The Chinese translation of the word â€crisis†means both danger and opportunity. A crisis, according to Roberts (2000), is “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 unique, but they all share three basic characteristics: a stressful situation, difficulty coping, and the timing of intervention.

To interrupt and reduce crisis reactions, all crises necessitate immediate intervention. Crisis intervention is a brief treatment approach that focuses on an immediate problem and aims to restore an individual’s previous level of functioning without further deterioration (Regehr, 2011). Individuals can mobilize their inherent strengths and resources to alleviate significant distress with the help of education, support, and guidance. Health-care settings are prone to crises. Some of the most serious crises encountered by medical social workers include a patient’s sudden death, the diagnosis of a terminal or life-altering illness, suicide, and incidents of child abuse. As a result, medical social workers who are well-versed in both the theoretical and practical aspects of crisis intervention are valuable assets in any health care setting.

To prepare, imagine a specific scenario in which a crisis might affect a patient in a specific healthcare setting. Prior to recording, select the type of crisis and act as the social worker in the ER, nursing home, hospice, or agency setting, attempting to complete an assessment of the individual and their immediate needs. You will need to enlist the help of a volunteer, who should be an adult. Respond in the same way that you would to a real-life client who has scattered thoughts, emotional responses, and is unsure how to proceed. Work through identifying the first few logical steps that client should take.

On Day 7,
Send in a 5-7 minute video demonstrating the following abilities:

Introduce yourself to the client and identify the client’s crisis situation.
Briefly assess the crisis and explain to the client the services available at the health care setting.
Explain your role as a medical social worker in dealing with the specific crisis.
Show how you would approach the client to begin resolving the crisis.