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Ep. 27: Post Incident Recovery
5 Plays3 months ago
Conflict is inevitable in healthcare—but what happens after the crisis is just as important as what happens during it. In this episode of Confidence in Conflict, Marcus (former healthcare security director) and Natalie (nurse practitioner and clinical team leader) tackle one of the most overlooked yet essential skills in healthcare: post-incident recovery.
Through candid discussion and actionable guidance, they break down how recovery practices—both individual and organizational—protect emotional well-being, improve team dynamics, and build long-term resilience in high-stress environments.
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Transcript
Introduction to Post-Incident Recovery
00:00:04
Speaker
Welcome back to Confidence in Conflict, where we explore practical strategies that make a real difference in healthcare environments.
00:00:10
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I'm Marcus, former Healthcare Security Director.
00:00:14
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And I'm Natalie, nurse practitioner and clinical team leader.
00:00:17
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Today we're addressing something that often gets overlooked in healthcare.
00:00:22
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What happens after a conflict or difficult incident occurs?
00:00:25
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We're talking about post-incident recovery, the critical skills of debriefing, self-care, safety planning, service recovery, and rebuilding trust.
00:00:36
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This might be one of the most important episodes we've done, Natalie, because while we spend a lot of time learning how to prevent and manage conflicts, we rarely talk about how to recover from them effectively.
00:00:47
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Exactly, Marcus.
Challenges in Recovery
00:00:48
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And here's what's concerning.
00:00:50
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When we don't handle post-incident recovery well, it affects our ability to handle future situations, impacts our emotional well-being, and can damage relationships for months or even years afterward.
00:01:03
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Whether you've just dealt with an aggressive patient, managed a medical emergency where emotions ran high, or navigated a difficult family meeting, how you process and recover from that experience determines how it affects you going forward.
00:01:15
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And recovery isn't just individual.
00:01:17
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It's also organizational.
00:01:19
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Teams need to recover together.
00:01:21
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Relationships need to be repaired, and systems might need to be adjusted based on what happened.
00:01:27
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Let's start with why post-incident recovery is so often neglected.
00:01:31
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Natalie, what factors contribute to this being the forgotten skill in healthcare?
00:01:36
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I think part of it is the pace of healthcare, Marcus.
00:01:39
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When one crisis ends, there's often another patient waiting, another emergency developing, or another task that needs immediate attention.
00:01:48
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It feels like there's no time to process what just happened.
00:01:52
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And there's often a cultural expectation that healthcare professionals should just bounce back quickly from difficult situations.
Benefits of Proper Recovery
00:01:59
Speaker
There's this idea that being tough means not needing time to process or recover.
00:02:04
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That's definitely true.
00:02:05
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That is also perhaps why so many of us were never taught recovery skills in training.
00:02:10
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We learned clinical procedures, medication management, and patient assessment, but not how to physically, emotionally, and professionally recover from difficult or traumatic incidents.
00:02:22
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And sometimes there's shame or embarrassment associated with needing recovery time, especially if we feel like we could have handled the situation differently or better.
00:02:29
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But here's what Vistalar's research shows.
00:02:32
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Proper post-incident recovery makes you more resilient and effective in future challenging situations.
00:02:39
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not less.
00:02:41
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It also prevents blowback after incidents by putting staff and the organization on the best possible footing moving forward, similar to the way good closure statements do at the end of an interaction with a patient or visitor.
Immediate Post-Incident Steps
00:02:55
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Let's talk about the immediate aftermath of a difficult incident.
00:02:58
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What should happen in those first few minutes after a conflict or crisis?
00:03:02
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The immediate priority is safety and stability.
00:03:06
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Marcus, is everyone physically safe?
00:03:08
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Are there ongoing medical needs?
00:03:10
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Is the incident truly resolved?
00:03:12
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Or could it recycle, meaning to start all over again?
00:03:16
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And then there's often a need for what I call emotional triage, checking in with everyone who was involved or affected to assess their immediate psychological state.
00:03:25
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Some people might be shaken, others might be angry, and some might go into a kind of shock or numbness.
00:03:32
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Recognizing these different responses helps determine what kind of immediate support each person needs and how safe it feels to be forthcoming with their thoughts and opinions.
00:03:43
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And it's important to resist the urge to immediately analyze what went wrong or assign blame.
00:03:48
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This is the common reaction that people have post-incident, to be critical.
00:03:52
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Instead, they need to respond by being thoughtful.
