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PRACTICE &
SKILL What is Providing Crisis Interventions?
A crisis is defined as any situation in which a threat or other stressful life event
overwhelms the ability of a person or population to cope effectively with the perceived
threat or event
What: The term crisis intervention refers to emergency patient care activities that are
performed to achieve the following goals:
Assist persons who are affected by a crisis in developing coping skills that are adequate
to resolve the issue causing the crisis and/or learn skills for coping with the crisis and
its aftermath
Treat and resolve medical conditions and injury, if present
Assist persons who are affected by a crisis with strategies that restore equilibrium to
their biopsychosocial functioning (e.g., ability to fulfill the normal family role and
responsibilities) so they can return to their normal activities of daily living
Minimize the potential for short- and long-term psychological trauma related to the
crisis
How: Procedural steps for providing crisis interventions presented in this Nursing
Practice & Skill are based on the Assessment, Crisis Intervention, and Trauma
Treatment (ACT) model for crisis intervention (Roberts, 2002). This model, which was
developed as a response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist acts in the United States,
involves a 3-stage plan consisting of strategies for assessment, crisis intervention, and
trauma treatment that can be used in a variety of crisis situations
Where: Crisis intervention is performed in all healthcare settings, including inpatient,
outpatient, in-home care, and community settings
Who: Interventions designed to assist and treat patients who are experiencing crisis
are performed by nurses, physicians, therapists who specialize in crisis intervention,
social workers, members of the clergy, and other trained professionals. Interventions
cannot be delegated to assistive personnel. Family members may be present during crisis
interventions and encouraged to be present if their availability or participation in the
patients care could be of benefit to the patient
Authors
Nathalie Smith, RN, MSN, CNP
Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA What is the Desired Outcome of Providing Crisis
Mary Woten, RN, BSN Interventions?
Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA
The desired outcome of providing crisis interventions is for affected persons to
Reviewers develop coping skills that are adequate to resolve the issue causing the crisis and/or learn
Darlene Strayer, RN, MBA skills for coping with the crisis and its aftermath
Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA receive effective treatment and have resolution of any medical conditions and/or injury
Nursing Executive Practice Council
have restored equilibrium of biopsychosocial functioning and be able to return to normal
Glendale Adventist Medical Center,
Glendale, CA activities of daily living
avoid short- or long-term psychological trauma related to the crisis
Editor
Diane Pravikoff, RN, PhD, FAAN Why is Providing Crisis Interventions Important?
Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA
Providing crisis interventions is important because it promotes patients ability to develop
coping skills, restores equilibrium to biopsychosocial functioning, and minimizes
psychological trauma
October 23, 2015
Published by Cinahl Information Systems, a division of EBSCO Information Services. Copyright2016, Cinahl Information Systems. All rights
reserved. No part of this may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cinahl Information Systems accepts no liability for advice
or information given herein or errors/omissions in the text. It is merely intended as a general informational overview of the subject for the healthcare
professional. Cinahl Information Systems, 1509 Wilson Terrace, Glendale, CA 91206
Facts and Figures
25% of American women experience domestic violence during their lifetimes (King, 2012)
One in four children experiences the financial, social, and emotional crisis of living in poverty (King, 2012)
Crisis-based interventions with mothers and children who were victims of domestic violence resulted in significantly
improved mother-child relations and improved child play skills (Waldman-Levi et al., 2015)
Red Flags
Monitor closely for signs and symptoms of clinical depression; request referral to a mental health clinician for evaluation and
treatment of clinical depression if the patient/family members develop one or more of the following manifestations (for more
information, see Quick Lesson Depression: Major Depressive Disorder ):
Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
Fatigue and decreased energy
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
Irritability and restlessness
Loss of interest in activities or hobbies that were once pleasurable, including sex
Overeating or loss of appetite
Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not resolve with treatment
Persistent sad, anxious, or empty feelings
Suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempts
Monitor closely for suicide risk and follow facility protocols for emergency intervention if the patient is at increased risk
(for more information, see the CINAHL series of papers on suicide)