Psychological First Aid for First Responders: Tip for Emergency and Disaster Response Workers

2009 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
First Responders ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Psychological First Aid

scholarly journals Adherence to Psychological First Aid after Exposure to a Traumatic Event at Work among EMS Workers: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11026
Author(s):  
Marine Tessier ◽  
Josianne Lamothe ◽  
Steve Geoffrion
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
First Responders ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
First Responder ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
Peer Helpers

Managing post-traumatic stress reactions in the first few days after exposure to a potentially traumatic event in the course of one’s work remains a challenge for first responder organizations such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach to reducing initial distress and promoting short- and long-term coping strategies among staff in the aftermath of exposure. PFA provided by peer helpers is considered a promising solution for first responder organizations. Unfortunately, first responders may encounter stigma and barriers to mental health care. Therefore, a deeper investigation is needed regarding adherence over time to implemented PFA intervention. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore factors that influence adherence to PFA intervention of recipients and peer helpers. EMS workers (n = 11), working as PFA peer helpers for one year, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; intercoder reliability (κ = 0.91) was also used. Researchers identified four themes and 11 subthemes influencing adherence to PFA intervention: (1) individual perceptions and attitudes of peer helpers and recipients about pfa intervention; (2) perceived impacts on peer helpers and recipients; (3) organizational support to pfa intervention; and (4) congruence with the occupational culture. Study findings herein suggest that it is conceivable to act on various factors to improve adherence to PFA intervention among peer helpers and recipients within EMS organization. This could lead to enhanced understanding of the challenges involved in sustaining a peer led PFA program for first responders.

First responders and psychological first aid

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Pekevski, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Adaptive Functioning ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
First Responders ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
And Coping

Emergencies and disasters are common and occur on a daily basis. Although most survivors will not experience any long-term negative mental health effects, some will. First responders tend to have first contact with the survivors and, therefore, are in a position to provide needed mental health assistance to survivors. Psychological first aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach to providing support to survivors following a serious crisis event, and it aims to reduce the initial distress of the traumatic event and to promote adaptive functioning and coping. PFA has gained a great deal of attention lately, likely due to the fact that it is easy to provide. This article discusses the potential negative effects of emergencies and disasters on mental health, provides a description of PFA and discusses its application, and provides an overview of the research base of PFA and a discussion on the need for future research.

S19-02 A Modality of Disaster Response: Cyclone Nargis and Psychological First Aid

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. S19
Author(s):  
R. Way ◽  
A.A. Bartlett ◽  
T. Wong ◽  
T. Myint ◽  
R. De Souza
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
Cyclone Nargis

Organizational implementation of psychological first aid (PFA): Training for managers and peers.

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 619-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Lewis ◽  
Tracey Varker ◽  
Andrea Phelps ◽  
Eve Gavel ◽  
David Forbes
Keyword(s):  
First Aid ◽  
Psychological First Aid

Psychological First Aid and Skills for Psychological Recovery

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Watson ◽  
Melissa Brymer ◽  
Josef Ruzek ◽  
Alan Steinberg ◽  
Eric Vernberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
First Aid ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
Psychological Recovery

Implementing Psychological First Aid and Related Approaches in High Risk Organization

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Forbes ◽  
Mark Creamer ◽  
J. Don Richardson ◽  
Tracey Varker ◽  
Patricia Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Psychological First Aid
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