00:03:55
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Another application of VISTA-LAR's respond, don't react concept.
00:03:59
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So, the immediate priorities are about safety and stabilization, not evaluation.
00:04:05
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Let's discuss the components of effective debriefing.
00:04:08
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This is different from incident reporting.
00:04:10
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It's about processing the experience and learning from it.
00:04:14
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Effective debriefing has both emotional and analytical components, Natalie.
00:04:18
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The emotional piece involves demonstrating concern by acknowledging how people feel in the moment and validating those emotions.
00:04:24
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Agreed.
00:04:25
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People might feel scared, frustrated, guilty, angry, or relieved.
00:04:31
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All of those emotions are normal responses to difficult situations, and they need to be acknowledged before you can move to productive analysis.
00:04:41
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After creating a supportive atmosphere by demonstrating concern, the analytical piece then comes into play by examining what happened, what went well, what might have been done differently, and what can be learned for future situations.
Effective Debriefing Strategies
00:04:52
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But here's crucial.
00:04:54
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The analytical discussion should focus on systems, processes, and techniques rather than personal failures or character judgments.
00:05:02
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So important, Natalie.
00:05:04
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Good debriefing questions might include, what factors contributed to this situation?
00:05:09
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What de-escalation techniques were effective?
00:05:12
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What resources or support might have been helpful?
00:05:14
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What can we do differently next time?
00:05:17
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What should we pass on and document so others can learn from this encounter?
00:05:20
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Let's talk about timing for debriefing.
00:05:23
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When should these conversations happen?
00:05:25
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There are often multiple debriefing opportunities, Natalie.
00:05:28
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There might be an immediate informal check-in within hours of the incident, followed by a more formal debriefing within 24 to 48 hours.
00:05:36
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And sometimes there are longer-term follow-ups, especially for particularly traumatic incidents, or when there are ongoing relationships that need repair.
00:05:46
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The key is not letting too much time pass before the initial debriefing.
00:05:50
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Memory fades, emotions change, and people start creating their own narratives about what happened.
Self-Assessment and Care
00:05:55
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But you also don't want to debrief when people are still highly emotional or when the immediate crisis isn't fully resolved.
00:06:02
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But we still need to check in with people, don't we?
00:06:05
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Yes, but first let's address individual self-care after difficult incidents.
00:06:10
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What should healthcare workers do to take care of themselves after traumatic or stressful experiences?
00:06:16
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Self-care starts with honest self-assessment, Marcus.
00:06:20
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How are you feeling physically, emotionally?
00:06:23
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Are you sleeping well, eating normally?
00:06:25
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Are you more irritable or withdrawn than usual?
00:06:28
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And it's important to recognize that reactions to difficult incidents can be delayed.
00:06:33
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You might feel fine immediately after an incident, but notice symptoms hours or even days later.
00:06:39
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Physical self-care is crucial.
00:06:41
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Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, exercise and relaxation techniques can help your body process stress and recover from trauma.
00:06:50
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But emotional self-care is equally important.
00:06:53
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This might include talking to trusted friends or colleagues, journaling about the experience, or seeking professional counseling if needed.
00:07:00
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And it's important to engage in activities that restore your sense of competence and positive identity.
00:07:06
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After a difficult incident where you might feel like you failed, doing things you're good at can help rebuild confidence,
00:07:13
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Let's talk about when to seek professional help.
00:07:16
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How do you know if an incident has affected you in ways that require more support than self-care and peer debriefing?
00:07:22
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Warning signs include persistent sleep problems, intrusive thoughts about the incident, avoiding similar situations or patients, increased use of alcohol or other substances, or significant changes in mood or behavior, Marcus.
00:07:37
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And if you find yourself replaying the incident obsessively, feeling intense guilt or shame that doesn't diminish over time, or experiencing physical symptoms like headaches or stomach problems that seem related to the stress.
00:07:49
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It's also important to seek help if the incident has affected your confidence to the point where you're avoiding necessary aspects of your job, or if colleagues are expressing concern about changes in your behavior.
00:08:00
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Most healthcare organizations have employee assistance programs or other resources available, and using them is a sign of professional responsibility, not weakness.
00:08:09
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Let's discuss team recovery.
00:08:11
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How do groups of healthcare workers recover together from difficult incidents?
Team Dynamics and Trust Building
00:08:16
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Team recovery is crucial because shared experiences create shared trauma, but also shared healing opportunities, Natalie.
00:08:23
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Group debriefings allow team members to understand different perspectives on what happened, fill in gaps in each other's understanding, and provide mutual support.
