Post-Incident Response for the Nurse

Following an incident of violence, key actions on the part of the nurse include:

• File an incident report and participate willingly in employer investigative actions.
• Report any injuries (physical or emotional) through appropriate channels and get assessed through the Employee Health Office or Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Seek counseling when appropriate. Everyone responds differently to trauma. Without psychological services and interventions, a nurse's post-traumatic stress may persist.
• Learn about and utilize support resources offered by the employer and/or union.
• Work with criminal justice authorities if legal action is called for.

The order in which a nurse initiates these actions may depend upon the extent of injury or trauma suffered and one's ability to recover.