Computer Assisted Lessening of Intrusive Memories in the Emergency Department

Summary

During the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical staff working in frontline NHS hospital and pre-hospital departments (e.g. emergency department, intensive care unit, ambulance service) are being faced with difficult and stressful situations, which may be traumatic to them. Staff report high rates of post-traumatic stress symptoms, such as intrusive memories of these incidents, which 'pop into their mind' unexpectedly, are distressing and can impact on work performance. Currently there is a lack of tailored evidence-based interventions for staff struggling with intrusive memories of work-related traumatic events: simple, accessible, remotely-delivered interventions are needed. An intervention which has been found to be effective in reducing intrusive memories is a simple cognitive task that involves briefly bringing to mind the memory and then playing the computer game Tetris with specific ("mental rotation") instructions. This case series study aims to test the intervention in a group of 8-20 staff members working clinically in NHS hospital and pre-hospital departments. The intervention will be delivered remotely (via computer/smartphone/tablet/phone). Participants will record the number of intrusive memories daily over a 3-week period, with the intervention delivered after 1 week (with optional subsequent booster sessions). Symptoms of trauma, anxiety and depression will be assessed weekly over this period, and at 4 weeks after the intervention. It is predicted that participants will have fewer intrusive memories per day/week, and lower clinical symptoms scores, after completing the intervention than before completing the intervention. The study will also investigate how feasible and acceptable the intervention is for NHS staff. Findings will inform the next steps in developing and evaluating a digital intervention to reduce intrusive memories of work-related traumatic events in healthcare staff.

Conditions

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Simple cognitive task

A brief memory reminder cue followed by playing the computer game Tetris for 25 minutes using mental rotation instructions. Option for subsequent booster sessions (self-administered/researcher-assisted).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

  collaborator OTHER

• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Oxford

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Craig Steel · University of Oxford

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-06-04

Primary Completion

2020-10-16

Completion

2020-10-30

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations