MENTAL-HEALTH CONSULTATION IN THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT

The need for psychosocial intervention to be integrated with medical c are on intensive care units is high, but too often mental health profe ssionals are ill-equipped by traditional training programs for such wo rk. Medical crisis counseling provides a conceptual framework useful i n developing the skills needed to effectively intervene in such settin gs. The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is arguably one of the mo st emotionally demanding and high-stress areas where mental health cli nicians may be asked to consult. This article describes medical crisis consultation in the PICU setting, suggests survival strategies for th e mental health consultant to the PICU, and provides illustrative case examples.