When there are challenging cases that impact caregiver psychological well-being, Vanderbilt offers a variety of support services for faculty and staff.

When a colleague is impacted by an unanticipated outcome or challenging case, Peer Support Teams within a workgroup proactively offer emotional support to affected peers.

Adverse Event/Unexpected Outcome Support

​by Chad A. Buck, Ph.D.
 
 Clinical Psychologist
 
 Work/Life Connections–Employee Assistance Program

When a person experiences, witnesses, or is confronted with an event or situation that involves actual or threatened death, serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others, he or she can experience fear, helplessness, and horror.  PTSD results when effects of exposure to a traumatic event persist beyond one month following the event. Please answer "Yes" or "No" if you have been exposed to or witnessed a traumatic event and have engaged in or experienced any of the following over the past month on a fairly consistent basis.

From time to time at Vanderbilt, one of the members of our faculty or staff dies or is seriously injured. The loss leaves co-workers or a group of colleagues to deal with their own personal grief. Work/Life Connections-EAP counselors can assist management by meeting with individuals and/or groups to provide support for the managers, faculty, and staff who are dealing with the impact of loss.
 
 Call Work/Life Connections-EAP at 615-936-1327 for support and psychological first aid assistance. ​

Work/Life Connections-EAP coordinates Crisis Intervention Services and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services for the Vanderbilt community.

Work/Life Connections-EAP offers support and guidance to supervisors concerning employees and difficult situations.

It is not uncommon for healthcare or emergency workers to request some type of critical incident stress management services following an acute incident which they label as being particularly stressful for them. The good news is that such professionals are usually very resilient.