CL-01: A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH FOR TRAUMA TEAM MEMBERS (TTMS) TO COPE AFTER MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS (MCIS)
Cara Berkowitz, BA1, Swana de Gijsel, MD1, Robert Winchell, MD, FACS1, Beth Lown, MD2, Mayur Narayan, MD, MPH, MBA, MHPE, FACS, FCCM, FICS1; 1Weill Cornell Medicine, 2Harvard Medical School
Background: TTMs caring for injured patients/families after MCIs often have no structured mechanism to cope with stress/emotions and are at risk of PTSD
Methods: SCR was conducted including physicians, nurses, social workers, and allied-health professionals who shared experiences after MCI. After presentation, caregivers in audience shared their perspectives. Post-SCR surveys were conducted to assess impact.
Results: 86 SCR participants included nurses(48.8%), doctors(10.5%), social workers(9.3%), or other professionals(27.9%). 45 of 86(52.3%) participants completed evaluations. 20(44.4%) were nurses, 6(13.3%) social workers, 3(6.7%) doctors, and 16(35.6%) other. 45(100%) responded that SCR discussed challenging social/emotional aspects of patient-care. 45(100%) responded SCR provided insights into perspectives of coworkers and 44(97.8%) into perspectives of patients/families. 38(84.4%) felt better prepared to handle future MCIs, 39(86.7%) felt less isolated in work with patients, and 43(95.6%) felt more open to expressing feelings surrounding MCIs with colleagues. 33(73.3%) rated SCR as excellent, while 12(26.7%) rated it as good.100% responded SCR was well-facilitated and 97.8% planned to attend SCR again. 95.6% felt departments/institutions should do more to prevent PTSD in TTMs
Conclusions: TTMs are at significant risk of PTSD after MCIs. SCR is a platform to enhance well-being of TTMs after MCIs. More work is needed to incorporate such structured coping platforms at departmental/institutional level.