Page 19 - OOHNA Spring-Summer 2017
P. 19
n Practice
ten StepS tO getting StarteD On YOur
ptSD preventiOn plan by Kim Slade
Working in a hospital can be very careers which can have a negative a new resource developed by
stressful with increased demands, impact on their health and well- PSHSa provides employers with
unpredictable changes in the daily ness. currently, stigma is identified a mechanism to look at their
work return and high expectations as a barrier to seeking help. occupational health and safety
from patient and their families. Nurs- Stigma is defined as a “multi- program through the lens of inte-
es are also exposed to traumas. component concept involving
grating PtSd prevention strate-
PtSd can develop as a result processes of labelling, stereotyp- gies. www.firstrespondersfirst.ca
of exposure to one or more of ing, social exclusion, loss of sta- provides employers with assess-
the following scenarios: directly tus and discrimination, all taken ments which they can complete
experiencing a traumatic event, place within a context of differen- to determine readiness to address
witnessing a traumatic event,
tial power between stigmatizing PtSd and stigma in the work-
learning that a close personal
and stigmatized groups” (Szeto place. the content on the site is
connection endured a traumatic & dobson, 2010). Studies indi- targeted at three levels of readi-
event (with actual or threatened cate that stigma-related factors ness from just getting started, to
death being either violent or acci- affect an individual’s use of men- taking proactive steps, to imple-
dental), or experiencing first-hand tal health services (Pfeiffer et al., menting best practices. it walks
repeated or extreme exposure to 2011), and that two-thirds of cana- the employer through the step-by-
details of a traumatic event (not dians living with mental illness cite step process of developing a plan
through media, pictures, televi- stigma as the reason they do not and provides explanation as to
sion or movies unless work-relat- ask for help (Bell canada, 2015). how to address prevention, inter-
ed). Symptoms of PtSd often vention and recovery and return
Failure to reach out due to per-
appear within one month of an ceived stigma can result in a per- to work for PtSd. the goal is to
event or repeated events, but in son feeling isolated, responsible have employers establish positive
some cases, symptoms may not and unable to cope with addition- environments where employees
be apparent until six months, or al stressors. research shows that, are encouraged and supported to
even years, later. the symptoms globally, people have negative
seek help to address PtSd signs
make it difficult for the person attitudes towards mental illness, and symptoms.
to live their daily life, and can be with some studies demonstrating
accompanied by depression, sub- an increase in negative attitudes The 10 steps to getting started
stance abuse or other anxiety dis- over time (Szeto et al., 2013).
include ensuring:
orders (Mayo clinic, 2016; caMH, there is some evidence that self-
2016). a 2009 prevalence study stigma and stigma-related think- 1. that a current state assess-
of the impact of PtSd and burn- ing predict use of services and ment is completed to see
out in nurses found that 18% of supports in those suffering from what workplace mental health
participants met the diagnostic serious or chronic mental illness initiatives are being utilized in
criteria for PtSd, (Mealer, Burn- (rus, et al., 2009). However, those the workplace.
ham, Goode, rothbaum, & Moss, with resilience have an increased 2. Management, across all ser-
2009). this finding is supported by ability to seek help (rush, et al., vices, have received training
a 2013 literature review of PtSd 2009). resilience is the ability to on the signs and symptoms
rates among Psychiatric nurses “bounce-back” from a traumatic of PtSd and how respond to
which found 10-22% of nurses in event. risk and protective char- these injuries.
the studies met the diagnostic cri- acteristics of individuals and their 3. PtSd policies and procedures
teria for PtSd (Jacobowitz, 2013). environment can either increase have been created and com-
the jobs that our nurses do are (protective factors) or decrease municated to all staff, across
emotionally, physically and mental- (risk factors) a person’s ability to all services.
