The Role of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing in Post Critical Incident Trauma Reduction

The role of CISD in post critical incident trauma reduction
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Abstract
This paper will first explore the literature that addressed critical incident stress from the occurrence on the 11th of September, 2001. The study focused on the implementation of a rounded programme of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for the primary responders and corporate organizations. CISM is efficient in handling traumatic events in face of any disasters: both man-made and natural and this includes terrorist attacks. From the literature on 9/11, the method of achieving resilience in the community through a thought out and a greatly arranged and executed CISM programme fostered self-efficacy and self-help in organizations and individuals alike. First responders are susceptible to exposure to critical incidents that impact their mental health, therefore, implementing the CISM. This management programme will improve the management of different types of stress disorders like acute stress, post-traumatic stress, substance uses and traumatic stress.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is under the umbrella of CISM and this paper will aim at exploring the role of CISD in post incident trauma reduction. CISD is a process that will involve phases that are very critical in empowering and informing a homogenous group that has gone through a traumatic and an overwhelming situation. This paper will also look at literature by Tuckey and Scott, where they conducted a research on CISD with workers in the emergency sectors – sixty seven volunteered fire fighters - after an experience with a work-related Potential Traumatic Event (PTE).
Discussion
Introduction
Traumatic events or episodes are prevalent globally and hence, traumatic victims need emergency and clinical help. Survivors of trauma find a hard time regaining normalcy and taking back control of their lives. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is a technique designed for people with psychological and physical symptoms that are associated with trauma. This technique allows individuals to process on the events that happened and reflect on the impacts of the traumatic event. One fails to realize the emotions that first respondents go through after disaster strikes. Post 9/11 researchers reported a wide range of physical and mental health issues (Guenthner, 2012). Neria et al (2011)identified that trauma was profound in the population of workers in recovery and rescue, the evacuees of World Trade Centre and the workers in New York city. Businesses in the World Trade Centre and Twin Towers had trained their workers on evacuation but nothing on business continuity or critical incident stress management in these organizations. It is important for business and organizations to understand the whole idea of CISM and CISD in emergencies and disaster management (Guenthner, 2012).
On the other hand, emergency personnel like fire-fighters, face exposure to PTEs frequently and may be susceptible to chronic symptomatic distress. Emergency service personnel are susceptible to PTSD (Tuckey & Scott, 2014).CISD was introduced to minimize the negative effects of critical incidences on emergency personnel as part of the CISM programme to act as an early intervention in the recovery of traumatized victims(Tuckey & Hayward, 2011).
History of CISD
Dr Mitchell Jeffery coined CISD in 1974, for a homogenous group of paramedics, fire-fighters, and law enforcement officers that were involved in a certain dreadful event and were therefore distressed about it. From here, CISD was rooted in crisis intervention practices, group practices of people like Gerald Caplan and Lilian Rapoport and the first journal ever published with CISD was in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services in 1983. With time, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing was used in other fields other than the emergency medical fields. Other professions like the military and the railroad found the process very helpful especially when linked with other crisis intervention processes. Eventually, most workplaces and service places and even public and religious groups, adopted Critical Incident Stress Debriefing as part of their crisis program for their staff members.
Critical incident
A critical incident is an event that has a great emotional power that overwhelms the victims coping mechanisms. Some of the critical incidents include sudden death from a shooting, a psychological and physical threat of the safety of someone, and sudden deaths. The terrorist attack on 9/11 is also a critical incident (Guenthner, 2012). What makes an incident a critical incident is when it has a profound effect on the physical and psychological functioning of the individual. In addition, the individual would have very strong emotions attached to the traumatic incident that inhibits them to function in the crime scene or even away from it (Tuckey & Scott, 2014). Some of the symptoms associated with critical incidents are relentlessness, irritability, moodiness, excess fatigue, anxiety, nightmares, depression, vomiting, suspiciousness and difficulty in concentrating. These physical and psychological stress responses are normal, but they become worse if prolonged in an individual. Future incidences may also trigger stress response symptoms and in certain situations, the individual may have lifelong effects that are destructive to the person’s health. Mitchel...