Traumatic Experiences of Nurses: When Your Profession Becomes a Nightmare

Nurses and carers are regularly confronted in their work with physical and mental decline, psychic disorders, extreme suffering and death. It was thought for a long time that nurses who understood their work well would always remain unmoved by all this. There is a realization now, however, that they can indeed be affected by certain events, sometimes to such an extent that they become traumatized, or are mentally wounded by them. This problem - and how you can approach it - is addressed here. Part 1 consists of the personal stories of those involved in such incidents: nurses and nursing assistants describe how certain events made such an impact on them that they became mentally unsettled as a result of them. Part 2 presents psychotrauma self-help and support guidelines for the nursing profession. The author describes the type of events which can cause psychotraumas, how to recognize a psychotrauma, what those victimized in this way should and should not do in the interests of a full recovery, and when to call in professional help. "Traumatic Experiences of Nurses" is a useful guide for nurses and nursing assistants who find themselves involved in emotionally disturbing experiences. It should assist them in working through their experiences, and the book also includes practical tips on how best to give the necessary support to a colleague in such a situation.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Practical experience - personal accounts: the end of the nightmare; someone grabbed me from behind; the period that followed was awful; I fight back with all the strength I have; you can just sit and read the paper; no patient would do such a thing; you shouldn't think about it any more; please help me make it through the night; Hetty dear, you will never have to be party to it again. Part 2 Theory: highly dramatic and consequential incidents and psychotraumas - introduction, a multi-form phenomenon, definition of a confusing term, types of expression, risk factors, secondary victimization, no social support, recognizing a psychotrauma; coming to terms - a guideline for self-help and support - introduction, what does coming to terms mean?, necessary illusions, why confrontation is necessary, coping strategies, self-help tips, tips for family, friends, neighbours, colleagues etc; support within an institution - introduction, information, the establishment of a support team, when to call in the support team, supporting the support team, formal aspects, the initial support-talk.