Debriefing is a technique which has been shown to lessen compassion fatigue and burnout within the human medical profession as well as with first responders. Many veterinary practices have begun adding this service to provide wellness and retention of staff. It is not counseling/therapy, nor is it educational only. It can be provided one on one or in groups, and individually the process spans no more than 30 minutes. A group debriefing will span about an hour.
A trained professional is recommended to conduct debriefing as strong emotions as well as underlying psychological issues can surface. Sandra and her network of trained social workers will provide debriefing for your practice on a regular or temporary basis.
There are five steps in debriefing:
Review what happened
Discuss staff member's perspective, what was overwhelming for him/her, focusing on how he/she felt
Reinforce positive view of actions taken, and what staff member felt was effective
Review what staff member learned about him/herself as a professional
Discuss whether there is something staff member would like to do differently in the future
Debriefing for your clinic/hospital staff: Group debriefing (1 1/2 hr at your place) $200.00 Individual debriefing (20-30min per individual) $45.00 per individual