The impact of work-related distress, including indirect trauma, on emergency telecommunicators, and social prescribers

Background: Emergency Telecommunicators (ETs) and Social Prescribers (SPs) hear distressing stories as part of their work to connect people with the help they need. Whether these stories are current or historical, hearing them can lead to developing work-related distress, including secondary, or indirect trauma.

Methods: A systematic review synthesised studies reporting prevalence and predictor variables relating to ET work-related distress.

Meanwhile, qualitative research explored the psychological impact of social prescribing, including potential indirect trauma, how this impact is managed, and SP support needs.

Results: Nineteen studies revealed ETs reporting higher than norm rates of stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, secondary trauma, depression, and suicidal ideation. Predictors included nature of work-shifts/calls, regularity/type of traumatic exposure, and stress levels.

While interviews with eight SPs found several themes of psychological impact, including links to indirect trauma, how SPs manage these, and what additional support/resources might benefit SPs.

Discussion: ETs work in highly reactive, demanding environments encountering distressing situations daily, with increased risk of work-related distress, higher than the general population. Further research is needed around secondary trauma and compassion fatigue, using standardised measures, to better support ETs.

Similarly, SPs experience high workload, lacking standardised training/support, working with clients in distress. SPs experience work-related psychological impact, with links to indirect trauma. Increasing access to clinical supervision and implementing standardised training and support programs for SPs could help ameliorate the impact on SPs.