Crisis intervention: a care plan for families of hospitalized children

Hospitalization of a child following a traumatic injury often precipitates a crisis for the patient's entire family. Although pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses are in key positions to assist these families, time constraints, in addition to inadequate staff education regarding family assessment and counseling, often lead to the family being overlooked. Nurses need a quick and accurate method for assessing and intervening with families in crisis.