“Being With Woman”: Is There a Cost for Midwives and Students Attending Traumatic Births?

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 181-191
Author(s):  
Cheryl Tatano Beck ◽  
Barbara A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Traumatic Birth ◽  
Workforce Retention ◽  
Workforce Issue ◽  
Childbearing Women ◽  
Workforce Attrition

Witnessing and/or providing care during a traumatic birth increases vulnerability to secondary traumatic stress, with potential effects on mental health of and attrition among the midwifery workforce. With the global shortage of the midwifery workforce, retention and peak functioning are critical to the well-being of childbearing women and their infants. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched to identify studies that examined secondary traumatic stress in both midwives and midwifery students. Fifteen studies were located from eight different countries. Four of these studies examined secondary traumatic stress in midwifery students and 11 in practicing midwives. This article discusses the limited research on secondary traumatic stress among midwives and students who have attended or witnessed traumatic births. The vulnerability and potential workforce attrition of midwives and students experiencing secondary traumatic stress are highlighted. The development of a comprehensive body of literature is needed on prevalence, impact, clinical implications, and healing strategies addressing this workforce issue.

Secondary Traumatic Stress and Related Factors in Australian Social Workers and Psychologists

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-130
Author(s):  
Samantha Rayner ◽  
Cindy Davis ◽  
Matthew Moore ◽  
Tamara Cadet
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Workers ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Trauma History ◽  
Personal Trauma

Abstract Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is an indirect form of trauma affecting the psychological well-being of mental health workers. This study examined STS and related factors of empathetic behavior and trauma caseload among a purposive sample of 190 social workers and psychologists. Participants completed an online questionnaire comprising demographics, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, and the Empathy Scale for Social Workers. A moderated moderation model was used to evaluate the hypothesized relationship between the amount of trauma in clinician caseload and STS, as moderated by empathy and personal trauma history. Approximately 30 percent of participants met the criteria for a diagnosis of STS. Results indicated that although caseload trauma was not an independent predictor of STS, there was a significant interaction between caseload trauma and personal trauma history on STS. Similarly, empathy alone was not directly related to changes in STS, yet the trauma in caseload effect on STS was moderated by empathy, and that relationship was moderated by personal trauma history. This overall effect was shown to significantly predict STS. The current study highlights the importance of developing evidence-based risk strategies for mental health workers working in the area of trauma and at risk of developing symptoms of STS.

Investigating Race-related Stress, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress for Black Mental Health Therapists

2021 ◽  
pp. 009579842110339
Author(s):  
E Mackenzie Shell ◽  
Daniel Teodorescu ◽  
Lauren D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Health Therapists ◽  
Quality Of Life Scale ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Race Related Stress ◽  
Black Mental Health

The present study examines the relationships among burnout, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and race-related stress among a national sample of 250 Black mental health therapists (counselors, social workers, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists). We investigated the predictive nature of the three subscales (Individual Racism, Cultural Racism, and Institutional Racism) of the Index of Race-Related Stress–Brief Version (IRRS-B) and selected demographic variables on therapists’ reports of burnout and STS assessed on the Professional Quality of Life Scale–Version 5 (ProQOL-5). All three forms of race-related stress significantly predicted both burnout and STS for Black mental health therapists. Of the demographic variables, hours worked per week significantly predicted burnout and STS. Additionally, highest degree obtained significantly predicted STS for Black mental health therapists. The utility of these findings in understanding the connections among race-related stress, burnout, and STS are discussed as well as directions for future research.

scholarly journals Perceived stress and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among intensive care unit staff caring for severely ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients during the pandemic: a national study

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisha Kader ◽  
Bushra Elhusein ◽  
Nirvana Swamy Kudlur Chandrappa ◽  
Abdulqadir J. Nashwan ◽  
Prem Chandra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

Abstract Background Intensive care unit (ICU) staff have faced unprecedented challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which could significantly affect their mental health and well-being. The present study aimed to investigate perceived stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms reported by ICU staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. Methods The Perceived Stress Scale was used to assess perceived stress, the PTSD Diagnostic Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) was used to determine PTSD symptoms, and a sociodemographic questionnaire was used to record different sociodemographic variables. Results Altogether, 124 participants (57.2% of whom were men) were included in the analysis. The majority of participants perceived working in the ICU with COVID-19 patients as moderately to severely stressful. Moreover, 71.4% of doctors and 74.4% of nurses experienced moderate-to-severe perceived stress. The staff with previous ICU experience were less likely to have a probable diagnosis of PTSD than those without previous ICU experience. Conclusions Assessing perceived stress levels and PTSD among ICU staff may enhance our understanding of COVID-19-induced mental health challenges. Specific strategies to enhance ICU staff’s mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic should be employed and monitored regularly. Interventions aimed at alleviating sources of anxiety in a high-stress environment may reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD.

