Emergency room: individuals, families and groups in trauma

Each year in Israel hundreds of people lose their lives in road accidents; many more are injured (Field Staff, 1986). The effect on families, on hospital staff, and even on whole communities can be debilitating. Recognizing the grave impact of trauma and its aftermath, the Haemak Medical Center, Afula, established an emergency/trauma program in 1986. The program was developed by the Department of Social Work Services, with the cooperation of the emergency room (ER) team. Based on meetings with and preparation of the ER team (physicians, nurses, and social work staff), the department developed a protocol for integrating social workers and psychosocial concepts into the emergency/trauma situation.