14
The second follow-up involved a study of the cases treated by the nurses and social
workers that were members of the Trauma Counselling programme in 1999. AMANI
staff examined the case files of all the patients seen by the Trauma Counsellor trainees
and the findings are reported below.
A total of 79 case files were examined. The majority of the cases were female (54) and
the mean age of the cases was 31 years (s.dev.12.6). There were a variety of types of
trauma seen by the trainees with domestic violence and torture being the most frequent.
The torture cases were all chronic cases from the Liberation War.
Types of trauma seen by trainees.
35
30
25
20
15
10
Other
Torture
RTA
Domestic
violence
Sexual
Abuse
Rape
0
Child Abuse
5
Of the types of therapy offered, problem solving and de-briefing were the most common.
However the trainees did use all types that had been taught. It was interesting to see the
preference for problem solving and de-briefing and discussion with the trainees indicates
that they were using these for different types of cases.
Problem solving was used in cases where the presenting problem was usually social or
had an economic focus in the problem, such as lack of school fees. De-briefing was
reserved for the more acute cases and used as an immediate method for dealing with the
trauma. For example de-briefing was used in cases of rape or sexual abuse.
Training nurses in the assessment and management of psychological disorders: Report of AMANI Trust’s
programme in Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe.
Select target paragraph3
Add to table of contents