reacting to loss: a crisis response model for the death of an academic advisor elizabeth s....
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Reacting to Loss:A Crisis Response Model for the Death of an Academic Advisor
Elizabeth S. Bambacus, MEd, NCC
Shajuana Isom-Payne, MEdVirginia Commonwealth
University
Overview of Session
• Need for departmental crisis response plan
• Case study• Sklar & Doezema (2004) model• Evaluation of case study with broad
suggestions• Creating a crisis plan for your
advising unit• Independent self-reflection activity
Context• “Work family”• Sudden loss can be as traumatic as
the death of a family member or loved one (Constantino & Smart, 2004)
• Most research is on death on the job• Little literature on death of
coworker outside of office• Sklar & Doezema (2004)
Time Spent at Work
Case Study• Unexpected• Director broke news to 30 advisors
individually• Office closed and all advisors
attended funeral• Time reserved during previously
planned retreat for processing feelings
Affected Persons: Advisors
• Advisor worked at VCU for over 25 years
• Served as mentor to other advisors• Primary affective response
(Greenberg & Safran, 1989)– Stimulus triggers memory (closed office
door)– Requires restructuring of emotional
response – Psychotherapy most effective to
restructure emotional response (Littrell, 1998)
Affected Persons: Students• Current students– Students in “transition”
• Lower threshold for stressors; increase in sensitivity and vulnerability (Denovan & Macaskill, 2013)
• High stress = risk for illness and depression (Pritchard, et al., 2007)
– E-mailed caseload
• Former students– Returned often–No outreach
Affected Persons: Director• Empathy fatigue– A secondary traumatic stress reaction that
results from a helper “feeling and expressing empathy towards others’ pain and suffering” (Stebnicki, 2007, p. 318)
– A concern for helping professionals; doubly for those who also experienced the trauma
• Supervisor and colleague• Shared news individually (~30 advisors)• Led retreat: moment of silence, processed
feelings
Aftermath
• Solemn for 2 months, then lightened– “Normal” grief 2-6 months (Friedman, 2012)– Complicated grief or persistent complex
bereavement disorder greater than 6 months (Zanni, 2014)
• Diversion: Summer orientation, fall prep–Work diversions can be healthy (Hazen,
2009)–Must process thoughts and feelings
(Greenberg, 1989)
Sklar & Doezema (2004)• “When a Faculty Member Dies or
Becomes Disabled”• Crisis response model written by
physicians/professors in a medical school in reaction to three faculty deaths in 5 years
• Why model applies:– Faculty– Deaths do not have to occur on site– Timing of the phases matches
5 PhasesSklar & Doezema (2004) listed 5 phases:
• Phase 1: Early Warning
• Phase 2: Actual Notification
• Phase 3: Emotions Set In
• Phase 4: Secondary Reactions
• Phase 5: Recovery
Next: aligning case study with this model
Phase 1: Early Warning
• Model: –Unofficial information circulates– Colleagues suspect something is wrong
• Case Study:– A few colleagues heard he had passed
away over the weekend– Advisors notice somber mood after
director speaks with others privately
Phase 2: Actual Notification
• Model:– Information is confirmed and employees
are notified– Recommendation: allow use of leave
and bring in alternative staff if necessary
• Case study:– Director notified each advisor– Advisors allowed liberal leave
Phase 3: Emotions Set In• Model:– Common emotions: denial, anger, shock, sadness– This is when plans should be made for the next
several days, e.g.,• Communicate with family• Provide coverage for colleagues to attend service
• Case Study:– Confronted emotions at staff retreat– Co-worker communicated with family about
service– Office closed on day of funeral
Phase 4: Secondary Reactions
• Model:– Colleagues attend funeral services– Supervisors reassign deceased’s work– Colleagues begin to come to terms with
loss
• Case study:– All advisors attended funeral– Caseload did not need to be reassigned
Phase 5: Recovery• Model:– Colleagues speak of deceased in past tense– Leadership begins search to fill position– Office is cleaned out – A memorial is discussed
• Case study:– Position is filled by previous adjunct– Director and two colleagues cleaned out
office– Street sign, plaque, etc.
Recommendations for Case Study
• Based on Sklar & Doezema (2004) model
• Phone tree– Director > 5 advisors > 5-6 advisors– Reduces risk for empathy fatigue– Advisors can choose to come to work
• Grief counseling for director–Must process discuss feelings,
thoughts, emotions
Recommendations for Case Study
• Grief counseling for the advisors– Grief counselor on site for first few days– Encourage to use Employee Assistance
Program– Reminders of resources should be made
periodically
• Caring for students–Have new advisors periodically check in– Encourage to use campus and
community resources– Follow-up e-mail
Recommendations for Case Study
• Dedicate a memorial:–Helps grievers come to terms and
accept new reality– Street sign for hallway– June 24, 2015: unveiling ceremony
Impact of Memorial• Outpouring of family• Joyful sharing of memories• Advisors (old and new) felt
valued
Creating Your Own Model
Consider:• Your institution’s plan• Your unit’s structure• Possible populations affected• The phases as a basic structure• Campus and community resources• Other crises• The well-being of advisors
Self-Reflection Activity
• Seek resources
• Talk to someone you trust
• Process emotions, thoughts, and memories
ReferencesConstantino, J., & Smart, C. J. (2004). Death among us: Grieving the loss of a coworker is a
group process. The American Journal of Nursing, 104(6), 64C-64G.Denovan, A., & Macaskill, A. (2013). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of stress and
coping in first year undergraduates. British Educational Research Journal, 39(6), 1002-1024.
Friedman, R. A. (2012). Grief, depression, and the DSM-5. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(20), 1855-1857.
Greenberg, L.S., & Safran, J.D. (1989) Emotion in psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 44(1), 19.
Hazen, M. A. (2009). Recognizing and responding to workplace grief. Organizational Dynamics, 38(4), 290-296.
Pritchard, M. E., Wilson, G. S., & Yamnitz, B. (2007). What predicts adjustment among college students? A longitudinal panel study. Journal of American College Health, 56(1), 15-22.
Sklar, D. P., & Doezema, D. (2004). When a faculty member dies or becomes disabled. Academic Emergency Medicine, 11(3), 287-288.
Stebnicki, M. A. (2007). Empathy fatigue: Healing the mind, body, and spirit of professional counselors. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 10(4), 317-338.
Zanni, G. R. (2014). Trauma in the workplace: Grief counseling 101. The Consultant Pharmacist, 29(1), 58-61.
