What is an underlying purpose of conducting critical incident stress debriefing sessions?

Conducting critical incident stress debriefing sessions is primarily aimed at assisting individuals in processing the trauma they have experienced. These sessions provide a safe and supportive environment where healthcare professionals and others affected by traumatic incidents can express their feelings, thoughts, and reactions. This processing is crucial for mental health, as it helps participants understand and cope with the emotional aftermath of stressful experiences. Sharing experiences in a group setting promotes healing and can mitigate the long-term psychological impacts of trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The focus on trauma processing differentiates this approach from goals related to operational efficiency, performance evaluation, or financial accountability, which are not the primary purposes of critical incident stress debriefing.