In a study appearing in the May edition of Research on Social Work Practice, Geisinger Senior Investigator Joseph Boscarino, PhD, MPH and his co-researchers examined psychological stress, job burnout and secondary trauma among 236 New York City social workers following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Secondary trauma includes experiencing symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress such as having nightmares or flashbacks, being easily startled and avoiding situations that remind one of the original trauma. Sometimes called vicarious trauma, it can seriously impact the mental health of counselors, first responders, critical care nurses and others in healthcare professions involved with treating those exposed to traumatic events, Boscarino said.

The study found that involvement in World Trade Center recovery effort was the primary reason why social workers experienced secondary trauma.

The research also showed that a positive work environment for social workers helped reduce secondary trauma and prevent job burnout.

“Listening to a person’s traumatic experiences can be a very difficult experience for a clinician,” Boscarino said. “Sometimes caregivers need emotional support of their own and if they don’t get it, they can become emotionally ill.”

The goal is to study this issue among a larger group of healthcare professionals and develop a more definitive tool for diagnosing secondary trauma, Boscarino said.

The research team for this study also included Richard E. Adams, PhD of Kent State University and Charles R. Figley, PhD of Florida State University.

As a Rapid Eye Technician and trainer, I have worked with hundreds of healthcare professionals who have asked about this very problem. How does one work hour after hour day in and day out with trauma survivors without taking on their “stuff”?

There are a number of useful ways including the free RET Self-Care (for RETs and others). Instructions are available by calling the Rapid Eye Institute at 503-399-1181 (M-F, 9-5 PT). Another useful tool is the free Emotional Freedom Technique from emofree.com. These are quick fixes that can add many useful years to a practitioner’s tenure.

The goal is to keep one’s sensitivity to the plight of others while not taking on the energy of their situations and experiences.