Unlocking the brain’s response to trauma, violence
Scott Johnson of The Oakland Tribune writes about the science of chronic trauma and puts it in the perspective of Oakland, Calif., residents who are regularly exposed to chronic levels of stress and trauma. There were 95 homicides in Oakland in 2010.
Scientists are finding that trauma affects how the brain functions and, especially in children, can create long-term debilitating problems, including anti-social behavior, dissociation, emotional numbness and trouble forming social relationships.
Fortunately, scientists also are finding there are therapeutic tools that can help.
The science around chronic trauma is evolving quickly and in exciting new ways. Even as scientists discover new evidence about what is happening in the brains of chronically traumatized people, intriguing new techniques are emerging for coping with the effects.
Johnson, the Oakland Tribune’s Violence Reporting Fellow, is blogging at OaklandEffect.com, where he has written about his own experiences and about attending the recent “Healing Moments in Trauma Treatment” conference. Johnson’s position is funded by the California Endowment and he will be with the Tribune for a year, reporting on a wide range of issues, including those related to the impacts of violence on the mental health of Oakland residents.
Nurses face dangers of workplace violence
Marlene A. Prost, writing for Human Resource Executive Online, reports that workplace violence is a growing problem for nurses.
She cites reports from Australia and the United States showing that about half of nurses in two surveys had been punched or otherwise assaulted in the past year. It appears the assaults are coming from patients and their families and friends.
However, Prost reports, nursing and hospital associations are taking notice and action, such as “improving security, encouraging incident reports and fighting to strengthen state laws to prevent violence and punish offenders.”
Hospitals are using guidelines from The Joint Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to make nurses safer. They also are training nurses to defuse volatile situations and encouraging them to report incidents, according to the article.
Reporters may be able to find more information through the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Nurses Association also has information about workplace violence. The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert in 2008 about intimidating and disruptive behaviors in the health care environment.
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