The Royal's IMHR and Waypoint partner on a research study to enhance support for mental health workers with PTSD.
It has been estimated that 70,000 Canadian first responders have experienced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in their lifetimes as a result of experiencing or witnessing violence in the workplace.
Like many first responders, mental health workers are also interacting with people who may be experiencing some of the worst moments of their lives. Over time, this could have a significant impact on the general wellbeing of staff.
“When people aren’t feeling well and are seeking help for a mental health condition, they can lash out verbally and physically,” says Dr. Michael Seto. “Even with the best staff and environments, health care workers are still exposed to stressful situations at work.”
The potential for people working in mental health to witness and be impacted by disturbing patient behaviour is a very real concern for workers and their employers. This is why researchers at The Royal and Waypoint are turning their attention to the subject. “Over the past few years, research to address mental health in the workplace has increased, but there is little evidence concerning psychiatric workers,” says Dr. Seto. On Dec. 7, 2017, the Hon. Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour, announced a $248,000 grant supporting a joint research study by The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.
Led by Dr. Michael Seto, Director of Forensic Mental Health Research at The Royal's IMHR and Dr. Zoe Hilton the Senior Research Scientist at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, the research team will examine workplace events associated with trauma, how staff were affected by the trauma, and what they did to get help.
“Trauma can affect people in different ways,” says Dr. Seto. “Some are unable to return to work, while others continue to work but may experience mental and physical health symptoms. This could result in a lower quality of life for staff and affect the quality of care for our patients.”
By engaging frontline staff, the researchers hope to build on existing knowledge and identify proactive approaches that would allow employers to implement more prevention programs - improving the lives of psychiatric workers across Ontario.
“If we can improve outcomes for staff working in mental health care across Canada, we can also expect to enhance patient care – helping people suffering from mental illness get better faster,” says Dr. Seto.
The researchers’ longer term goal is to expand this study to hospitals in Quebec and British Columbia.