Purpose

Health-care professionals working in inpatient forensic mental health settings are exposed to a range of traumatic and distressing incidents with impacts discussed variously as “burnout”, “compassion fatigue”, “secondary trauma stress” and “vicarious traumatisation”. This study aims to explore the short- and long-term psychological and physical health effects of trauma exposure in the workplace for frontline staff in a forensic setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 nursing staff members working in the male personality disorders care stream in a Medium Secure Hospital.

Findings

Thematic analysis yielded five themes: categories of trauma; how well-being is impacted; ways of coping and managing; protective factors; and systemic factors, with sub-themes within each of the superordinate themes.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate that some staff members were affected both physically and psychologically as a result of trauma-focused work whereas other staff members were unaffected. The psychological and physical health effects were broadly short-term; however, long-term effects on staff member’s social networks and desensitisation to working conditions were observed. A broad range of coping methods were identified that supported staff member’s well-being, which included both individual and organisational factors. Staff member’s health is impacted by exposure to workplace trauma either directly or indirectly through exposure to material, and there is a greater need to support staff members after routine organisational provisions are complete. Staff should receive education and training on the possible health effects associated with exposure to potentially traumatic material and events.

Originality/value

This research has further contributed to understanding the staff needs of nursing staff members working with the forensic personality disorder patients within a secure hospital setting. This research has identified the following service developments: the need for ongoing support particularly after organisational provisions are complete; further prospects to engage in psychological formulations; greater opportunities for informal supervision forums; staff training to understand the potential health impact associated with trauma-focused work; supervisors being appropriately trained and supported to elicit impacts of trauma-focused work on staff members; and additional opportunities to discuss well-being or monitor well-being.

中文翻译：

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法医工作场所创伤对心理和身体健康的影响

目的

在住院法医精神卫生机构工作的医疗保健专业人员会面临一系列创伤性和痛苦的事件，其影响被不同地讨论为“倦怠”、“同情疲劳”、“继发性创伤压力”和“替代性创伤”。本研究旨在探讨工作场所创伤暴露对法医环境中一线工作人员的短期和长期心理和身体健康影响。

设计/方法/方法

对在中等安全医院的男性人格障碍护理流中工作的 14 名护理人员进行了半结构化访谈。

发现

主题分析产生了五个主题：创伤类别；幸福感如何受到影响；应对和管理的方式；保护因素；和系统因素，在每个上级主题中都有子主题。

实际影响

调查结果表明，一些工作人员因专注于创伤的工作而在身体和心理上都受到影响，而其他工作人员则不受影响。心理和身体健康影响大体上是短期的；然而，观察到对工作人员社交网络的长期影响和对工作条件的脱敏。确定了支持工作人员福祉的广泛应对方法，其中包括个人和组织因素。工作人员的健康受到工作场所创伤的直接或间接影响，在日常组织规定完成后，更需要支持工作人员。

原创性/价值

这项研究进一步有助于了解在安全的医院环境中与法医人格障碍患者一起工作的护理人员的工作人员需求。这项研究确定了以下服务发展： 需要持续支持，特别是在组织规定完成后；从事心理制定的进一步前景；非正式监督论坛的更多机会；员工培训以了解与以创伤为重点的工作相关的潜在健康影响；主管接受适当的培训和支持，以引起以创伤为重点的工作对工作人员的影响；以及更多讨论幸福感或监测幸福感的机会。