| Who needs critical incident stress management | | | | The primary focus of critical incident stress |
| training? Any professional that comes into contact | | | | management training is for preventing or |
| with critical events or incidences. Some of these | | | | minimizing problems, such as post traumatic |
| professions include, but are not limited to, | | | | stress disorder. These training programs are |
| emergency room hospital staff, law enforcement | | | | designed to be flexible, as to meet the needs of |
| personnel, emergency medical service | | | | peer leaders and professionals alike. These include |
| professionals, fire personnel, psychologists and | | | | nursing staff, emergency room staff, firefighters |
| military professionals. The events these | | | | and police officers; as well as mental health |
| professionals have to handle in their lives could ruin | | | | professionals including but not limited to |
| their ability to handle any given situations by | | | | psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. |
| developing extreme behavioral, or emotional | | | | Some of the techniques used, involve one-on-one |
| reactions. Critical incident stress management | | | | support, education, family support, debriefings and |
| training helps to alleviate the strain and stress | | | | peer support. Other techniques used for critical |
| experienced by these professionals. | | | | incident stress management may provide formal |
| Professionals are provided with many methods to | | | | education workshops on traumatic stress or |
| use for critical incident stress management. These | | | | group therapy. |
| methods form two categories; supportive and | | | | Symptoms most often seen in professionals and |
| intervention. Each training session includes support | | | | people experiencing post traumatic stress or |
| and guidance, directed from well-trained and | | | | critical incident stress include reoccurring anxiety, |
| qualified mental health professionals. Providing | | | | nightmares and flashbacks, intense fear and |
| consultations guide peer training, as well as lead | | | | difficulty moving forward with their lives. Others |
| group and individual crisis interventions. There are | | | | might experience mental health problems, |
| times, along with stress management training; | | | | personality disorders; while, yet others may turn |
| there is traumatic reaction assessments also | | | | to alcohol, drugs and even food for comfort. |
| needed for evaluations of these professionals. | | | | Hoping these alternatives will relieve their stress, |
| Because of their familiarity with emergency work | | | | when in fact it only worsens, allowing critical |
| environments and dynamics; these mental health | | | | incident stress to consume their lives. Educated |
| professionals are essentially best qualified for | | | | professionals stand ready to aid in the support, |
| educating the workers of professionals associated | | | | help and guidance that is so important in the |
| with critical incidents or events. | | | | critical incident stress management training. |