00:08:33
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And team recovery helps prevent the development of blame dynamics where individuals start pointing fingers at each other rather than learning collectively from the experience.
00:08:42
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Sometimes team recovery involves acknowledging that different people played different roles and had different levels of information or authority.
00:08:50
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So their experiences and responsibilities were different.
00:08:54
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And effective team recovery often strengthens working relationships rather than damaging them because people feel supported rather than judged.
00:09:02
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Let's talk about rebuilding trust after incidents.
00:09:05
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This might be trust between team members, trust with patients and families, or even rebuilding your own self-trust.
00:09:12
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Trust rebuilding starts with honest acknowledgement of what happened, Natalie.
00:09:16
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If mistakes were made, they need to be acknowledged rather than minimized or defended.
00:09:20
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But acknowledgement should be coupled with concrete plans for improvement.
00:09:25
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Here's what we learned, and here's what we're doing differently, is more trust building than just, we're sorry this happened.
00:09:33
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and trust rebuilding often requires time and consistent behavior.
00:09:37
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One conversation or apology might not be enough.
00:09:40
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You might need to demonstrate change over weeks or months.
00:09:42
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With patients and families, trust rebuilding might involve increased transparency, more frequent communication, or bringing in additional resources or perspectives to ensure better outcomes.
00:09:55
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Let's address something important.
00:09:57
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How to recover from incidents where you feel you made mistakes or could have done better.
00:10:01
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This is so common, Marcus, and the guilt and self-criticism can be overwhelming.
00:10:07
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The key is distinguishing between productive learning and destructive self-blame.
00:10:12
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Productive learning focuses on specific behaviors and decisions.
00:10:16
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Next time, I'll ask more questions before making assumptions, or I should have called for backup earlier.
00:10:22
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Destructive self-blame attacks character and identity.
00:10:26
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I'm a terrible nurse, or I shouldn't be working in health care.
00:10:30
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And it's important to remember that most difficult incidents result from multiple factors, not just individual decisions.
00:10:36
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System issues, communication problems, resource limitations, and unexpected circumstances all contribute.
00:10:43
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Self-forgiveness is a professional skill.
00:10:47
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You can't learn and improve if you're consumed by guilt and self-criticism.
Leadership's Role in Recovery
00:10:52
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Let's discuss the role of leadership in post-incident recovery.
00:10:55
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How should supervisors and managers support their teams after difficult situations?
00:11:00
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Leadership response sets the tone for the entire recovery process, Marcus.
00:11:05
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Leaders who respond with curiosity rather than blame, support rather than criticism, create environments where people can recover and learn.
00:11:14
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And leaders need to model healthy recovery behaviors.
00:11:17
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If supervisors don't take time to process difficult incidents, their teams won't either.
00:11:22
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Leaders also need to ensure that people have the time and resources for proper recovery.
00:11:27
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You can't expect someone to process a traumatic incident during their lunch break.
00:11:31
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And sometimes leaders need to make difficult decisions about reassigning responsibilities or providing additional support while team members recover.
00:11:39
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Let's talk about organizational policies around post-incident recovery.
00:11:43
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What systems should healthcare organizations have in place?
00:11:47
Speaker
Organizations need clear procedures for debriefing that are separate from disciplinary processes, Natalie.
00:11:53
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People need to be able to discuss what happened honestly without fear of punishment.
00:11:58
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And there should be accessible mental health resources, employee assistance programs, counseling services, or referral systems that people can use without stigma.
00:12:09
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Some organizations have peer support programs where specially trained colleagues provide immediate support after difficult incidents.
00:12:16
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And there should be flexibility in scheduling and assignments to allow people recovery time when needed, rather than expecting everyone to just continue at full capacity immediately.
Maintaining Confidence and Learning
00:12:29
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Let's address the relationship between post-incident recovery and future performance.
00:12:34
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How does processing experiences well affect your ability to handle similar situations later?
00:12:39
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When you recover well from difficult incidents, you're more likely to maintain confidence and competence for future challenges, Marcus.
00:12:47
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You learn from the experience rather than being traumatized by it.
00:12:51
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An effective recovery helps you develop resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity and continue functioning effectively under stress.
00:12:59
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People who don't recover well often develop avoidance patterns.
00:13:03
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They start avoiding certain types of patients, situations, or responsibilities because they haven't processed their previous experiences.
00:13:12
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Or they become overly anxious and reactive, seeing threats and problems where none exist because they haven't resolved the emotional impact of past incidents.
