Critical incident stress debriefing
Critical Incident Management
Sometimes employees are involved in distressing or unusual incidents that arise from their work. When an incident or a chronic stress situation has a major impact on a staff member’s emotions and well-being, it is regarded a critical.
Psychological Debriefing is an essential component of a workplace Critical Incident s Management Service. Debriefing is a process to assist people to use their abilities to overcome the effects of critical incidents by:
Forming a clear idea of the events
Taking stock of the thoughts and reactions they have experienced
Identifying current or likely Critical Incident Stress symptoms
Providing information about normal stress responses to abnormal experiences
Helping to mobilise problem-solving strategies
Supporting personal needs
Debriefings:
Are preventative interventions designed to reduce the likelihood of symptoms and encourage self-managed recovery to take place after the incident.
Provide an important opportunity for the assessment and early identification of staff who may need treatment for psychological difficulties.
Promote group support and initiate personal integration of the experience.
Are intended as a normal operational procedure for managing critical incidents, and do not imply any form of disability, weakness or unsuitability in the workers.