In the Wake of Trauma: Strategies and Stories of Resilience from Emergency Room Social Workers.

This study investigates the experiences of vicarious trauma (VT) among pediatric emergency room social workers (ERSWs) at four Level 1 Trauma Centers in the United States, focusing on 23 female, predominantly White, master's-level professionals. Using qualitative interviews and thematic analysis grounded in the compassion fatigue resilience model, the research identifies four key coping strategy themes: meaning-making, individual-level practices (e.g., physical and emotional self-care), interpersonal support (including peer debriefing), and institutional resources such as clinical supervision and organizational programs like YOU Matter. Findings highlight the significant emotional challenges ERSWs face, particularly involving child death and abuse cases, and emphasize the necessity of multifaceted, proactive, and reactive coping mechanisms supported by both workplace culture and formal organizational structures. The study calls for enhanced training, formalized peer support, and trauma-responsive organizational approaches to better support ERSWs’ resilience and well-being.