STAF120-1106 : Communication and Conflict Resolution Module 2 - Balance Your Life and Manage Your Stress

INSTRUCTOR:
Heather Howell, LVT, MBA

DATES:
November 21-December 21, 2006
Real Time Sessions: Monday evenings, November 27, December 4 and 11; 9:30pm-11:00pm ET (USA)

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Stress in the workplace affects us all. Add to that the stress we experience in our personal lives and the workplace can reach a boiling point. In this course techniques will be provided to improve and effectively balance the participant's personal and professional life. The course will also introduce stress management techniques that can be utilized in your home and work life. As a continuation of Module 1, we will incorporate how your stress level affects your communication with others.

Module 2 consists of three (3) real time interactive sessions of ninety minutes (90) each covering discussion of situations; homework reinforcing the handouts and real time sessions; interactive message boards to discuss the real time sessions and homework; and an online final exam. In addition multiple choice homework quizzes will be given online each week; the goal of the homework is to test the participant's knowledge of the material covered discussed in each session and presented in the handouts.

All members of the veterinary support staff may join the course and its discussions; however, this course is focused toward practice managers, office managers, supervisors and veterinarians. Module 2 may be taken without having taken Module 1.

Upon completion of STAF120-1106: Communication and Conflict Resolution Module 2, the participant should be able to:

• understand and discuss balance in your personal and professional life.
• learn stress management and stress reduction.
• learn to support others in achieving a life/work balance.

Overall Goal: Become a more knowledgeable and confident communicator.

TEXTBOOKS: There are no required texts for this course; however, the instructor has supplied a list of suggested references below:

• The Eight Essential Steps to Conflict Resolution; Preserving Relationships at Work, at Home, and in the Community. Dudley Weeks, Ph.D.; Penguin Putnam Publishers, 1992.
• I'm Stuck, You're Stuck; Break Through to Better Work Relationships; Discovering Your DiSC Behavior Style. Tom Ritchey; Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2002.
• Dyadic Interaction; Choice and Change in Conversations and Relationships. Theodore G. Grove; Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1991.
• The Bully at Work; What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity On the Job. Gary Namie Ph.D. and Ruth Namie, Ph.D.; Sourcebooks, Inc. 2000.
• Communication Miracles at Work; Effective Tools and Tips for Getting the Most From Your Work Relationships. Matthew Gilbert; Conari Press, 2002.
• Learn to Listen; How to Tune in Before Someone Tunes You Out. Jim Dugger; National Press Publications, 1992.
• Perspectives on Organizational Communication, 4th Edition. Tom D. Daniels, Barry K. Spiker, & Michael J. Papa; Brown & Benchmark Publishers, 1997.
• The Art of Possibility; Transforming Professional and Personal Life. Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander; Harvard Business School Press, 2000.
• Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Compassion. Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph. D.; Puddledancer Press, 1999.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week 1 - Assessing Balance
Content: This lecture will cover techniques to assess balance in key areas of your personal and professional life. We will introduce techniques for evaluating your life balance. We will also discuss techniques to improve areas of your life that are lacking balance.

Week 2 - Stress Management
Content: This lecture will cover stress, how it affects you personally and professionally. We will discuss coping skills and learning how to use them. We will discuss how balance in your life can decrease your stress and how to achieve that. This lecture will cover how stress affects the workplace and what can be done to improve the work environment.

Week 3 - Balancing Your Life and Supporting Coworkers
Content: This lecture will discuss how to introduce balance into your practice and support coworkers in finding balance in their lives. We will cover communication techniques to reduce stress, conflict, and avoid burn out. We will also cover how you can work as a team to improve the stress level in your practice - including training techniques.

LIBRARY MATERIALS: Library materials will be made available prior to the topic week so participants will have plenty of time to prepare for the real time sessions and discussion.

MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSIONS: Message board discussions regarding the topic presented will begin on the day the course opens and continue for one week following the last real time session. These discussions will be held in the VSPN CE course area.

CE HOURS: 4.5

TUITION:
$79.00 ($71.00 early bird special if registered before November 7, 2006).
Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a reduced rate for this course (upon verification of student status)
* VT students: You must include the following information in the comments section of the CE enrollment form in order to be eligible for this discount: your program directors name and contact information (email/phone) and school name.

** NOTE: Registration will be closed when the maximum number of participants is reached or at 5pm ET the day of the first real time session.

Minimum Requirements for Online CE

TO REGISTER:

1. Each enrollee must individually be a registered member of VSPN (www.vspn.org). Membership in VSPN is free.
2. To enroll in any VSPN CE course click on the ENROLL NOW link below the course title on the right side of the page at www.vspn.org/CE
3. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. This is our major form of communication with participants. It is highly recommended that course participants use their own, personal emails rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
4. VIN Member veterinarians SHOULD NOT register for their staff. Please have the staff member register through VSPN. Please email VSPNCE@vspn.org if you have questions.
5. VIN Member veterinarians ARE ELIGIBLE to take this course, we are requesting RACE accreditation for both veterinarians and veterinary technicians. ** Please access the course enrollment through www.vspn.org/CE.

NOTE: All members of the veterinary support staff may join the course and its discussions; however, this course is focused toward practice managers, office managers, supervisors and veterinarians

**For More Information on VSPN's upcoming CE Courses, check out http://www.VSPN.org/CE

Note: "This program was submitted (but not yet approved) to the AAVSB's RACE program for continuing education. Please contact the AAVSB's RACE program at race@aavsb.org should you have any comments/suggestions regarding this program's validity or relevance to the veterinary profession." (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board.) This course has also been submitted for approval for continual education units toward CVPM requirements by the VHMA.

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COURSE WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY: Withdrawal prior to the listed start date of a course entitles the registrant to a complete refund or a credit toward a future VSPN or VIN CE course, whichever is preferred. Withdrawal within 1 week after the listed start date (i.e. including no more than one real-time session) entitles the registrant to a credit toward any future VIN CE course. (Does not apply to courses with only one real-time session.) After the first real-time session, a registrant may withdraw due to special circumstances and receive prorated credit towards a future VIN course. These requests will be handled on an individual basis. The amount of the prorated credit will be determined based on 65% of the time remaining in the course at the time of withdrawal. It is not possible to withdraw retroactively.
Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

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Nanette R. Walker Smith, RVT, CVT
VSPN Content Director
Nanette@vspn.org or VSPNCE@vspn.org

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