Debriefing after traumatic event?

[BecomingNursey]

Hello fellow ER nurses :)

So here's my question...over the last several days that I have worked we have been getting our butts handed to us in the ED. We have had seriously acute, ill patients and a lot of it has had sad/disheartening outcomes.

Does your ER have a debriefing after traumatic events? Did you help bring that practice into being? How did you make that happen? What does your ER consider as its "debriefing"?

I just know that if I keep going at the rate I'm going without some emotional support after something terrible happens I'm going to get burned out and I want to prevent that from happening to myself and other ER nurses.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

Your employer should have EAP, would encourage to talk to someone there.

We have debriefings typically as soon as we can during the shift, usually lead by the charge nurse or the MD.

Or if you are needing it, have you spoken to your manager about debriefings?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Never happens in four ERs I've worked in.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

I just initiate it.

"How do you feel like that went?"

"Anyone else feel like the crap just keeps coming?"

"I feel so bad for that family in room 10."

"That was a cluster"

"I'm glad you did ____."

etc.

People who have the same needs as you to let it out will open up and you can hash it out step by step, the good, bad and ugly.

***Make sure you pull the newer ones to someplace quiet and formally debrief them! They are especially vulnerable for a while. Make sure they know they have somewhere to go let it out (EAP) if they need to talk about it more. Make sure they know the signs/symptoms of the aftermath so they don't think they are losing it or alone.

[BecomingNursey]

I just initiate it.

"How do you feel like that went?"

"Anyone else feel like the crap just keeps coming?"

"I feel so bad for that family in room 10."

"That was a cluster"

"I'm glad you did ____."

etc.

People who have the same needs as you to let it out will open up and you can hash it out step by step, the good, bad and ugly.

***Make sure you pull the newer ones to someplace quiet and formally debrief them! They are especially vulnerable for a while. Make sure they know they have somewhere to go let it out (EAP) if they need to talk about it more. Make sure they know the signs/symptoms of the aftermath so they don't think they are losing it or alone.

That last part IS my problem. Lol I'm one of the "newer ones". I've only been an RN a little over a year and I'm still very emotionally vulnerable at this point and I'm trying to protect my emotions but I'm not very good at it. I give my patients my everything.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

Well first off, because you work in an environment with that level of stress, I know you have Employee Assistance Program through work. This is where you make an appointment to talk to a therapist (or you can talk immediately over the phone if you are in crisis). They don't tell your work that you are seeing them, it's completely confidential. When you get there, you just talk it all out and they give you some tips and ideas to work it out of your system to where you are able to think about it without feeling overwhelmed.

Second, for more immediate stuff you can always go to one of the more approachable experienced nurses and have a one on one, or you can come here and talk it out in private messaging with someone.

Either way, you definitely need someone to let it all out with.

[PS0812]

Never had a debriefing in any ER that I worked. We usually commiserate with one another. Can be lots of tragedy in the ER and that usually helps me.