Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that has not only physical but also social and psychological ramifications for both the injured person and the family. Within one brief moment, a person's world will be changed forever. Like a ripple on the water, one injured family member affects the entire family system. This article will identify the social and psychological forces that impact the injured person's quality of life along with that of his or her family and the interventions that can be instituted by acute care personnel.