Question

A nurses involved in a serious and prolonged mass casualty incident in the emergency department. Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to help prevent developing a trauma-related disorder? (select all that apply)

A. Avoid thinking about the incident when it is over
B. Take breaks during the incident for food and water
C. Debrief with others following the incident
D. Avoid displays of emotion in the days following the incident.
E. Take advantage of offered counseling

Answer 1

To help prevent developing a trauma-related disorder after a mass casualty incident, a nurse should take regular breaks during the incident, debrief with colleagues afterwards, and take advantage of offered counseling. It is not advisable to avoid thinking about the incident or suppress emotions in the following days.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse is involved in a serious and prolonged mass casualty incident in the emergency department, several strategies can help prevent the development of a trauma-related disorder. Primarily, they should:

• Take breaks during the incident for food and water to maintain physical well-being and mental alertness.
• Debrief with others following the incident to process experiences and feelings, which can help mitigate long-term psychological effects.
• Take advantage of offered counseling to support mental health, both immediately after the incident and as needed thereafter.

Conversely, it is not recommended to avoid thinking about the incident completely or to prevent displays of emotion, as these may actually hinder the emotional processing and recovery needed after such events.