1% non-disclosed gender) working in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (ABW, 57%), other biological sciences (37%) or social sciences (6%) were analysed. Respondents were post-graduate students (35%), research associates (35%), and professors (22%) or classified as 'other' (8%), and overall fixed-term (55%) and permanent (45%) jobholders. We expected that early career researchers, non-permanent jobholders, and female respondents would report more challenges/less positive experiences during lockdown. Due to the widespread impact of the pandemic, we predicted no effect of academic disciplines. We found great inter-individual difference in the experiences reported by the respondents, with some reporting adaptation to a new routine within a week (31% of the respondents) and/or greater efficiency working from home (19%) while others felt less efficient working from home and/or experienced a greater imbalance towards work (30%) and/or increased personal responsibilities (24%). The most commonly reported challenges were the lack of informal contact with colleagues (63%), a loss of focus due to worry or stress (53%) and/or unsuitable working environments (47%). Postgraduate students, research associates, non-permanent jobholders and ABW researchers reported more work-related challenges (p = from 0.03 to <0.0001) and were more likely to worry about the future (p = from 0.0002 to <0.0001) than other career levels, permanent jobholders, and researchers from other disciplines respectively. We found no gender effect (p = from 0.006 [NS due to Benjamini-Liu correction for multiple comparisons, 24 metrics tested] to 1.000), except that female respondents reported more personal changes affecting their ability to work than male respondents (p = 0.037). On a positive note, most respondents (83%) perceived positive changes during lockdown and 60% reported one or more coping strategies during lockdown, with exercising/outdoor activities and interacting with family/friends most commonly reported. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for overcoming the reported Covid-19-related challenges which could further deliver valuable guidance for supporting/mentoring schemes and activities fostering a more resilient research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kappel Sarah
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Science, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Schmitt Oceane
- University of Bristol, Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Finnegan Emily
- University of Bristol, Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Fureix Carole
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Science, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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