Question

In the middle of the night, you are dispatched for the report of a sick person at the bus stop at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th street. As you arrive on the scene, you find a middle aged man pacing back and forth at the bus stop. He is shouting that he needs to go to Albuquerque tonight to stop his pain. He then asks you why you are there.
What types of conditions contribute to or cause a situational Crisis?
What are the four phases of a situational crisis?
What are the three communication tools you can use to help communicate with this patient?

Answer 1

Types of conditions contribute to or cause a situational Crisis:

1. Medical conditions
2. Psychiatric illnesses
3. Physical conditions or trauma
4. Situational stressors

Four phases of a situational crisis:

1. High anxiety
2. Anger and frustration
3. Denial mode
4. Remorse

Three communication tools you can use to help communicate with this patient

1. Restatement
2. Redirection
3. Empathy

Explanation:

Situational crisis refers to some sudden, unusual, unexpected stressor or events in life which makes it extremely difficult to cope with. These events include any loss of close or dear ones, severe physical violence or verbal abuse, severe physical injury or accident, loss of job, interpersonal losses etc.

Victims of this crisis often suffer with high anxiety, anger, frustration.

Appropriate communication skills with underlying empathy based on restatements and redirection of the victim helps to cope with this crisis.