Crisis Intervention Exam 3
What can precipitate a crisis (2)? what does crisis result in (2)? what does
crisis intervention require (1)? Assistance with problem solving during the
crisis period preserves (2)? what is a crisis? when an individual is in a crisis,
what are the maximum goals and minimum goals?
o Any stressful situation can precipitate a crisis.
o Any situation that is perceived as a threat can precipitate a crisis.
o Crises result in a disequilibrium from which many individuals require
assistance to recover.
o Crisis intervention requires problem-solving skills that are often diminished
by the level of anxiety accompanying disequilibrium.
o Assistance with problem solving during the crisis period preserves self-
esteem and promotes growth with resolution.
o Crisis: is a sudden event in one’s life that disturbs homeostasis, during
which usual coping mechanisms cannot resolve the problem.
o When that happens, the person needs to be assisted particularly in a
problem solving way to maintain homeostasis and promote growth (maximum
goal).
o Crisis can provide a person an opportunity to grow but the real goal is to get
this person back to at least their pre-crisis level of function (minimum goal).
,o Ex. a person getting a divorce, a person can grow by gaining insight and
making changes for future relationships. The person can also become more
independent.
What are the five characteristics of a crisis?
1. Crisis occurs in all individuals at one time or another and is not necessarily
equated with psychopathology.
2. Crises are precipitated by specific identifiable events.
o Precipitated event: something occurred before people felt themselves to be
in a crisis. As a nurse is it important to always find out what the precipitating
event is. Ex. What has occurred that brought you to the hospital?
3. Crises are personal by nature.
· What may be considered a crisis situation by one individual may not be so
for another.
4. Crises are acute, not chronic, and are resolved in one way or another within
a brief period KNOW!
· Anything lasting for several weeks, or days is considered chronic, crisis
should be brief and reach resolution (may be positive or negative)
5. A crisis situation contains the potential for psychological growth or
deterioration.
, How may an individual going through a crisis feel (5)? how may it affect the
individual (2)? how can crisis cause growth (6)?
· Individuals who are in crisis feel helpless to change. They do not believe
they have the resources to deal with the precipitating stressor. Levels of
anxiety rise to the point that the individual becomes nonfunctional, thoughts
become obsessional, and all behavior is aimed at relief of the anxiety being
experienced. The feeling is overwhelming and may affect the individual
physically as well as psychologically.
· Crisis can cause growth, for example learning from one's experience,
learning new coping skills, a nurse may become more empathetic and relate
to pt's who may have gone through a similar situation, becoming more
resilient, compassionate, understanding or accepting.
What are the 4 phases of development in a crisis (3)(3)(4)(4)? if someone
comes up to you with a crisis, what question do you ask them?
o Phase 1: the individual is exposed to a precipitating stressor.
- Anxiety increases; previous problem-solving techniques are employed.
- Ex. impeding relationship breakup, job loss
o Phase 2: When previous problem-solving techniques do not relieve the
stressor, anxiety increases further.
What can precipitate a crisis (2)? what does crisis result in (2)? what does
crisis intervention require (1)? Assistance with problem solving during the
crisis period preserves (2)? what is a crisis? when an individual is in a crisis,
what are the maximum goals and minimum goals?
o Any stressful situation can precipitate a crisis.
o Any situation that is perceived as a threat can precipitate a crisis.
o Crises result in a disequilibrium from which many individuals require
assistance to recover.
o Crisis intervention requires problem-solving skills that are often diminished
by the level of anxiety accompanying disequilibrium.
o Assistance with problem solving during the crisis period preserves self-
esteem and promotes growth with resolution.
o Crisis: is a sudden event in one’s life that disturbs homeostasis, during
which usual coping mechanisms cannot resolve the problem.
o When that happens, the person needs to be assisted particularly in a
problem solving way to maintain homeostasis and promote growth (maximum
goal).
o Crisis can provide a person an opportunity to grow but the real goal is to get
this person back to at least their pre-crisis level of function (minimum goal).
,o Ex. a person getting a divorce, a person can grow by gaining insight and
making changes for future relationships. The person can also become more
independent.
What are the five characteristics of a crisis?
1. Crisis occurs in all individuals at one time or another and is not necessarily
equated with psychopathology.
2. Crises are precipitated by specific identifiable events.
o Precipitated event: something occurred before people felt themselves to be
in a crisis. As a nurse is it important to always find out what the precipitating
event is. Ex. What has occurred that brought you to the hospital?
3. Crises are personal by nature.
· What may be considered a crisis situation by one individual may not be so
for another.
4. Crises are acute, not chronic, and are resolved in one way or another within
a brief period KNOW!
· Anything lasting for several weeks, or days is considered chronic, crisis
should be brief and reach resolution (may be positive or negative)
5. A crisis situation contains the potential for psychological growth or
deterioration.
, How may an individual going through a crisis feel (5)? how may it affect the
individual (2)? how can crisis cause growth (6)?
· Individuals who are in crisis feel helpless to change. They do not believe
they have the resources to deal with the precipitating stressor. Levels of
anxiety rise to the point that the individual becomes nonfunctional, thoughts
become obsessional, and all behavior is aimed at relief of the anxiety being
experienced. The feeling is overwhelming and may affect the individual
physically as well as psychologically.
· Crisis can cause growth, for example learning from one's experience,
learning new coping skills, a nurse may become more empathetic and relate
to pt's who may have gone through a similar situation, becoming more
resilient, compassionate, understanding or accepting.
What are the 4 phases of development in a crisis (3)(3)(4)(4)? if someone
comes up to you with a crisis, what question do you ask them?
o Phase 1: the individual is exposed to a precipitating stressor.
- Anxiety increases; previous problem-solving techniques are employed.
- Ex. impeding relationship breakup, job loss
o Phase 2: When previous problem-solving techniques do not relieve the
stressor, anxiety increases further.
