Debriefing after a code?

mandykal, ADN, RN · Apr 5, 2005

How about understanding and explaining the cause of the code as your first step....

canuckeh! · Apr 5, 2005

what you are talking about is "defusing"- the first step of critical incident stress debriefing. the international critical incident stress foundation might be helpful. you should find lots of information and links there.

you could also do a websearch using the term"critical incident stress debriefing" i am sure you would be able to narrow it down further to its' applicability to health care. good luck in your project.

i am a senior nursing student (graduate in may!) who is doing my final clinical rotation in the er and we just recently had a pediatric death in the er that was tough on everyone. they decided to do a little debriefing, which isn't normally done, in order to help everyone one.

well...i now need to do a teaching project on ways to help out your fellow nurses after a code or a traumatic situation or ways to kind of "debrief" each other in case a formal debriefing can't be done. i need help finding ideas or resources on this. does anyone have any ideas for me? any help would be greatly appreciated!

thanks,
gigglesforall

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2005

Thanks! I'll be sure to check that out!

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2005

I just found out that our county hospice service will do counseling services for caregivers of their patients, and although this child was proably not on hospice...I thought it would be informative for other nurses to know! I think it is very important for caregivers (yes, including nurses) to be able to have this help!

I feel very strongly about debriefing after traumatic death or injury situations. My hubby, who at the time was a volunteer fire/EMT, (now a senior paramedic) arrived to a home where a 16 month little girl drowned in a small fish pond (not even 12 inches deep) and was trying his hardest to revive her. That was over 13 years ago...and he STILL cries out in the night begging her to breath!!!!!

Then, my son was invited to a home for a play date, and it was that house (the pond was taken out)...the nightmares came back with strength, and I really discussed going to a counselor to get these feelings out and in check...he is planning on it now because he can't stop the tears that come out of no where! He is a tough big guy, but knows that this was too much for anyone to witness without being effected...too bad it took this long to find help.

They really didn't have a debriefing...I mean, it was pretty much an old boys club of old farmer fire fighters so their way to deal was to never talk of it again. That was so wrong, but I understand why it occured.

People need the help asap to deal with these issues...and I too have never been to a debriefing till I was at my current job where I will take my CNA's out for a while and discuss so we can get our feelings out. I talk about the stages of grief, validate their importance in the patients life, and open forum of feelings. I also encourage journal writing because like I say..."you can see yourself in a mirror, but not your feelings...a journal is the mirror for feelings!"...

Good luck with the project, and hope you are okay after this event.

bobnurse · Apr 6, 2005

Hi

We do a debriefing after every code. We do this as an educational experience as well as emotional one.

We talk about what went well in the code, things that could of been better, and supply or equipment issues, and overall feelings. If an employee needs further assistance after that, we set them up with a social worker or counselor.

We've been doing this for about a year now, and I have seen improvements in our code response as well as emotional handling of deaths by the employees.

So if your a director and arent doing this, its a good idea to start.....I think you'll see the benefits.