International journal of emergency mental health
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2005
Police officer suicide: causes, prevention, and practical intervention strategies.
More police officers die by their own hand than are killed in the line of duty. This article outlines the facts and statistics about police officer suicide and discusses the range of possible contributory factors to officer burnout, depression, and suicide. ⋯ Next, the article offers practical guidelines for dealing with officers in states of impending or acute suicidal crises. Finally, the importance of suicide prevention and intervention in the context of comprehensive mental health services for all public safety workers is highlighted.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2005
ReviewEmergency response service personnel and the critical incident stress debriefing debate.
Previous research has demonstrated the potential for work-related stress associated with employment in the emergency service field. However, little research has considered effective interventions that may be used to mediate the effects of this work-related stress. ⋯ However, the efficacy of this intervention is currently the source of much debate. The present discussion reviews the available literature regarding the effectiveness of CISD for use with emergency service workers and concludes that at this time, for this population, the call for the removal of current programs using CISD is unwarranted.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2004
Assessment of PTSD symptoms in emergency room, intensive care unit, and general floor nurses.
A total of 125 registered nurses participated in an investigation of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related symptoms and various levels of nursing care. The sample included 43 emergency room nurses (ER), 51 intensive care unit nurses (ICU), and 31 general floor nurses (GF). All participants were assessed on measures of PTSD, social support, dissociation, anxiety, depression, and demographics. ⋯ It was inferred that social support played a significant role in helping nurses cope with work-related stress. Nevertheless, the high anxiety levels of all nurses were highlighted as a concern. It was suggested that exposure to numerous traumatic experiences over a lifetime of nursing, and a lack of control over these experiences, contributed to the high anxiety levels seen in all nursing groups.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2004
ReviewCharacteristics of successful early intervention programs.
A plethora of terms and titles are currently used to describe early intervention programs. The terms "Critical Incident Stress Management Team," "Rapid Response Team," "Community Crisis Response Program," "Critical Incident Stress Team," "Staff Support Team," "Critical Incident Support Team," "Critical Incident Support Services," and "Assaulted Staff Action Program" are among many titles utilized to name a variety of crisis response programs. Additionally, crisis intervention services use different tactics to aim at a wide range of populations from primary victims to community groups, military service personnel, and emergency services responders. ⋯ Furthermore, no title, no matter how creative or descriptive it is, can indicate if the team or program has a greater or lesser potential to be of assistance by providing the right services during a crisis. This article focuses on the key characteristics of well-organized crisis intervention or, more precisely, "critical incident stress management" program. It also offers guidelines for identifying early intervention programs that have the best potential to provide efficient and effective early intervention services to those who request assistance.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2004
ReviewTheories of human violence: implications for health care safety.
Violence is a complex, multifactorial entity with no single source of explanation. Although much research is underway into the nature and causes of violence, much of this research is done in isolation and published in highly specialized journals. ⋯ The review includes risk management strategies for, and the role of, health care facilities as societal institutions to curb violence. Many of the risk management strategies noted for health care settings may also be fielded in schools, courts, businesses, and other settings in which emergency services personnel are asked to respond.