| |
CISM is the
overall process of crisis
intervention in the event of a
critical incident. A critical
incident occurs when normal people
are exposed to abnormal situations.
Through the use of peer support and
trained staff, the event is
discussed, or "debriefed".
This helps to provide a framework of
the incident, as well as an
opportunity to process various
reactions. A certain amount of
healing occurs; those involved
realize that many of the signs and
symptoms they are experiencing are
normal reactions to stress. This
helps to speed the recovery process
and helps with prevention of long
term consequences from profound
stress. CISM is not psychotherapy,
but team members are trained to make
referrals to more qualified
personnel as needed. Follow up is
provided 7-10 days post-debriefing
to determine if further assistance
is needed.
CISM Response Team - SKEMS – Region II
Ten Basic
Interventions of CISM
We
will coordinate CISM
sessions for your system and
staff and we will provide
CISM information programs
and training upon request.
General Questions
Asked:
Who will be at the
debriefing?
-
Attendance
depends on the agencies
involved in the incident.
Generally, only those persons
directly involved with the
incident are allowed, along
with a group of specially
trained peers (co-workers).
Media and supervisors that
were not directly involved are
not permitted at the
debriefing.
How can I tell if I’m
suffering from critical stress?
-
Each
individual may show one or
several symptoms following a
traumatic incident. Some
symptoms are constant fatigue,
apathy, sleep disturbance,
headaches or muscle aches,
loss of energy or
hyperactivity, nausea, ulcers,
agitation, high blood pressure
or an increase in alcohol
intake or smoking.
Will I be critiqued?
Why go if I’m not
feeling affected by an incident?
-
The goal
of a debriefing is to
accelerate the normal recovery
process and normal reactions
following an abnormal event.
By attending a debriefing,
those who feel comfortable
with the event can provide
valuable support and guidance
to those who were more
impacted by the incident. No
one is forced to speak. All
information is voluntarily
shared and is strictly
confidential.
Sudden, Unanticipated Death
11
issues inherent in sudden, unanticipated death that complicate mourning:
-
The
capacity to cope is diminished as
the shock effects of the death
overwhelm the ego.
-
The
assumptive world is violently
shattered without warning
-
The
loss does not make sense, and cannot
be understood or absorbed.
-
There
is no chance to say good-bye and
finish unfinished business
-
Symptoms
of acute grief and of physical and
emotional shock persist for a
prolonged period of time
-
The
mourner obsessively reconstructs
events in an effort both to
comprehend the death and to prepare
for it in retrospect.
-
The
mourner experiences a profound loss
of security and confidence in the
world, which affects all areas of
life.
-
The
loss cuts across experiences in the
relationship and tends to highlight
what was happening at the time of
the death.
-
The
death tends to leave mourners with
relatively more intense emotional
reactions.
-
The
death tends to be followed by a
number of major secondary losses.
-
The
death can provoke posttraumatic
stress responses.
|
