title: Exposure to crises and resiliency of health care workers in Singapore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care workers are exposed to various work-related traumatic incidents and crises, so building emotional resiliency is important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine exposure to work-related crises and resiliency of health care workers in public hospitals in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sent questionnaires to health care workers in seven public hospitals. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. We asked about mental health training and exposure to work-related and personal crises. We measured resiliency using a pilot 5-point Likert questionnaire reflecting resistance and resilience constructs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received 496 responses, a response rate of 58%. More than 70% of hospital staff experienced aggression or violence from patients and relatives, and about a third experienced significant personal crises, most commonly interpersonal conflicts. Those with mental health training were twice as likely to be resistant (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7) and resilient (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.7) and also more likely to have experienced sudden/unexpected patient deaths (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.9-4.0) and aggression or violence from patients and relatives (OR = 5.1, 95% CI 3.0-8.7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health training appears to improve individuals' perception of resistance and resilience. Hospitals should consider providing mental health and crisis intervention training to improve the emotional resiliency of health care workers.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Recovery & Corporate Solutions, Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei Street, Singapore 529889. angelina_chan@cgh.com.sg
authors.forename: A O M
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: J P C
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kee
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D003645:Death, Sudden; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012846:Singapore; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology