INSTRUCTIONS:  In this 3-5 page paper, you will identify and discuss personal attitudes, values, behaviors, and experiences that may impede or enhance your ability to do crisis work.  Your paper must reflect accurate and supported knowledge of effective crisis worker characteristics and the dynamics of counselor burnout, vicarious traumatization, and compassion fatigue.  You will use the course readings, the assigned chapter below, and at least 2 professional journal articles dealing with counselor burnout, vicarious traumatization, or compassion fatigue.  Cite all references in the Outline and References Assignment in APA and use the alphanumeric outline format posted in the Paper Information folder in Blackboard under Course Information.  Cite all references and format the rough draft and final paper using APA style.  NOTE:  The page length above does not include the title page, reference page, or any appendices you may use.

James, R. K. (2008).  Human service workers in crisis:  Burnout, vicarious traumatization, and   compassion fatigue.  In Crisis intervention strategies (pp.530-562).  Belmont, CA:    Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

Reminder:  This self-assessment must be informed by the course concepts, the assigned   reading, and at least 2 professional journal articles as described above.

Running head: MANAGEMENT OF CRISES 1

MANAGEMENT OF CRISES 3

Management of Crises

Kandra Thornton

Professor Lesyk

Dealing with A Crisis

I. What Is A Crisis?

A. What types of crisis are there?

B. ________________

1. What personal qualities or characteristics might enhance your ability to be an effective crisis worker?

2. What personal qualities or characteristics might impede your ability to be an effective crisis worker?

II. What Career Path Do You Want to Pursue?

A. What kind of crisis you might run into in this field?

A. How you will help patients with their crisis?

1. How might your profession hinder your ability to act efficiently?

2. How might your profession enhance your ability to act efficiently?

III. What is Burnout, Vicarious Traumatization and Compassion Fatigue?

A. What feelings, attitudes, motives, and/or expectations might increase your risk for burnout?

B. What are some preventative and restorative measures you can take to address vicarious traumatization that is most likely to work specifically for you?

C. What are some preventative and restorative measures you can take to address compassion fatigue that is most likely to work specifically for you?

1. Overall, do you think you’re fit to be a crisis worker, or handle a crisis effectively?

Management of Crises

We must have at one time found ourselves in some situations which are dangerous and require effective decision making to help solve the issue. These are usually stressful times in one’s life that are in turmoil experiencing rough times that make it difficult to carry on with their normal daily activities. There are different types of crises that one is bound to experience in their lives, these are such as natural crises, financial crises, technological crises and the crises of malice. These are usually devastating situations that if not properly managed then the situation might be worse and beyond the management of the situation if not managed as fast as possible (James, 2008).

Management of these crises requires individuals that have the right attributes which can ensure that one effectively manages the situation before the situation becomes worse. Self-awareness, for instance, is a key attribute that I possess. This requires that one understands oneself such that raising their dark sides of life does not necessarily affect them negatively. A crisis manager should also be nonreactive as there are many situations that such an individual is bound to face and being unreactive only helps in the provision of the best solution (Kanel, 2018).

However, some attributes might impede me from being an effective manager of the crises. For instance, being a judgmental crisis counselor might be difficult for me to solve crises issues; this is because while listening to the crises I might make an early judgment which would result in not solving the crises. I am sometimes judgmental to others depending on the situation. This might be able to help in effective solving of the situation as the other part of the situation would only make the situation worse. Another attribute would be tolerance, my tolerance level is low most of the time. I constantly get mad at this when people don’t understand what I’m saying to them. A counselor who is unable to tolerate all the challenges and the crises that he/she handles might pile up in one`s life and make it intolerable to survive in such an environment.

I intend to venture into a Disaster Management career. This is because I believe that I have acquired the right skills and knowledge appropriate for crisis management. There are various crises that are bound to face during the execution of my duties. These are such as natural crises like an earthquake, flooding, and drought. There are also technological crises like security data breach and social engineering practices that I might face in the process of discharging my duties (James, 2008). There is also the likelihood of experiencing workplace violence that might arise due to different ideologies among the employees. Therefore, for the organization to smoothly run I must always be alert on these crises and be in a position to effectively solve the prevailing situation.

I will be able to help patients solve their situation in different ways depending on the kind of crises that we might be facing. For instance, the measures taken against fire outbreaks are different as those used in cases of flooding, and earthquake, however, the main goal is to ensure that their assumption of duties as fast as possible. If a patient experiences a fire and their house burns down, if I can’t have them stay at my house personally, I will have pamphlets with steps to do next, shelter numbers, insurance claims numbers etc. Same for flooding or earthquakes. But in those cases, I would also include Red Cross.

As a crisis manager, I don’t think that there are possible ways that would hinder me from discharging my duties as a disaster manager (James, 2008). Instead, I will be in a position act efficiently as I will use the knowledge and skills acquired in school into direct solving of crises facing the facility. Therefore, by the use of all the available resources at the facility I will be able to gain the required experience and skills that would make me more effective in the management of crises.

Burnout is usually the state of prolonged stress that results in physical, emotional and mental exhaustion of an individual. Then vicarious traumatization is usually the transformation of the self-trauma which results from empathic engagement with the traumatized individuals. On the other hand, compassion fatigue is the charitable appeals on behalf of those suffering that take place when there is an increased frequency of similar cases. Burnout is usually experienced at the workplace when there is a mismatch between people`s needs and the opportunities that arise at the workplace, these are the major feelings and motives that lead to burnout (Kanel, 2018). However, managing vicarious traumatization can be effectively done by having in place a healthy lifestyle that results in physical wellness. While for the case of compassion fatigue I can be able to manage the situation by being trained on the best ways to manage the situation and engage in outside hobbies that would result in making me feel relaxed.

Overall, I believe that I have what it takes to make me an effective crisis worker; this is because all the important attributes that are required for an effective crisis worker I possess them. For instance, I have self-awareness ability that has made me understand me and put me in a situation that I can always be able to manage any situation that I face. I have also the ability to understand my past and there are limited chances that an individual can use my past to make it my downfall. Finally, I have also been trained and acquired some of the best skills and knowledge that are required in the management of the crises that facilities face.

References

James, R. K. (2008). Human service workers in crisis: Burnout, vicarious traumatization, and compassion fatigue. Crisis intervention strategies (pp.530-562). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

Kanel, K. (2018). A guide to crisis intervention (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.