All posts by Carl Donovan

In the last years, it’s becoming clearer worldwide that trauma-informed care for nurses is of vital importance when being trained and also when dealing with patients, as stated by Katie Owen, Senior Lecturer in the Bachelor of Nursing Programme at Whitireia, New Zeland:

“But what has been new over the last five years or so,” she says, “is the research linking health outcomes with trauma. This has led to a much more explicit acknowledgment of the importance of nurses being trauma-informed in their training and eventually in their practice.”

Similarly, the Coordinator of the Post-Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Mental Health) Catherine Fuller says:  “there’s now a professional obligation for nurses to demonstrate trauma-informed care because it is part of reducing harm and is more likely to promote recovery, health, and well-being.”

Further Considerations

And trauma-informed care is not just about understanding how past trauma could be affecting a person’s mental and physical health in adulthood. “What’s better understood now is that services themselves can be traumatizing,” Catherine says.

“The obvious issues here are seclusion and restraint, but there’s also being aware of the power relationships nurses have with people and trying to minimize the impacts of power in how you speak to people. It’s about self-determination and allowing people to determine their own health outcomes.”

“The other thing is that we’re not just talking about the relationship between trauma and mental health, but about all health outcomes. Whether you’re going to be a mental health nurse or work in primary care, ED or as a surgical nurse, all these areas need to be trauma-informed.

Catherine says it’s also important that nurses are aware of their own trauma.

“People who have experienced trauma are sharing their stories with you as a nurse, so you need to be able to keep yourself safe and not become burnt out. That’s why reflective practice is so important, and when that’s occurring properly you’re likely to be more trauma-informed.”

Read the full article here.

Christie Alminde, RN, CPN, who served as an outreach coordinator for the Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress, talks about nursing and trauma-informed care online training available:

” When we know better, we do better. We never wore seat belts, never had car seats, and never wore bike helmets while growing up. Now, my family ALWAYS wears seat belts and bike helmets and are optimally restrained while riding in cars.”

“In the same vein, we can apply this to our professional lives as nurses. While not available when I was in Nursing School, nurses can now use evidence-based trauma-informed care to optimize patient experience and improve health outcomes.”

Trauma-informed Care Online Training

Christie Alminde comments the following about training:

“Free online courses for CE credit developed by the Center for Pediatric Stress at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) are now available at HealthCareToolBox.org. Having this training has allowed me to improve how I deliver clinical care to my pediatric patients and their families, some of whom are in desperate situations. It also has helped me cope better with my own secondary stress from working with traumatized patients.”

“Today, I practice with a trauma-informed approach, every patient, every time. Providing trauma-informed care means taking emotional and psychological aspects of children’s experiences into account when you interact with patients and families. It also means trying to reduce the potentially traumatic aspects of medical and nursing care.”

Read the full article here.

An exploration of the connection between nursing and trauma-informed care (TIC)

As stated by Lisa Bonsall, MSN, RN, CRNP (www.nursingcenter.com):  “Trauma-informed care is a term that has been used in recent years in a variety of areas, including social services, education, mental health, and corrections to address the needs of people who have experienced traumatic life events. ”

Lisa related a compelling story about how she has learned first hand about the severe consequences that may arise from this kind of trauma as she deals with a patient.

“Traumatic events, such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse, and combat trauma, can have serious long-term detrimental effects on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of an individual. These life events may lead to depression, distrust, smoking, substance abuse, shame, and low self-esteem. ”

“The four essential approaches of nursing and trauma-informed care can be found in a program, organization, or system that¹:

1. Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery.
2. Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others.
3. Responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices.
4. Seeks to actively resist retraumatization.”

“The six key principles of nursing and trauma-informed care include¹:

1. Safety – make sure your patient and family members feel safe, both physically and psychologically.
2. Trustworthiness and transparency – trust between patients, staff, and management is vital in building strong relationships.
3. Peer support – identify individuals with similar experiences of trauma helps to create safety, builds trust, enhances collaboration, and promotes recovery and healing.
4. Collaboration and mutuality – emphasize that all members of the team, including patients, are equal.
5. Empowerment, voice, and choice – identify individual strengths and differences and utilize them as the foundation for recovery and healing. Provide the patient with choices and an opportunity to share in the decision-making process, which results in a sense of control.
6. Recognition of cultural, historical, and gender issues – set aside cultural stereotypes and biases.”

Nursing and Trauma-Informed Care Require Sensitivity and Compassion

“Unfortunately, traumatic events occur more often in our society than we think. Caring for patients with a history of traumatic life events requires a high level of sensitivity and compassion. Healthcare organizations can assist their staff in navigating delicate and difficult situations by providing educational training, tools, and resources on the trauma-informed care approach.”

Read the full article here: Trauma-informed care.

References:

1. Koetting, C. (2016). Trauma-Informed Care: Helping Patients with a Painful Past. Journal of Christian Nursing, 33 (4), 206-213.

 

 

Saint A in Milwaukee Wisconsin put together this video explaining how their practice has changed as a result of incorporating a trauma-informed approach to health and wellness.