Proposal On Psychological First Aid

There are several different assessments that can be used for victims of trauma to determine the level of stress and if a victim is suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The best results will occur if the clinical work is directed at the symptoms expressed by the resulting trauma. When assessing the treatment plan, “the psychic injury caused by the event and its impact on the survivor’s normal life patterns and his or her worldview must be accounted for” (Everstine & Everstine, 2006, p.161). A person

Problems resulting from disasters linger for quite some time after the acute phase in a disaster and victims may have issues arise that they were not aware of initially. Community health nurses are often a primary point of contact for many of these situations and must be prepared for various problems. Sometimes, they are called on to simply reassure the victim that they are not alone in the situation and that help will continue to come. When a nurse allows a victim to discuss their concerns, the nurse can quickly expedite referrals to the appropriate area if it is out of their scope of practice. Occasionally, just having the validation and reassurance from a professional instills hope that things will get better soon. In the situation where the

Effective disaster management is highly important when it comes to assisting in rescue and relief to affected. This does not only include post disaster rescue efforts but these disaster management activities should be proactive. They start right from taking preventive measures before the disaster actually occurs and goes on till the effected people are resettled back in their lives. This disaster management pertaining to human life is not only associated with physical well being but also focuses on psychological, emotional, and spiritual rehabilitation.

These men and women risked their lives to try to save the thousands of men, women, and children trapped inside the Murrah building. In assumption people would think this traumatic experience of trying to recover lives after the explosion would not only be very heartbreaking, but very traumatic also. Surprisingly, from all the rescue workers only 13% (24/181) were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (North). A test was approved and ran by the Washington University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board (North). This test involved the first group of firefighters who were involved with the bombing victims (North). These firefighters are the ones who helped recover bodies and body parts from the rubble of the bombing (North). “Two-thirds (68%) reported feeling somewhat or very upset by either or both of these activities, although many (36%) described removing the bodies as providing a sense of relief and closure to their evacuation work. Firefighters acknowledged feeling somewhat or very upset by contact with body parts (54%) and body fluids (36%), but encounters with children’s remains (72% of total sample) had the highest rating of associated upset”

The attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001 left the American people in shock and awe. The attacks left nearly 3,000 people dead in New York, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers, and 37 Port Authority police officers (history.com, 2010). Most people had not seen firsthand the kind of devastation that was brought upon this nation in their lifetimes. The police, firefighters, and port authority officers of New York responded quickly in an effort to save as many lives as possible. Many of them lost their lives during the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings. What is not as frequently cited is the number of health concerns that still plague the thousands of first responders that tried to help the victims of the vicious attacks. According to the Center for Disease Control’s World Trade Center Health Program (2012), there are currently 32 conditions and injuries and 60 types of cancers that are currently covered by the program. This is a continually growing list of health hazards that still affect those responding to the call to assist in recovery efforts over 15 years later. When the police and firefighters entered those buildings they did not know what would happen, but they accepted that risk. Some would lose their lives, but those that survived would have to deal with the health

Man-made and natural disasters are traumatic to both the client and to the counselor. Oftentimes, the counselor is also feeling the

The events that unfolded on September 11, 2001 (9/11) at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City, had major repercussions on various levels. Its impact was not limited to structural and financial damage, but transcended to affect the emotional and mental stability of many people throughout the United States. Emergency preparedness protocols at the time of the events were insufficient considering the magnitude and the uncommon nature of the disaster. While structural damage was quantifiable, psychological implications were more complex to identify and consequently treat. Posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD), is one of the most common mental health disorders that affects people exposed to traumatic disaster situations. The exposure may

When the airplanes flew into the Twin Towers on 9/11 in New York, there was chaos and confusion throughout New York and the entire country. The events following the Boston Marathon Bombing were full of confusion and stress. However, in both events, first responders were there to aid in whatever way they were able. First responders, like those that responded to 9/11 and the Boston Marathon Bombing, rely heavily on proper communication to do their job properly. While communication has advanced in the past years, there are always more ways for communication amongst first responders to be advanced. Response efforts need to flow smoothly and efficiently, and communication aids greatly in those efforts. The events following a terrorist attack,

and Dentistry and Director of the Program in Disaster Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry and the UR Center for Disaster Medicine and Emergency Preparedness. For over a decade, he has responded to numerous national disasters as a volunteer with the American Red Cross. He has also developed comprehensive disaster mental health training programs for the New York State Office of Mental Health and the New York State Department of Health currently being disseminated throughout every county, state psychiatric center and acute healthcare facility throughout New York State.

military’s vast experience in responding to and managing casualties from IED and/or active shooter incidents and from its significant investment in combat casualty care research into the civilian first responder environment” (DHS, First Responder Guide. 2015). In order to improve safety in response to terror events, especially those classified as international terrorism it will require that first responders to further prepare for a vast variety of potential threats. The focus of this increased preparation should not only regard the safe and effective responses of first responders to all potential hazards caused by a terrorist event; but should also include the improvement of first responder’s connections to their communities, the gathering of intelligence, information sharing, and realizing their role in domestic defense of the United States of America.

The experience leading to posttraumatic stress doesn’t have to last hours on end. In fact, the entire confrontation could last but a short thirty seconds. For many first responders in life-threatening situations, these few seconds can adversely affect the rest of their life (Willis, 2014). From that day or night on, the one affected will be plagued by sleepless nights, nightmares during the minimal hours of rest, and periodic anxiety attacks (Willis, 2014). In just thirty seconds, a well-trained first responder can go from being emotionally stable with a happy heart and life to having an unstable family, marriage, and have an inability to effectively perform many of his or her job duties. In just thirty seconds, one can develop a case of (undiagnosed) posttraumatic stress disorder (Willis, 2014).

In their day to day world, the impacts can be devastating as they are unable to regulate their emotions and cannot face everyday situations. There are opportunities to fail in deals with all interactions from a child not coping in the classroom when told to explain his work to not being able to cope with waiting in line at the supermarket, to an angry outburst over a work-related issue not going your way. The impact of emotional functioning on those who have experienced trauma is a day to day struggle to function within society (Doyle, 2012).

The Assessment Crisis Intervention Trauma Treatment (ACT) model was developed by Albert Roberts after the September 11th terrorist attacks. The way it works is mental health professionals, will follow a series of seven steps when responding to a crisis. The most notable include: assess the danger, establish psychological conduct, identify major problems, encourage the exploration of feelings, examine alternative strategies, implementing the plan and following up. The combination of these factors is designed to provide everyone with tools to effectively address the crisis. (Roberts, 2005)

Whenever a disaster strikes an unsuspecting community, from natural weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes to the manmade catastrophes caused by contamination, local community health nurses become a lifeline for stricken victims, providing medical care, basic sanitation, and nutritional sustenance. While treating the ailments of the sick and dressing the wounds of the injured are the chief priorities for any nursing professional, community health nurses typically administer care within a close-knit population group, and this familiarity often requires the offering of spiritual support as well. The immediate aftermath of any major disaster, whether natural or manmade, is a chaotic time when panic, fear, and uncertainty can easily run rampant, and community health nurses must prepare themselves to handle the nonmedical aspects of assisting patients through their recovery. Setting aside one's personal views on organized religion or faith, alleviating a patient's outward symptoms can only be effective to a certain point when they are grieving for the sudden loss of a loved one, or contemplating an uncertain future after their property and

My bachelor's degree is in psychology, and I have found many lessons learned from psychology to be applicable to emergency management, especially group behavior in disasters.