|
Health Notes A Newsletter for Employees |
|
|
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing - Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is probably fairly well known from its use with the survivors of airplane crashes and other very publicized events such as the Oklahoma City bombing. The counselors at Health Promotion Northwest receive ongoing training from Crisis Management International (an organization which coordinates a network of crisis and disaster mental health professionals in major cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe). We also volunteer locally with the Whatcom/Skagit Industrial Critical Incident Stress Management Program and the Emergency Medical Services CISM Program. Q. What is Critical Incident Stress? A. Every animal, including humans, responds dynamically to a crisis. In a "fight or flight" response a deer being attacked by a cougar is going to have changes in hormone levels, blood circulation, pupil dilation - and if digestion or hair growth was going on, that may get put on hold. Humans respond the same way, but with people we can also identify a cognitive stress reaction. It is not uncommon to hear people say that all they saw was the gun - or the exit sign - or their role in CPR. We tend to get a sort of tunnel vision and time is often experienced as expanded or contracted. It may seem like hours before help arrives or the event might seem to have happened in the blink of an eye. In short, we often do not have a great foundation of memory for looking back and reflecting upon a highly stressful or traumatic event. After the event it is not uncommon to have some related symptoms, such as:
Q. What happens during a Debriefing? A. In a debriefing the people in your company who where affected by the incident are asked to come together in a private space. Ground rules are given that the debriefing is not a critique of performance or procedures; it is for people to be able to talk about their experience. Also, everyone is asked to agree to respect each other’s privacy by not talking unnecessarily outside the debriefing about what others have to say. A mental health professional (sometimes accompanied by peer debriefers from Industry or Emergency Medical Services) leads the group through clearly establishing (1) The Facts: "Who saw what first, how long until the next person came in, how far away was that?" (2) Thoughts About the Event: "What was everyone thinking while that was happening?" (3) Reactions Since the Event: "Since the event 32 hours ago, what has been the most difficult part of this?" "Has anyone else been having trouble sleeping?" (4) Any Useful Teaching: "Here is what you might expect or what people have experienced after other incidents, try not to stress about the stress." (5) Group Closure: "Here are some other resources." "What can everyone do to recognize this event together?" Q. Why should my company want to call for a debriefing? A. Critical events do occur and they do affect worksites. Debriefings have been shown to help individuals and working teams begin the healing process emotionally and return to productivity and earning a living much sooner than without any assistance. There are drastic reductions in the long term costs to companies when a "rapid, professional crisis intervention" is done. COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF RAPID, PROFESSIONAL CRISIS INTERVENTION
|
||
|
Health Notes is provided by Health Promotion Northwest,
your employee assistance program. If you or a member of your family are
experiencing personal challenges (for example: financial, marital, family,
stress, depression, and/or chemical dependency), Health Promotion
Northwest
can help. We offer confidential counseling, evaluation and
networking services as well as referrals to community resources. This
service is provided through your employer at no cost to you. To contact
us, call these numbers: |
||
|
Health Promotion Northwest |