Trauma (Critical incident)

A critical incident is any event that results in a person or a group of people experiencing trauma; severe emotional distress following any horrible event. A person's experience of trauma is quite subjective - what is horrible to one person may not be experienced in the same way by another.

Consequences of a critical incident

A person is likely to experience a range of stress reactions including physical (nausea, headaches), cognitive  (confusion, inability to make decisions), and behavioural (anxiety, guilt, crying). These may last for days, weeks, sometimes months and are likely to affect a person's functioning at work and at home.

Read Goslings Fact Sheet on Trauma Event