Crisis theory is an important analytical tool for social workers to use when working with emergency first responders dealing with mental health issues following a critical incident. Those in the emergency response profession are unlikely to describe their job as mundane. Daily, adrenaline pumps through their systems as they respond to the worst events, people will face in their lifetime. As a defense mechanism, first responders are able to operate in their logical minds, build up a resilience, and keep themselves separate from the travesties they witness. Unfortunately, like all helping professions, over time there is a cumulative effect that builds, many times unbeknownst to the individual. Once faced with a critical incident, such as
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Resistance and resilience can be built up by, preventative, pre-incident training. Just as first responders train in CPR or firefighting, they can also implement education on coping skills and stress management, as well as, recognizing the signs of emotional distress in themselves and their co-workers. One way this is being accomplished is through Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Mitchell (2006) defined CISM as “a comprehensive, phase sensitive, and integrated, multi-component approach to crisis/disaster intervention” (p. 28). Since any critical incident would require a team effort, building group cohesion and social supports can be a solid foundation for building resistance and resilience. Once a critical incident has taken place, the social worker can guide everyone through the recovery process, but the support the group gets from one another can be a key element. Not only can the group support each other before and after a critical incident, but they can also assist in assessment. Through preventative education they learn to perceive signs of distress, such as, dissociation, hyper vigilance, self-blame, regressive behaviors, fatigue, or a withdraw from their faith-based community, …show more content…
In that, they cannot get past the “what-ifs.” They continuously re-play scenarios of the incident with different “what-if” situations as they question their job performance and search for a better, life-saving, outcome. One way to assist people through their one-track replays is in a group setting through the use of a critical incident stress debriefing (CISD). The debriefing gives those involved in the critical incident a chance to hear the story from their peer’s perspective, which can often help piece together the whole incident in hopes of preventing further maladaptive coping responses. Plus, social workers are there for one-on-one consultation and to provide an educational piece about mental health support, which can help normalize and/or aid one in realizing that this too shall pass or prompt one to seek more individualized assistance. Since is can be hard for people to see in themselves that they may need additional support, the last piece of CISM is evaluation, which can be enhanced through the use of peer supports. These are first responders within various emergency departments who have been given additional training to evaluate the effects of trauma from a critical incident to better help the mental health workers address those that may need additional
Resistance and resilience can be built up by, preventative, pre-incident training. Just as first responders train in CPR or firefighting, they can also implement education on coping skills and stress management, as well as, recognizing the signs of emotional distress in themselves and their co-workers. One way this is being accomplished is through Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Mitchell (2006) defined CISM as “a comprehensive, phase sensitive, and integrated, multi-component approach to crisis/disaster intervention” (p. 28). Since any critical incident would require a team effort, building group cohesion and social supports can be a solid foundation for building resistance and resilience. Once a critical incident has taken place, the social worker can guide everyone through the recovery process, but the support the group gets from one another can be a key element. Not only can the group support each other before and after a critical incident, but they can also assist in assessment. Through preventative education they learn to perceive signs of distress, such as, dissociation, hyper vigilance, self-blame, regressive behaviors, fatigue, or a withdraw from their faith-based community, …show more content…
In that, they cannot get past the “what-ifs.” They continuously re-play scenarios of the incident with different “what-if” situations as they question their job performance and search for a better, life-saving, outcome. One way to assist people through their one-track replays is in a group setting through the use of a critical incident stress debriefing (CISD). The debriefing gives those involved in the critical incident a chance to hear the story from their peer’s perspective, which can often help piece together the whole incident in hopes of preventing further maladaptive coping responses. Plus, social workers are there for one-on-one consultation and to provide an educational piece about mental health support, which can help normalize and/or aid one in realizing that this too shall pass or prompt one to seek more individualized assistance. Since is can be hard for people to see in themselves that they may need additional support, the last piece of CISM is evaluation, which can be enhanced through the use of peer supports. These are first responders within various emergency departments who have been given additional training to evaluate the effects of trauma from a critical incident to better help the mental health workers address those that may need additional