00:13:20
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Let's talk about learning and growth from difficult incidents.
00:13:24
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How do you extract positive lessons from negative experiences?
00:13:28
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The key is approaching incidents as learning opportunities rather than failures, Natalie.
00:13:32
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Every difficult situation contains information about what works, what doesn't, and what could be improved.
00:13:38
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And often the most growth comes from the most challenging experiences.
00:13:43
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Incidents that push you outside your comfort zone teach you capabilities you didn't know you had.
00:13:49
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It's also important to recognize partial successes.
00:13:52
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Even if an incident didn't go perfectly, there were probably things you did well that prevented it from being worse.
00:13:57
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And sometimes the learning isn't just clinical or technical.
00:14:01
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It's about communication, teamwork, emotional regulation, or personal resilience.
Long-Term Impact on Healthcare Longevity
00:14:07
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Let's discuss long-term recovery and career sustainability.
00:14:11
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How does effective post-incident recovery contribute to longevity in healthcare?
00:14:15
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Healthcare is inherently stressful and emotionally demanding, Marcus.
00:14:19
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Without good recovery skills, the cumulative impact of difficult incidents can lead to burnout, cynicism, and eventually leaving the profession.
00:14:29
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But healthcare workers who develop strong recovery skills often find that they become more resilient and effective over time, rather than more worn down.
00:14:37
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They also tend to maintain their empathy and compassion longer because they're not carrying around unprocessed trauma and stress from previous incidents.
00:14:46
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And they often become mentors and support people for colleagues who are dealing with their own difficult experiences.
00:14:52
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Let's talk about the role of VISTALAR's framework in post-incident recovery.
00:14:57
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How do the principles we've discussed in previous episodes apply to recovery?
00:15:02
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The core principle of treating people with dignity by showing respect and a systematic approach that prevents and manages conflict also guides effective recovery, Natalie.
00:15:11
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And the emphasis on looking good, feeling good, and working effectively helps evaluate whether your recovery process is successful.
00:15:19
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If you're recovering well, you should eventually feel good about how you handled the situation, even if it was difficult.
00:15:26
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Look professional and competent to others and work effectively in similar future situations.
00:15:32
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Let's address something that many health care workers struggle with, balancing the need for recovery with the demands of patient care.
00:15:38
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This is a real challenge, Marcus.
00:15:41
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Patients need care regardless of what staff have just experienced, and you can't always take a break when you need one.
00:15:47
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But it's important to recognize that taking care of yourself is actually part of taking care of patients.
00:15:52
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If you're too traumatized or stressed to function well, you're not serving anyone effectively.
00:15:57
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Sometimes recovery has to happen in small increments.
00:16:01
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Brief check-ins with colleagues, quick stress reduction techniques between patients, or short debriefing conversations
Techniques and Cultural Barriers
00:16:09
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during breaks.
00:16:10
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And sometimes it means asking for help or coverage so you can take the appropriate time to process and recover.
00:16:16
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Let's talk about cultural and organizational barriers to recovery.
00:16:21
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What prevents healthcare workers from engaging in proper post-incident recovery?
00:16:26
Speaker
The hero mentality is a big barrier, Natalie.
00:16:29
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There's often an expectation that healthcare workers should be able to handle anything without being affected by it.
00:16:36
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And the fast-paced nature of healthcare environments can make recovery feel like a luxury rather than a necessity.
00:16:43
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There's also sometimes a fear that admitting you need recovery time will be seen as weakness or incompetence by supervisors or colleagues.
00:16:50
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And in some organizations, there's more focus on liability management and blame assignment than on learning and healing.
00:16:58
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Changing these cultural barriers requires leadership commitment and systemic changes in how organizations approach difficult incidents.
00:17:05
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Let's discuss specific recovery techniques that health care workers can use immediately after difficult incidents.
00:17:12
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One technique is the immediate decompression, taking five minutes after an incident to breathe deeply, acknowledge what happened, and check in with your emotional and physical state, Natalie.
00:17:22
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Another is the facts and feelings journaling exercise, writing down both the objective facts of what happened and your subjective emotional responses to help process the experience.
00:17:34
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Physical movement can be helpful too.
00:17:36
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Taking a walk, doing some stretches, or even just shaking out tension in your hands and shoulders.
00:17:41
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And connecting with supportive colleagues or friends can provide both emotional support and perspective on what happened.
00:17:48
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Let's talk about the difference between healthy processing and rumination.