ly taxing. these workers are often be resilient. this underlines the 4. roles and responsibilities
mandated to respond to extremely importance of addressing stigma have been established for
stressful and potentially traumatic in the workplace and community all staff, across all services
situations over the course of their to foster help-seeking behaviours. involved in prevention (man-
OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017 17
ten StepS tO getting StarteD On YOur
ptSD preventiOn plan by Kim Slade
Working in a hospital can be very careers which can have a negative a new resource developed by
stressful with increased demands, impact on their health and well- PSHSa provides employers with
unpredictable changes in the daily ness. currently, stigma is identified a mechanism to look at their
work return and high expectations as a barrier to seeking help. occupational health and safety
from patient and their families. Nurs- Stigma is defined as a “multi- program through the lens of inte-
es are also exposed to traumas. component concept involving
grating PtSd prevention strate-
PtSd can develop as a result processes of labelling, stereotyp- gies. www.firstrespondersfirst.ca
of exposure to one or more of ing, social exclusion, loss of sta- provides employers with assess-
the following scenarios: directly tus and discrimination, all taken ments which they can complete
experiencing a traumatic event, place within a context of differen- to determine readiness to address
witnessing a traumatic event,
tial power between stigmatizing PtSd and stigma in the work-
learning that a close personal
and stigmatized groups” (Szeto place. the content on the site is
connection endured a traumatic & dobson, 2010). Studies indi- targeted at three levels of readi-
event (with actual or threatened cate that stigma-related factors ness from just getting started, to
death being either violent or acci- affect an individual’s use of men- taking proactive steps, to imple-
dental), or experiencing first-hand tal health services (Pfeiffer et al., menting best practices. it walks
repeated or extreme exposure to 2011), and that two-thirds of cana- the employer through the step-by-
details of a traumatic event (not dians living with mental illness cite step process of developing a plan
through media, pictures, televi- stigma as the reason they do not and provides explanation as to
sion or movies unless work-relat- ask for help (Bell canada, 2015). how to address prevention, inter-
ed). Symptoms of PtSd often vention and recovery and return
Failure to reach out due to per-
appear within one month of an ceived stigma can result in a per- to work for PtSd. the goal is to
event or repeated events, but in son feeling isolated, responsible have employers establish positive
some cases, symptoms may not and unable to cope with addition- environments where employees
be apparent until six months, or al stressors. research shows that, are encouraged and supported to
even years, later. the symptoms globally, people have negative
seek help to address PtSd signs
make it difficult for the person attitudes towards mental illness, and symptoms.
to live their daily life, and can be with some studies demonstrating
accompanied by depression, sub- an increase in negative attitudes The 10 steps to getting started
stance abuse or other anxiety dis- over time (Szeto et al., 2013).
include ensuring:
orders (Mayo clinic, 2016; caMH, there is some evidence that self-
2016). a 2009 prevalence study stigma and stigma-related think- 1. that a current state assess-
of the impact of PtSd and burn- ing predict use of services and ment is completed to see
out in nurses found that 18% of supports in those suffering from what workplace mental health
participants met the diagnostic serious or chronic mental illness initiatives are being utilized in
criteria for PtSd, (Mealer, Burn- (rus, et al., 2009). However, those the workplace.
ham, Goode, rothbaum, & Moss, with resilience have an increased 2. Management, across all ser-
2009). this finding is supported by ability to seek help (rush, et al., vices, have received training
a 2013 literature review of PtSd 2009). resilience is the ability to on the signs and symptoms
rates among Psychiatric nurses “bounce-back” from a traumatic of PtSd and how respond to
which found 10-22% of nurses in event. risk and protective char- these injuries.
the studies met the diagnostic cri- acteristics of individuals and their 3. PtSd policies and procedures
teria for PtSd (Jacobowitz, 2013). environment can either increase have been created and com-
the jobs that our nurses do are (protective factors) or decrease municated to all staff, across
emotionally, physically and mental- (risk factors) a person’s ability to all services.
ly taxing. these workers are often be resilient. this underlines the 4. roles and responsibilities
mandated to respond to extremely importance of addressing stigma have been established for
stressful and potentially traumatic in the workplace and community all staff, across all services
situations over the course of their to foster help-seeking behaviours. involved in prevention (man-
OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017 17
