The psychological impact of critical incidents includes anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance and agitation. It can also lead to reduced motivation or morale at work, unsafe practices, and burnout.

Health and social care professionals in hospitals, residential care, and support services, who are looking after vulnerable people in challenging environments, are often exposed to distressing events.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISDs) are brief and effective interventions. They mitigate the impact of incidents and help promote resilience and well-being.

CISD is a facilitated, time-limited group session intended to support participants with the emotional/psychological impact of an adverse event.
The debrief is a structured group conversation about the facts, feelings, and thoughts related to the incident. A trained and competent facilitator helps the group support each other and process their reactions.

This training is for managers, nurses, key workers, mental health professionals, counsellors/psychotherapists, or any person in charge of staff well-being in their organization.

This excellent 2-day online training will cover theory and practice, including lectures, videos, and small-group work. When you complete the training you will be able to facilitate CISDs.

Here is an outline of the training:

Day 1: Critical Incidents and the Process of Debriefing

09:00 - 10:30
Introducing the facilitator and the group; outline of the day, expectations and outcomes.
The Process of Debriefing: the practice of ‘talking through’ and the therapeutic benefits of debriefing.
Understanding Critical Incidents: defining Critical Incidents, what makes an incident ‘critical’? The psychological impact of a critical incident.

10:30 - 12:00
Trauma and Post-Trauma
Unpacking these important concepts and understanding their implications and relevance to CID
Debriefing Critical Incidents
Introducing existing models of CISDs, comparing and understanding the components of a CID

12:30 Lunch break

13:00 - 14:00
Skills Practice and Experiential Learning
Practice session, trying out models of debriefing using scenarios from experience

Day 2: Facilitating Critical Incident Stress Debriefings – theory and practice

09:00 - 10:30
The Competent Facilitator: qualities and skills of the competent facilitator
Containment
The role of the facilitator and the challenges of facilitating emotional conversations

10:30 - 12:00
Facilitating critical incident debriefings: prompt cards - a tool for the facilitator.
Ground rules, time-frames, and keeping ‘on task’.

12:30 Lunch break

13:00 - 14:00
Skills Practice and Experiential Learning
Working with scenarios and prompt cards: practice session - facilitating CISDs
‘Debriefing’ the day

Facilitating Critical Incident Stress Debriefings: 2-day online training