00:17:52
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How do you think through an incident productively without getting stuck in repetitive, unhelpful thoughts?
00:17:57
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Healthy processing is time-limited and solution-focused, Marcus.
00:18:01
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You think through what happened, extract lessons, make plans for improvement, and then move forward.
00:18:08
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Rumination is repetitive, circular thinking that doesn't lead to resolution or learning.
00:18:13
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You keep replaying the incident without gaining new insights or making progress.
00:18:17
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If you find yourself thinking about an incident obsessively, it might help to set specific times for processing.
00:18:24
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I'll think about this for 15 minutes tonight, and then I'll focus on other things.
Personal Impact and Planning
00:18:29
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And it can help to write down your thoughts and lessons learned so your brain doesn't feel like it needs to keep rehearsing them.
00:18:35
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Let's address how post-incident recovery differs based on the type of incident.
00:18:40
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Does the approach change for medical emergencies versus violent incidents versus communication breakdowns?
00:18:47
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The basic principles remain the same, Natalie, but the specific focus might vary.
00:18:52
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Medical emergencies might require more focus on clinical decision-making and protocols.
00:18:56
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Violent incidents might need more attention to safety planning and trauma processing, and communication breakdowns might emphasize relationship repair and improved communication strategies.
00:19:08
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But all types of incidents benefit from acknowledgement of emotional impact, factual analysis of what happened, and planning for future improvement.
00:19:16
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Let's talk about family and personal life impacts.
00:19:19
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How do difficult work incidents affect healthcare workers' lives outside of work?
00:19:24
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And how can recovery address those impacts?
00:19:27
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Work stress and trauma often spill over into personal relationships, Natalie.
00:19:32
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You might be more irritable with family, have trouble sleeping, or find it hard to enjoy activities you usually love.
00:19:38
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And sometimes family members don't understand why a work incident is affecting you so much, especially if you can't share details due to confidentiality requirements.
00:19:49
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Recovery planning should include attention to these spillover effects and strategies for protecting and nurturing your personal relationships and well-being.
00:19:56
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This might mean having honest conversations with family about how work stress affect you or finding appropriate ways to decompress before coming home.
Building a Recovery Toolkit
00:20:05
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As we start to wrap up, let's give our listeners specific steps they can take to improve their post-incident recovery skills.
00:20:12
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Start by developing awareness of your own stress responses and recovery needs, Marcus.
00:20:18
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Notice how different types of incidents affect you and what helps you process and bounce back.
00:20:24
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Create a personal recovery toolkit.
00:20:26
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Specific techniques, resources, and support people you can turn to after difficult incidents.
00:20:32
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Practice recovery skills during less stressful times so they're available when you really need them.
00:20:38
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Don't wait for a crisis to start learning these techniques.
00:20:42
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And advocate for good recovery practices in your workplace.
00:20:45
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Support colleagues who need processing time and speak up about the importance of proper debriefing and support.
00:20:51
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Remember that seeking help and taking recovery time are signs of professional responsibility, not weakness.
00:20:58
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For organizations, prioritize creating cultures and systems that support healthy recovery rather than just expecting people to tough it out.
00:21:06
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Post-incident recovery is an investment in your future effectiveness and well-being, not just a response to current stress.
00:21:15
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The healthcare workers who have the longest, most successful careers are often those who've learned to recover well from difficult experiences rather than those who've never faced challenges.
00:21:24
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Every difficult incident is an opportunity to practice recovery skills and build resilience for future challenges.
00:21:33
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Recovery is both individual and collective.
00:21:36
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We heal together as well as separately.
Closing and Engagement
00:21:38
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Thank you for joining us for this important discussion about post-incident recovery.
00:21:43
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These skills have been life-changing for both of us personally and professionally.
00:21:48
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If you've experienced a difficult incident recently, please be gentle with yourself and seek appropriate support.
00:21:54
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And if you haven't faced major challenges yet, start building these recovery skills now.
00:21:59
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We encourage you to share this episode with colleagues who might benefit from understanding the importance of proper recovery after difficult incidents.
00:22:09
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Your ratings and reviews continue to help us reach more healthcare professionals who can benefit from these evidence-based strategies.
00:22:15
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Thank you for your ongoing support.
00:22:17
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Until next time, remember that recovery is not optional.
00:22:21
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It's an essential skill for anyone working in healthcare's challenging environment.
00:22:26
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This podcast uses synthetic voices to share Vistilar's training and communication strategies.