Learn Psychological First Aid with this practical guide.

Learn how to manage other people's emotions in an emergency.

The approach to first aid in the health field has a long history and has evolved in recent times. and evolution in recent times. Psychological first aid, however, is a more recent term that is increasingly used as the importance of a situation of certain emotional impact on the person is recognized.

Any person can be affected (as a victim or witness) by a natural disaster, accident or terrorist act of a certain magnitude. That is why it is essential to have at least some minimum guidelines for action, being the ideal to include these contents in the educational context or, failing that, to carry out a specific training in order to have effective intervention tools.

• Recommended article: "Guide to know how to provide emotional first aid".

Phases of a traumatic crisis

There are several phases of a traumatic crisis: impact, reaction and post event.. However, we will focus in this article on the first phase, perhaps the most relevant in psychological first aid because it is the first one. It has the following characteristics:

• It is the phase that occurs immediately after the traumatic experience and can last several minutes. and may last several minutes, hours or even a few days.

• The person is usually emotionally altered, with a limitation in thinking and acting.. There is also a loss of sense of time and reality (feeling that it is not happening) and reactions ranging from hyperactivity (walking without stopping in a certain direction) to immobility or paralysis.

Intervention with the affected person

• First of all, the person acting as an intervener must identify him/herself as followsAsk the victim by name and let him/her know that you are there to help.
• It is crucial to remove the victim from danger, if necessary. if necessary.
• The responder should remain calm and also convey this, as he/she will serve as a role model for the victim(s). In addition, he/she will try to rationalize the action and, if the situation overcomes him/her, ask to be relieved if possible.
• Regarding verbal communication, it is advisable to speak in a calm and serene tone, giving clear and concise information, avoiding inappropriate comments for that situation and with an attitude of active listening.
• Nonverbally, it is necessary to maintain contact and adopt a comfortable but attentive posture.
• Equally important is to provide basic necessities: water, food, blankets, etc. Also allow the victim's emotion to flow by combining this action with others such as distraction to avoid continuous attention to what has happened.
• A separate issue, and in many cases of equal relevance, is to avoid curious onlookers. Sometimes it is useful to give tasks to these people to help in the process and facilitate greater intimacy for the victims.

Communication of bad news

This is an important task in psychological first aid and although the information will harm the person who receives it, the good or bad performance of the intervener in this communication can minimize or maximize the psychological impact of the person who receives it.

There are factors that will determine the degree of impact of the bad news, such as the personality of the recipient, the existence of previous losses, the relationship with the victim or the predictability or unpredictability of the bad news.

On the other hand, it is important to distinguish in the protocol three phases within this communication:

1. Before starting the conversation

• If possible, it is necessary to establish which person is most qualified to give the bad news.

• The sender or intervener must have all the necessary information about what has happened, at what time and place, the person or persons affected, etc.

• It is of vital importance to have the identity of the victim or deceased persons confirmed.

• Adequate physical spaces must be available with the necessary instruments and elements (water, handkerchiefs, etc.).

2. During the debriefing

• Whenever possible, the information should be given only once to the family, to avoid giving it several times, which increases the impact.

• The intervener introduces himself/herself and asks the family member if he/she knows why he/she was called.

• The message should be short, avoiding excessive length, understandable and delicate, explaining what has happened, the people affected and their condition. Always avoid giving false hopes or incorrect information.

• From this moment on, different reactions will appear: crying, disbelief, silences, screams...) that must be allowed.

• If information is not requested and there is more than one family member, the person giving the news withdraws and allows the family expression, remaining in the background but attentive.

3. After communicating the bad news

• Family members should not be left alone, but should withdraw.

• Show empathy for reactions and cover basic needs.

• Offer other sources of support.

• Finally, analyze how the situation has affected the person involved.

Final tips

As we can see, it is essential to have protocols for action in the face of normally unforeseen events that, due to their consequences, involve emotional Pain for victims and their families.emotional pain for victims and their families.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, given the importance that both professionals and people not linked to the health field (any of us can witness an event of this type) have the tools to act in this area, it is necessary to have training in this area.

If you wish to learn more, do not hesitate to consult the distance course on psychological first aid that Formación Psicológica organizes on its website.