Hyperacute stroke and the specialist nursing impact: exploring the cause and context of feelings of secondary traumatic stress – a qualitative inquiry

2021 ◽  
pp. 174498712110187
Author(s):  
Mark Wilkinson ◽  
Nigel Cox ◽  
Gary Witham ◽  
Carol Haigh
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Moral Distress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Narrative Design ◽  
Hyperacute Stroke ◽  
Specialist Nurses ◽  
Purposive Sample

Background Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has been defined as the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatised or suffering person. The hyperacute nature of stroke specialist nurses’ work places them at risk of developing STS. Aims To explore the factors that are influential in stroke specialist nurses' experience of STS development within hyperacute practice. Methods This study is qualitative with a narrative design. Data were collected from a purposive sample of stroke specialist nurses (20 female and 2 male) working in hyperacute services during the years 2016 and 2017. Data were analysed using Polkinghorne’s approach. Results This research identified four themes: exposure to acute suffering and death- young presentations; moral distress; interactions with relatives and problematic healthcare systems. Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that stroke specialist nurses are exposed to multiple triggers which are commensurate with the potential for STS development. The findings contribute a new understanding of the emotional burden of hyperacute specialist stroke nursing that has implications for patient safety and satisfaction, services provision and staff well-being.

Educators' Secondary Traumatic Stress, Children's Trauma, and the Need for Trauma Literacy

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAL A. LAWSON ◽  
JAMES C. CARINGI ◽  
RUTH GOTTFRIED ◽  
BRIAN E. BRIDE ◽  
STEPHEN P. HYDON
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
Trauma Informed

In this essay, authors Lawson, Caringi, Gottfried, Bride, and Hydon introduce the concept of trauma literacy, connecting it to students' trauma and educators' secondary traumatic stress (STS). Interactions with traumatized students is one cause of STS; others derive from other traumatic encounters in schools and communities. Undesirable effects of STS start with professional disengagement and declining performance, include spill-over effects into educators' personal lives, and, ultimately, may cause them to leave the profession. The authors contend that alongside trauma-informed pedagogies and mental health services for students, mechanisms are needed for STS prevention, early identification, and rapid response. To benefit from and advance this dual framework, educators need a trauma-informed literacy that enables self-care, facilitates and safeguards interactions with trauma-impacted students and colleagues, and paves the way for expanded school improvement models.

Psychological distress constructs in police with different roles

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Sheard ◽  
Melissa Ellen Burnett ◽  
Helen St Clair-Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Secondary Traumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Compassion Satisfaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Personnel

Purpose Police personnel report relatively high rates of mental health difficulties, and are at an increased risk of experiencing stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress and anxiety as a result of the nature of their work and may also experience low compassion satisfaction. However, it is likely that the prevalence of psychological distress varies across roles. The purpose of this paper is to explore psychological distress, in a large sample of police personnel, examining differences between individuals in a number of police roles. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire assessing experience of mental health problems, perceived stress, compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress), compassion satisfaction and anxiety was administered to 602 police personnel, who were classified into one of ten roles (24/7 officers, communications, firearms, crime, resolution without deployment, neighbourhood, custody, safeguarding, operations and other roles). Differences based on role and the requirement for shift work were then examined. Findings 24/7 officers had higher compassion fatigue and lower compassion satisfaction than individuals in a number of other roles. Firearms officers had lower levels of perceived stress and anxiety. Resolution without deployment officers reported higher secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue. The findings also revealed that respondents who partake in shift work showed higher levels of perceived stress. Originality/value This is the first study to the authors’ knowledge to investigate experience of mental health problems and reports of psychological distress in different roles within a UK police force. The findings have important implications, for example, in terms of identifying groups who may be particularly at risk from psychological distress.

scholarly journals Well-being status and post-traumatic stress symptoms in health workers attending mindfulness sessions during the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic in Mexico

Salud Mental ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
Janet Real-Ramírez ◽  
Luis Alberto García-Bello ◽  
Rebeca Robles-García ◽  
Montserrat Martínez ◽  
Karime Adame-Rivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
National Mental Health

Introduction. In Mexico, a National Mental Health Strategy was implemented to identify and attend the mental health repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It included the creation of five virtual clinics for health workers, being the Burnout, Post-traumatic Stress and Compassion Fatigue clinic one of them. Objective. To describe the basal sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of health workers attending online mindfulness sessions as part of the treatment of the aforementioned clinic. Method. This is a cross-sectional report part of a major nationwide and longitudinal project. All attendants responded to digital sociodemographics and COVID-19 questionnaires, the Extended Physician Well-Being Index (EPWBI), and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) TOP-8 index. Results. Of the 507 health workers that participated, 70.02% of them were at risk of burnout according to the Extended Well-Being Index and 57.31, 7.91 and 2.77% had a mild, moderate, and severe risk of PTSD, respectively. The most affected were the female health workers, from metropolitan or central areas of the country, and those diagnosed with COVID-19 or exposed to a person with the diagnosis. Discussion and conclusion. Mexican health workers attending mindfulness sessions presented high frequencies of PTSD symptoms and burnout. Female workers at urban hospitals could be at a special risk for developing PTSD or Well-ness alterations, and thus, they must be cared for closely, particularly those having direct contact with COVID 19 positive persons. The early participation in mental health strategies might lessen the immediate and long-term pandemic effects.

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