Abstract

Healthcare professionals in secure psychiatric services are frequently exposed to service user distress and aggression. Consequently, staff trauma services (STS) have been developed to mitigate the detrimental impact of these experiences. Whilst the increased focus on occupational wellbeing is welcomed, such services have typically evolved in the absence of robust investigations exploring the breadth of the trauma-related needs of healthcare professionals (HCPs). This study explored the profiles of staff referred to an STS and the sequelea of physical and psychological incidents, with a view to improving understanding of need and informing the provision of STSs. Retrospective analyses of demographic characteristics, incident details and psychosocial impacts were conducted. Participants were staff from a secure psychiatric hospital who had received 1:1 support from a dedicated STS. Overall, approximately 4.6% (n = 154) of the workforce accessed the STS. Both clinical (n = 142, 92.2%) and non-clinical staff (n = 12, 7.8%) received support for physical and psychological incidents, occurring in and outside of the workplace. Compared to the general UK population, people who were referred to the STS were less likely to have social support. Staff most frequently accessed the service for work-based physical (n = 65, 42.2%) and psychological (n = 63, 40.9%) incidents. Whilst staff referred following a psychological incident were less likely to be absent from work, they presented with significantly higher levels of psychological distress. This study provides novel insight into factors associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes following trauma exposure, in an understudied occupational population.

摘要

提供安全精神科服务的医疗保健专业人员经常遭受服务使用者的痛苦和攻击。因此，开发了员工创伤服务（STS）来减轻这些经历的有害影响。虽然对职业健康的日益关注受到欢迎，但此类服务通常是在缺乏对医疗保健专业人员 (HCP) 创伤相关需求广度进行有力调查的情况下发展起来的。本研究探讨了接受 STS 的工作人员的概况以及身体和心理事件的后遗症，以期增进对需求的了解并为 STS 的提供提供信息。对人口特征、事件细节和社会心理影响进行了回顾性分析。参与者是一家安全精神病医院的工作人员，他们获得了专门的 STS 的 1:1 支持。总体而言，大约 4.6% (n = 154) 的劳动力访问了 STS。临床工作人员（n = 142，92.2%）和非临床工作人员（n = 12，7.8%）都获得了针对工作场所内外发生的身体和心理事件的支持。与英国普通民众相比，被转介至 STS 的人获得社会支持的可能性较小。工作人员最常因工作中的身体事件（n = 65，42.2%）和心理事件（n = 63，40.9%）而访问该服务。虽然在发生心理事件后转介的员工缺勤的可能性较小，但他们的心理困扰程度却明显更高。