Description

Stress First Aid (SFA) is a peer support and self-care framework developed by the National Center for PTSD to improve recovery from stress reactions in oneself and coworkers. The model supports healthy friendship, mentorship, and leadership actions through core steps that help identify and address early signs of stress reactions on a continuum — not only after critical incidents, but as part of ongoing team care.

The goal of SFA is to reduce the likelihood that stress reactions develop into more severe or long-term problems while creating a shared language of support across teams and organizations.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion, participants should be able to:

1. Recognize early signs of stress reactions and stress injuries.
2. Describe how to apply SFA at the individual level for self-care and peer support.
3. Explain how SFA serves as a supportive framework for all staff.
4. Use a common language and method to support coworkers experiencing stress or crisis.