If you have witnessed a scene of an accident or injury, you can consider the situation as an emergency. To the injured person, the situation may be considered a crisis.
Crisis situations are crucial moments or turning points in a person’s life that can result in major changes. Crisis may also mean any situation that a person believes or considers to be beyond his or her control. The person may perceive these situations as physically and emotionally overwhelming. Some examples of crisis situations include medical emergencies, sudden death of a loved one, motor vehicle accident, and natural calamities. Normally, situations that cause danger to life are considered as crisis. Regardless of the cause of crisis, whether it’s real or imagined, crisis situations needs to be managed well to prevent it from further escalating into an emotional problem or shock.
Basically, a person going through a crisis situation is upset. Emotional stress can have major effects on any person’s response to injury and stress. Prolonged emotional stress can cause steady physical and mental deterioration. By providing emotional support, you can help alleviate emotional stress helping the person cope with the situation on hand, at the same time, improve physical and mental well-being.
Disclaimer: the material posted on this page on managing crisis situations is for learning purposes only. To learn how to manage emergency situations enrol in St Mark James first aid and CPR classes.
Key Skills for Crisis Management
Here are some important skills you can use when managing crisis include:
- Stay calm and relaxed while providing emergency care.
- Be professional when dealing with the person.
- Avoid reacting over what the person may do or say. They may consider it offensive.
- Always remember that the person may not be at his best psychologically.
- Be ready to listen and talk with the person. Show your genuine concern by being there to help.
- Acknowledge the fact that the person faces a challenging situation.
- Never belittle the situation the person is in. Do not offer a simple solution or provide false reassurance.
- Do not compare yourself with the person. Never talk with the patient about your personal problems.
- Never confront the person but carefully guide him in case he is in extreme danger.
- Do some practical things to help the person. Provide first aid treatment for wounds, bleeding, and pain.
When caring for people in crisis situation, always be realistic. Your primary goal should be to ensure the safety of person and keep him calm. The sooner you can calm the person, the faster you can bring him to a medical facility for further treatment. The role of a first aider during crisis situation is to provide emotional support and not to solve the problem. Often times, the problem is so great that it can’t be solved in an instant.
Remember that even if you spend very limited time with the person, the emotional support you give can have profound effects. Being positive is one key attitude you need to have when managing any crisis situations.
Learn More
To learn more about emergency situation management sign up for St Mark James first aid and CPR training with a credible provider near you. Check out our locations page to find a provider.