Stressed? Need to Debrief?

Everyone on our hospital medical staff has faced a crisis on more than one occasion. The continued exposure to crisis situations can take its toll on the most caring of individuals. So who will take care of the ones that take care of others? At Texas Health Resources we live by a promise- "We are individuals caring for individuals together". Part of living out that promise means we take care of each other. We encourage each other, carry each other, and (since we are a faith based hospital system) even pray for each other.
When crisis happens there are many tools that provide a means to take care of those whom are exposed to crisis. One of those tools is a "Critical Incident Stress Debriefing". More staff members are being trained in the art of CISM Debriefing at Texas Health Fort Worth in the hopes that we can build teams to provide CISM debriefings at any time day or night. When people think of crisis in a hospital setting the emergency room or an intensive care unit is what comes to mind. The truth of the matter is that crisis can occur anywhere in the hospital. Death can occur anywhere in the hospital, so can a cardiac resuscitation, anywhere there's pain and suffering a crisis moment can take place.
As a chaplain in the hospital I am heavily involved in caring for those that care for others. Despite my role as a caregiver for others and an advocate for crisis debriefing, I need care as well. This became acutely aware to me when I faced a death which touched many areas in my own life. The day before in the emergency room I had been actively recruiting people to participate in a critical incident stress debriefing. On the day I was facing a crisis it was a nurse that looked at me and asked the question "do you need a debriefing today?" (Individuals caring for individuals together). My answer was yes, I will in a little while. Unfortunately a little while or tomorrow never comes. Fortunately, I did not allow that to happen in my own life, however many health care workers never address the issues that are hurting them on the inside.
As a result of this knowledge, Texas Health Fort Worth undertook the task of studying compassion fatigue. The compassion fatigue study focused on the levels of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction for registered nurses and their family members. The results confirmed to us that the problems facing other health care workers throughout the country were being felt in our hospital. Some health care workers love what they do but suffer as a result of what they do. A new twist, to looking at compassion fatigue, was "what would our family members say about us?". Our families confirmed to us that we did indeed possess compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction at our hospital.
With details of the study in hand, we are working in our hospital to reduce the levels of stress experienced by our staff. Our hospital has empowered unit based councils to discuss and address the problem. It is our hope that the unit based councils will come up with best practices that will not only affect our hospital, but give guidance to hospitals throughout the nation. By relying on our promise to help others, as well as take care of ourselves, we hope for a new day in health care!

- Angelo Betancourt

Staff Chaplain