Lessen the impact on employees exposed to critical incidents

Accelerate recovery and lessen the effects of harmful stress

Validate and normalize stress reactions

Promote recall of the incident

Encourage ventilation

Explore the personal impact of the trauma

Provide coping strategies

Encourage follow-up and support among management and employees

Provide an atmosphere of concern for affected employees

Provide additional sources of assistance when needed

A critical incident is an event that causes unusually strong reactions that have the potential to interfere with an employee's ability to function at the time the event occurs or at a later time.

Examples of traumatic incidents include line-of-duty deaths, serious injuries, personal assaults, and threats of violence. During the course of their careers, NJDOC employees may experience such critical events as:

Line-of-duty or traumatic deaths

Suicides

Injuries or death of clients/patients/inmates/children

Hostage or riot situations

Fires/arson

Staff assaults

Accidents

Threats or acts of violence in the workplace

It is normal for a person to experience symptoms of stress because of an unexpected abnormal situation. However, what is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another; individuals will vary in their responses to a critical event.

Decisions involving the appropriateness of providing Critical Incident Stress Management services must be made in accordance with established department policies and procedures.

Cognitive (Thoughts) Confusion Nightmares Limited Attention Span Difficulty Making Decisions Flashbacks Poor Concentration

Physical (Body) Chills Nausea Fatigue Muscle Tremors Chest Pain Change in Heart Rate

Emotional (feelings) Guilt Numbness Anger Grief/Despair Depression Helplessness

Behavioral (Actions) Excessive Crying Change in Appetite Sleep Disturbances Alcohol/Drug Abuse Withdrawal from Others Excessive Time Off Work

Once the CISM coordinator decides to hold a debriefing, the team leader will be contacted to provide a team of trained debriefers as soon as arrangements can be made. Typically, it is not held less than 24 hours after the event.

What It Is
· A confidential group meeting offered to employees affected by a traumatic incident.
· A discussion of the thoughts, reactions and feelings resulting from the incident.

What It Is Not
· An operations critique or part of any investigation of employees or the worksite.
· A form of psychotherapy or treatment.

What It Does
· Serves to mitigate or reduce the impact of the stress.
· Provides reassurance that what is being experienced is normal.
· Serves to piece together what has happened.
· Provides education on how to cope with stress related to trauma.

Peer Support Team Member

The dictionary defines peer as "one who has equal standing with another." Support is defined as "to help keep from failing during stress." It is important to note that CISM is a peer support team not a counseling service.