A Mixed Methods Needs Assessment for a Debriefing Intervention Following Critical Cases

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Occupational Health Psychology

Background:

• The pediatric emergency department (PED) is a high-stress environment.
• Critical events in the PED contribute significantly to staff stress.
• Information on effective debriefing strategies for PED staff is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the emotional impact of critical events on PED staff.
• To explore PED staff opinions on the utility and implementation of debriefing.
• To inform the development of targeted stress-reduction interventions.

Main Methods:

• Mixed methods convergent design study.
• Quantitative Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) administration post-critical cases.
• Qualitative analysis of open-ended questionnaire responses on debriefing.

Main Results:

• Staff reported significant physical and emotional distress, including stress, anxiety, fatigue, helplessness, and grief.
• Qualitative data corroborated PDI findings, highlighting themes of overwhelm and sadness.
• Variability in critical case severity influenced staff desire for debriefing.

Conclusions:

• PED staff experience measurable stress following critical patient cases.
• Formal debriefing, with specific considerations for timing and setting, may alleviate staff stress.
• Debriefing programs must balance diverse needs and logistical factors.