“When They Say, ‘I Hear You,’ They Truly Hear Me”: An Application of Theories of Resilience to Occupational Trauma Exposure

Abstract

Trauma workers, or those who regularly encounter psychologically distressing situations as part of their job, are at increased risk of mental illness, PTSD, and emotional burnout. However, not all trauma workers develop PTSD despite their regular exposure to traumatic scenes. This study sought to answer the question of how trauma workers’ co-worker relationships contribute to their resilience (i.e., their ability to buffer the negative psychological effects of their work) and the ways in which trauma workers communicate about their work and their stressors with one another. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 trauma workers sought to identify processes involved in trauma co-worker relationships that theoretically impact trauma worker well-being. Participants shared various aspects of their relationships with co-workers, such as how the job is framed communally versus individually, their relational maintenance behaviors with co-workers, their conversations about work-related stress, and experiences of conflict with co-workers. Participants reported framing their relationships with their co-workers in two ways: “in the trenches” together and building community outside of the trenches. Relational maintenance among these trauma workers spanned four categories: sharing responsibilities, emotional support, verbal appreciation, and gift giving. Trauma workers shared four ways they discussed work-related stress with their co-workers: debriefing, foregrounding patient humanity, using humor, and providing time alone. Lastly, participants reported two commonalities in experiences of workplace conflict: hierarchy as silencing and backgrounding petty disputes. The current study included primarily white women who work in healthcare. Future research should explore other types of trauma work outside of healthcare to examine expansions to these findings as well as commonalities shared among various types of health care workers.