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Abstract
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The Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, resulted in at least 1400 people killed, more than 4600 injured, and over 230 kidnapped--an unprecedented crisis for the Israeli health-care system2
tasked with addressing physical and psychological injuries among a large population, which has exposed them to distressing scenes.
Generally, during crises, providing mental health support to health-care workers is essential to help them function and reduce secondary traumatisation and burn-out. Although mental health care centres in Israel have long offered such support, uptake of these services has been low, possibly due to anonymity concerns
and the potential stigma associated with seeking support.
To overcome these challenges, the Israeli Mental Health Nursing Association launched a mental health support project following the events on Oct 7 for health-care providers to legitimise debriefing, thereby mitigating the risks of acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and secondary trauma.
30 nurses, who were all trained in cognitive behavioural therapy and trauma management, volunteered to participate without renumeration. Following a preparatory meeting they received a protocol and background teaching on using listening, emotional validation, normalisation, and additional therapeutic techniques. A programme notice for online psychological assistance and registration was established via social media platforms, while ensuring anonymity. A project manager subsequently connected each health-care provider with a cognitive behavioural therapist for a 30-min telephonic session. Within 14 days, more than 100 health-care providers countrywide requested the service, with 30% noting they were not receiving external support.
Participants identified the main reasons for seeking support as fear, worry, anxiety, exposure to traumatic sights, and the unavailability of partners, who were now called up for military reserve duty. Other factors, including the absence of children's educational frameworks and emotional burdens, were also mentioned. About 35% of participants reported taking sedatives since Oct 7 and 70% reported impaired daily functioning that affected their sleep, appetite, employment, and caregiving abilities. 90% of participants participated in one session, and 10% opted for additional sessions.
This project highlights the crucial need for mental health first aid for health-care providers during crises. The high demand suggests a preference for immediate, anonymous, and short-term telephonic support features that should be adopted, as well as potential broader demand for similar services and the need to consider a wider range of options for health-care providers. The project provides a user-friendly, immediate service without requiring long-term commitment or obligation, facilitating easy adaptation and implementation among health-care providers and colleagues worldwide. This could prove essential in future crises, whether they be natural or man-made disasters.
Language: en |