debriefing

[shock-me-sane]

I am in an internship in an ICU and have noticed that after codes, deaths etc they don't do any sort of debriefing. Maybe it is just because I am not used to the environment, but it seems important to me? Or maybe they don't do it because it happens often in the ICU?

So I was wondering, does your unit do debriefing? Do you like it or find it necessary? How do they go about doing it?

thanks!

[BookwormRN]

I've been to several codes in our ER (I work med/surg, and if we are assigned "the Heart", we are expected to report to a code if called. The RN from our floor does the recording of meds, VS and anything that has been done during the code.). We do not have a debriefing afterwards---I have not personally felt the need.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[fultzymom]

Have never had a debriefing where I worked. Never really heard of it being done around my area.

[vickynurse]

Probably there is a committee that reviews codes and their documentation on a periodic basis. This way system response can be evaluated in a manner free of emotion.

The only time I've ever heard of a debriefing for emotional concerns of staff was related to a fatal injury in a young child. Most facilities have a chaplain service available to staff who would like to talk with someone after a code.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I've spent many years working in several different Neonatal ICU's. In all of those units, we only have debriefings if something exceptionally stressful or unusual happens. And when they have had them, most staff members don't come because they don't find them all that helpful. Experienced staff members have their own ways of handling the "routine" deaths and only seek special support when special circumstances are involved.

Many years ago, I was talking to a neonatologist about some research that showed that parents benefitted from meetings with the attending physician not only at the time of death, but also a couple of months later. He said essentially, "I can understand that. But we average 5 deaths per week in this unit. If I were to do a series of post mortem meetings with each set of parents, pretty soon my whole workweek would be filled with such meetings and I wouldn't have time to take care of any more babies. That's why we have other people to work with the long term support of the parents."

The same principle applies here. A new staff member may want and need regular debriefings to help deal with death -- but experienced staff members often consider such meetings an added burden to their already busy workweek. They have dealt with the issues surrounding the deaths of their patients and no longer need that type of support.

If you find yourself in need ... then I urge you to seek out those people (such as Social Workers, Chaplains, etc.) who run those types of meetings and perhaps they can help you organize one for those of you would like to have one. Just because the rest of the staff doesn't feel the need is no reason your needs should go unmet. Perhaps there are a couple of other staff members who would like such a meeting who are just waiting for someone to organize one.

[biker nurse]

If you feel you need to de brief tell your supervisor. Maybe you can start a support group.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

We do not routinely do debriefings after codes or other especially stressful situations, but I wish that we did. It would remove the stigma of asking for one.

In my 2 years in the ER we've only had one, and that was after a pediatric code.

[bigsyis]

Shockme, check the threads on the Emergency Nursing site here at AllNurses. There is currently one going about this very thing. The best thing I know of is to find someone who knows the type of experience(s) you have had so they can empathize with you as you talk. Take care!

[oMerMero]

I actually went to a debriefing after a code on a med-surg unit I worked on as a new grad. It was a nasty unespected code that a number of the staff were upset about.

But normally, there is no formal debriefing. However, I often do casually talk with my coworkers after a code or death.