The reactions of a volunteer mental health team which convened in the aftermath of the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfire are reported. A questionnaire designed to explore psychological and physical responses was completed by the 19 staff who made up the team. Using both open-ended and closed questions, the questionnaire tapped such areas as motivation, goals, expectations and observations, initial and later emotional and physical reactions, fantasies and evoked memories; Analysis of responses indicated that team members experiences considerable stress during their post-disaster work but also gained a great deal at both professional and personal levels. Sources of stress are discussed as are recommendations for their alleviation.
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Publication Author: Paul Valent Publication Date: 1984 Categories: Compassion fatigue