Supportive Management of Job Related Traumatic Events

Guidelines for Supportive Management of Job Related Traumatic Events in Remote Areas

Traumatic events are defined as those which involve the threatened or actual death or serious injury to the practitioner or others. During or after the event the practitioner experiences overwhelming horror, helplessness or terror and goes on to have characteristic reactions. Thus, a traumatic event is made up of two parts. Whether an event is defined as traumatic or not, will depend on how the practitioner experiences it.

Events which contain the potential to traumatise practitioners may include medical emergencies, natural disasters, motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, family violence, physical and sexual assaults, vehicle breakdown in remote areas, home invasion, stalking, death threats, needle stick injury, and the threat of retribution to practitioners.

Suggested supportive management strategies to maximise recovery and minimise the risk of long-term psychological harm following exposure to job related trauma are as follows (also see page 20 for flow chart to guide decision making):

As soon as possible after the event:

  1. Acknowledge the event
  2. Assess risk to practitioner(s):
    • Is the practitioner safe? If not, a police and/or organisational response may be required to ensure this.
    • Is the practitioner able to function effectively? If not, employee should be stood down & offered face to face psychological support
    • Has the practitioner been traumatised? If yes, but is safe and able to function the practitioner can be provided with on-the-job psychological support. Wiill still require 24 ² 48 hours off call to appraise event.
    • Within 36hrs of the event, use risk assessment table (see page 14) to assess risk to psychological wellbeing of practitioner(s) and level of response required to support their recovery.
  3. Assess impact on team and level of response required to support recovery. See page 17 for guidelines for supportive team interventions.
  4. Assess impact on community and level of response required to support recovery. See

page 18 for guidelines for supportive community interventions.