key: cord-0753563-csuz7um0 authors: Carmassi, Claudia; Cerveri, Giancarlo; Bui, Eric; Gesi, Camilla; Dell’Osso, Liliana title: Defining effective strategies to prevent post-traumatic stress in healthcare emergency workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy date: 2020-07-14 journal: CNS spectrums DOI: 10.1017/s1092852920001637 sha: 784d354d7beabb23f4462c118dc9a0febbf9a245 doc_id: 753563 cord_uid: csuz7um0 nan total isolation, as they were their only means of communication with family members and the outside world. Consistently, they reported the emotional burden of having to convey by phone in an expedited manner, important clinical information-including a death-to family members. This was particularly reported in Pisa, where an open-door ICU program was successfully set up and the COVID-19 emergency determined a radically reversed approach. Technological support to communicate with families was helpful to alleviate the impact of isolation and loneliness for patients, and to support HCWs. In parallel, defining specific times to communicate with patients' families allowed HCWs to carve out some time to cope with the burden of communicating with families, most of whom reported more than one affected or dead relative, particularly in most affected area. Fourth, despite the nationwide support to HCWs portrayed by the media, some reported perceived stigmatization when going back home, as people appeared scared that they may be contagious. As the number of patients decreased over time, psychological support programs for HCWs received increasing number of requests, with HCWs being more and more willing to report psychological distress. As units were organized and guidelines for patient management and treatment defined, HCWs shifted their attention from their patients' needs to their own needs for emotional support. Thus, a screening program for acute stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and their impact on work and social functioning was developed and implemented, both in Codogno and Pisa, in order to follow-up subjects for PTSD risk and monitor support impact. Supporting HCW's mental health requires diversified intervention strategies, which should be delivered both in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis and in the medium and long term, and specifically in the so called "second phase," as we should focus our attention on those who helped the country to face this unprecedented health emergency. Lessons learned from these psychological interventions will inform government and authorities on how to respond to future unexpected infectious disease outbreaks. Funding. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Disclosure. The authors have nothing to disclose. 147 training forgiveness. A novel approach to reducing physician burnout Exploring PTSD in emergency operators of a major University Hospital in Italy: a preliminary report on the role of gender, age and education Mental health care for medical staff in China during the COVID-19 outbreak The mental health of medical workers in Wuhan, China dealing with the 2019 novel coronavirus New DSM-5 PTSD guilt and shame symptoms among Italian earthquake survivors: Impact on maladaptive behaviors