John Hopkins Medicine. Caring for the Caregiver: The RISE Program

Summary

Every day, healthcare professionals face the risk of traumatic events — such as an unexpected death, a medical error, or an unplanned transfer to the ICU. Yet few hospitals have programmes to support “second victims.” Too often, these employees experience self-doubt, burnout and other problems that cause personal anguish and hinder their ability to deliver safe, compassionate care.

The Caring for the Caregiver programme from John Hopkins Medicine in the USA guides hospitals to set up peer-responder programmes that deliver “psychological first aid and emotional support” to health care professionals following difficult events. Modelled on the Resilience in Stressful Events (RISE) team at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the programme prepares employees to provide skilled, nonjudgmental and confidential support to individuals and groups.