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Critical Incident Response / Debriefing Guidelines

Critical Incident Response / Debriefing Guidelines. Michelle Bakjac Psychologist. What is Trauma?. Trauma means different things to different people 65% of Australians are likely to experience or witness an event that threatens their safety Traumatic events are often sudden or unexpected

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Critical Incident Response / Debriefing Guidelines

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  1. Critical Incident Response / Debriefing Guidelines Michelle Bakjac Psychologist

  2. What is Trauma? • Trauma means different things to different people • 65% of Australians are likely to experience or witness an event that threatens their safety • Traumatic events are often sudden or unexpected • We will have no time to prepare ourselves, adjust to the event or sometimes even make sense of it

  3. NaturalDisasters

  4. Seriousaccidents

  5. Workplace accidents

  6. Fatal Illness

  7. Hold ups

  8. Assault

  9. When Trauma Occurs • It may make us question strongly held beliefs,especially about our safety • We question how much control we have in our life • People refer to their world (or actually their beliefs) as being shattered • Because trauma happens so suddenly, we have to adjust our beliefs after the event

  10. Provide guidelines for treatment following trauma • CIR programmes can provide assistance to staff after trauma.

  11. First Reactions to Trauma • Fear • Sadness • Guilt • Anger • Most people will recover on their own

  12. First Response • Each person will react in a unique way • People should be encouraged to use the resources that suit them • Take a practical approach that meets the person’s immediate needs and helps them cope with their distress • Psychological First Aid

  13. Psychological First Aid • Encouragement to ask for help • Spend time with family and friends • Give yourself time • Try to keep a routine • Return to normal activity • Talk about what happened and how you feel about it • What can you do right now...?

  14. Treatment • Early Intervention – CIR / Mental Health First Aid • Longer Term Intervention – Counselling etc • When we consider possible future diagnosis following trauma: • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Includes any threat, actual or perceived, to the life of the individual, their loved ones or those around them • Remember, PTSD is only one possible consequence following a trauma

  15. Other consequences of Trauma • Depression • Anxiety • Alcohol and Drug use • Withdrawal • Relationship issues

  16. What to look for • Withdrawal • Mood swings • Conflict • Sick leave or sudden requests for leave • Fear and avoidance • Anger

  17. Training to support staff Mental Health First Aid: Educating managers and employees Support through the immediate crisis Minimising long term negative outcomes Ongoing workplace support and assistance where required

  18. Managing a staff member following trauma CIR provider Counselling service: EAP Well informed staff: MHFA Internal programs; Buddy and peer support

  19. Trauma, what to do; • If the person does not seek assistance and the stress reaction persists for more than a month, continue to encourage the person to seek professional help • Come to an agreement with the person about how and how often you will check in with them • Advise the person on how you can support them i.e. time off, not working alone, providing them with different duties, shifts at different times of the day • Have a delegate/contact person for the person to go to with any concerns

  20. Trauma, what NOT to do; • Dismiss the person’s experience • Tell them to ‘get over it’ or ‘pull your socks up’ • Ask the person for details (problematic with criminal and internal investigations) • Allow gossip within the workplace • Dismiss the feelings and experience of those not directly involved • Think that as soon as they have come to your EAP provider your role is over

  21. In the days and weeks after a trauma • Monitor for changes in the person • Check in with the person as you have arranged • Ensure they feel supported and that they can come to you at any time down the track

  22. EmployeeAssistanceProgram

  23. How can you make a difference ? • Education and awareness • Prompt referral for CIR or EAP • Challenge beliefs and perceptions about EAP and professional support

  24. Take Home Messages Understand how trauma impacts people Know your company’s response Know your role Know how to offer appropriate support Identify when a staff member is not coping

  25. For advice or assistance: • 8352 9800 CIR. 0418 883 855 E. mbakjac@chg.net.au

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