Treatment for family members in crisis after critical injury

A sudden critical injury produces a great amount of stress within a family. Families faced with this experience require treatment to modify the stress of the situation, receive and comprehend information, maintain patterns of adequate family functioning, use effective coping skills, and provide positive support to the patient. Specific questions discussed include: Who are family members? Why treat family members who are in crisis? What areas should be included in family assessment? What treatments are effective for families? What family outcomes can be expected? A clinical case study is used to describe assessment areas and initial treatments for family in crisis after one of their members is critically injured.