Dealing with Stress and Violence in the Workplace - Essay Example

Running head: Stress and Violence Dealing with Stress and Violence in the Workplace Insert Insert Insert 16 July 2012Abstract Many people will be affected by critical incident stress in their day to day duties, which affects their general wellbeing. Without being properly addressed and debriefed, critical incident stress negatively affects many aspects of a person including job performance and social life. Critical incident stress management programs have been designed to address these types of stresses within 72 hours, and they help individuals to cope and recover from psychological trauma after going through critical incidents.

What Is The Purpose Of Using The Tool?The critical incident management tool is composed of systems of interventions that are supposed to prevent the negative psychological reactions that arise from dealing with many critical incidents in the line of duty. The management tool is designed to address critical incident stress at an early stage to prevent post traumatic stress becoming permanent in exposed individuals. The tool facilitates the normal recovery of individuals, groups and organizations back to normalcy after a traumatic experience.

The management tool also assists in the identification of personnel within an organization who need further attention in emotional support services or psychological treatment in severe cases (Human Resources Branch, 1997)The Process of Using the Tool A CISM program uses multidimensional approach to prevent post traumatic stress on personnel exposed to traumatic situations, the tool promotes pre-event stress and crisis management education, training and preparation for management of traumatic stress and incorporates planning and policy development to that effect.

The programs have various interventions that are used when a traumatic event is happening, and interventions after the traumatic events have occurred. Many approaches and interventions are integrated together to form a systematic interlinked approach to management of stress (Mitchell, n.d).The expected outcome from utilizing this stress management toolStress management tools are expected to help individuals, emergency personnel groups and communities deal with the impact of critical incidents and enable them to live with some degree of normalcy after these events.

Stress management tools reduce incidences of chronic stress in personnel, which has negative effects on an individual’s life.Name at least 3 professions that are at risk and have utilized the tool.Police and the Military Fire men Emergency medical technicians Do you believe the tool to be useful in decreasing stress and coping with violence in the workplace? Why or why not?Yes; I believe that the stress management tool is useful in dealing with violence in the workplace because all employees are able to share their experiences which help in reducing psychological stress and promote faster healing.

When used effectively, the CIS management tools allow early detection of employees suffering from post-traumatic stresses that enables them to be given support and professional help where needed.List several physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to stressCritical incidence stress is accompanied by various signs and symptoms that may include the following:Physical signs Vomiting, fatigue, fainting, muscle twitches, weakness, elevated BP, rapid heart rates, difficulty in breathing and profuse sweating.

Cognitive symptoms Confusion, suspiciousness, uncertainty, poor concentration, forgetfulness, nightmares and poor work performance.Emotional symptoms Fear, anxiety, irritability, depression, emotional outbursts, shock, agitation.Behavioral symptoms Withdrawals, antisocial acts, change in social behavior, and increased alcohol consumption.ReferencesHuman Resources Branch. (1997). Resource Guide for Critical Incident Stress and Debriefing in Human Service Agencies. Victorian Government Department of Human Services.

Mitchell, J. (n.d). Critical Incident Stress Management. Retrieved from http://www.info-trauma.org/flash/media-e/mtichellCriticalIncidentStressManagement.pdf