Hn220 Unit 1 Research Paper

Amy Wertman
HN220: Prevention and Crisis Intervention
Professor Kimberly Platt
Unit 9 Assignment
January 24, 2015
Jill is a 27-year-old female who has come in today because she is having problems in her relationship with her husband, Jeremy. She is a nurse who has been working very hard at putting Jeremy through medical school in order to better their lives. She has voiced concerns with being unassertive. She lacks confidence, self-confidence, and seems to be very timid. As she sits in the chair she seems to be in pain as she shifts. She states that she loves her husband very much but that she is unsure how to please him or make him happy anymore. He always seems to be angry no matter how hard she tries. Due to a lack of
“The foundation of crisis intervention is the development of rapport—a state of understanding and comfort—between client and counselor” (Kanel, 2006 p.70). This stage is so important that no real work can be accomplished before it is established. A person needs to feel understood and validated before they are comfortable enough to open up to you. Some of the skills necessary for this stage are basic attending skills, questions, paraphrasing, reflection of feelings, and summarizations. “The primary purpose of using the basic attending skills is to gain a clear understanding of the internal experience of the crisis as the client sees it” (Kanel, 2006 p. 70). First and foremost, this begins with listening. This is not to be confused with hearing. You really need to listen. You want to show the client that you are completely there for them by maintaining eye contact, using a soft, soothing voice, and have attentive body language (sitting close and having a relaxed posture). The questions you choose to ask are also important. Close ended questions generally require short answers like “yes” and “no”. These are generally only used to answer factual information. Using open ended questions allows for the client to open up and reveal their true feelings. “When the question is posed effectively, it helps move the interview along and allows gathering essential information about the nature of the crisis” (Kanel, 2006 p. 73). Paraphrasing is also an essential skill. This is done by either restating to the client what it is that you thought you heard, or by using the clarifying technique which is just asking a question that would clarify the information just given by the client. “The intent is to encourage elaboration of the statements to let the client know that you, the counselor, have understood or heard the message; to help the client