A woman expecting to pick her husband up at the airport has instead just been told that he has been killed in an airplane crash.Crisis counselors are present to help loved ones cope with the sad and sudden news.Which response by the counselor would be most appropriate to make next?

Question

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Persons facing traumatic news can experience a form of psychological shock wherein information processing can be significantly impaired.Indicating an intent to stay with the patient conveys support,helps establish a therapeutic relationship,and ensures that the patient is safe.(In some cases,survivors become suicidal at the prospect of being without their loved one or wish to rejoin their loved one in death. )Observing a period of silence allows the patient to process the news and begin to develop her initial responses.The patient needs this time to process events before facing other questions or being provided with instructions or information (which will be difficult for the patient to remember under the circumstances).Offering a chaplain could be perceived as disinterest in remaining with the patient-a form of rejection-and although connecting the woman with support resources appropriate to her particular religious and cultural preferences would be helpful later,it is premature at this very early stage of adjustment.Indicating that the airline desires to be helpful,when the airline is responsible for the crash and resulting deaths,could be perceived as self-serving and draw a very angry,nontherapeutic response from the survivors.

A Woman Expecting to Pick Her Husband Up at the Airport