720 Preventing Workplace Violence

Teaching Phase

During the teaching phase the leader and team members share information regarding the relationship between the critical incident and the subsequent cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological reactions that others involved in such events have experienced. Participants should be provided with additional written information to read at a later time. During this phase, participants may ask new questions or bring up information that wasn't discussed earlier.

Re-entry Phase

This phase signals the end of the debriefing. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and explore other issues associated with the incident that may have not surfaced earlier. Team members are asked to provide some summary remarks, and the team leader makes a few additional statements in an effort to bring closure to the debriefing. A crucial message emanating from the debriefing is the participants' reactions are normal responses to an abnormal event.

Is a Debriefing Warranted?

The decision about whether or not a formal debriefing may be necessary. Though not all-inclusive, some examples of important questions to explore when assessing the need for a debriefing are these:

• What is the nature of the incident?
• Is the event of sufficient magnitude as to cause significant emotional distress among those involved?
• How many individuals are affected by the incident?
• What signs and symptoms of distress are being displayed by the witnesses to the incident?
• Are the signs and symptoms growing worse as time passes?
• Are any of the following key indicators of a need for a debriefing present: behavior change; regression; continued symptoms; intensifying symptoms, new symptoms arising, or group symptoms present?

In some instances, as these and other questions are explored, it may be determined a formal debriefing is not warranted. Or, perhaps there may be a decision to briefly meet with the group(s) who have been affected by the incidents to further assess the need for a formal debriefing. Under these circumstances, a critical incident stress defusing may be appropriate. This process will be discussed next.

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