These free B.Pharm notes on psychological first aid and crisis communication cover chapter 24 of Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills, a first-semester subject. Read the key points below, then study the complete chapter PDF. You can browse every chapter in the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills category.
Table of Contents
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Overview of psychological first aid and crisis communication
This chapter covers quick psychological support during disasters and emergencies. It explains Psychological First Aid and its Look, Listen, Link principles, crisis communication and the CDC CERC model, and how the two work together, including the problem of an infodemic in the digital age.
Key points on psychological first aid and crisis communication
- Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach that reduces first distress after trauma and stresses safety, calm, connectedness, self-efficacy and hope, not emotional release.
- The core principles of Psychological First Aid are Look for assessment, Listen for engagement and Link for connection to practical support.
- Unlike critical incident stress debriefing, PFA does not ask people to describe the event in detail, because re-living the story may block natural recovery.
- The CDC’s CERC model asks the communicator to be first, be right, be credible and express empathy, with promote action and show respect added.
- An infodemic is too much information, including false and misleading content, and it can paralyse the public health response during a crisis.
Relevance to pharmacy practice
During outbreaks or disasters, pharmacists and other health workers meet frightened people and must also give clear public information. These skills help them calm distress, build trust and stop acute stress from becoming a lasting disorder like PTSD.
Every chapter in this subject builds on the one before it, so do not skip topics that look simple. Definitions, classifications and examples are the parts that examiners return to most often, and a clear understanding here will also make later subjects easier to follow in the coming semesters.
Frequently asked questions on psychological first aid and crisis communication
What is Look, Listen, Link in Psychological First Aid?
Look means observing safety and who needs help, Listen means calm, empathetic engagement without judging, and Link means connecting the person to family, services, information and his own strengths.
What is the CERC model of crisis communication?
CERC is the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication model of the CDC. It asks the communicator to be first, right and credible and to express empathy, and also to promote action and show respect.
Why is empathy important in crisis communication?
Fear speaks to the amygdala, while facts speak to the logical prefrontal cortex. Starting with empathy lowers arousal, so people listen to the instructions that follow and cooperate.
Quick revision checklist
Use this self-test after reading the chapter on psychological first aid and crisis communication. If you can do all of the following without looking at your notes, you are ready for the exam.
- I can explain: what Psychological First Aid aims to do
- I can explain: the Look, Listen, Link principles
- I can explain: how PFA differs from debriefing
- I can explain: the CERC model of crisis communication
- I can explain: the link between PFA and communication
Study and exam tips
Start by reading the chapter once for the overall idea, then revise psychological first aid and crisis communication using headings, definitions, classifications and examples. Short-answer questions in the university exam usually ask for definitions, features, advantages, disadvantages and examples, so write these in your own words and practise drawing the tables and flow charts that the chapter has.
For wider reading, standard textbooks and open resources such as the NCBI Bookshelf help you confirm terms and see more examples. Revise psychological first aid and crisis communication again a day later and again a week later, because spaced revision improves long-term memory.
This page is part of the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills series for first-semester B.Pharm students on B.Pharm Guru, where every chapter has a short summary and a full PDF. Bookmark this page and share it with classmates who are preparing for the same exam.
Related notes: 21. HEALTH BELIEF MODELS AND ILLNESS BEHAVIOUR, 22. PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESSES AND THE MIND–BODY CONNECTION.
Previous: 23. BEHAVIOUR CHANGE THEORIES (CBT, TTM) IN TREATMENT ADHERENCE. Next: 25. MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION AND STIGMA REDUCTION THROUGH COMMUNICATION. Back to the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills category.
