Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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Working in emergency departments (EDs) is inherently stressful, and stress caused by events such as witnessed death, elder or child abuse, and aggression and violence can have profound effects on staff. One strategy that can be effective in helping staff deal with such events is critical incident stress debriefing but, as the literature suggests, this is poorly established in ED settings. This article reports the results of a study in three EDs in Ireland of nurses' and doctors' perceived needs for debriefing and makes recommendations to improve this area of practice.
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Multicenter Study
Stress in emergency departments: experiences of nurses and doctors.
The effects of stressful incidents on emergency department (ED) staff can be profound. Witnessing aggression, violence or the death of patients, or participating in resuscitation, can be emotionally and physically demanding. Despite the frequency of these events, ED staff do not become immune to the stress they cause, and are often ill prepared and under supported to cope with them. This article reports on a study of nurses' and doctors' attitudes to, and experiences of, workplace stress in three EDs in Ireland, and offers some suggestions on how stress among ED staff can be reduced.