Assignment: Crisis Intervention

The Chinese translation of the word “crisis” paradoxically means danger and opportunity. Roberts (2000) defines a crisis as “a period of psychological disequilibrium, experienced as a result of a hazardous event or situation that constitutes a significant problem that cannot be remedied by using familiar coping strategies” (p. 7). Every crisis is different, but each crisis event has three basic elements: a stressful situation, difficulty in coping, and the timing of intervention.

All crises require immediate intervention to interrupt and reduce crisis reactions. Crisis intervention is a brief treatment approach that focuses on an immediate problem and is aimed at returning an individual to his or her prior level of functioning without further deterioration (Regehr, 2011). Education, support, and guidance help individuals mobilize their inherent strengths and resources to alleviate significant distress. Crises often occur in health care settings. Some of the most significant crises seen by medical social workers include the sudden death of a patient, the diagnosis of a terminal or life-altering illness, suicide, and incidents of child abuse. Therefore, medical social workers versed in the theoretical and practical aspects of crisis intervention are an asset to any health care setting.

To Prepare: Create a specific scenario in which a crisis may affect a patient in a particular healthcare setting. Select the type of crisis prior to recording and act as the social worker in the ER, nursing home, hospice, or agency setting trying to complete an assessment of the individual and their immediate needs. You will need to solicit a volunteer to assist you; the volunteer should be an adult. Respond as you would to an actual client who has scattered thoughts, emotional responses, and is unsure how to proceed. Work through at least identifying the first few logical steps for that client to take.

By Day 7

Submit a 5-7 minute video demonstrates the following skills:

• Introduce yourself to the client and identify the crisis situation the client is experiencing.
• Briefly assess the crisis and explain to the client the type of services provided at the health care setting.
• Explain your role as a medical social worker in addressing the particular crisis.
• Demonstrate how you would intervene with the client to begin resolving the crisis.