Reducing Re-traumatization in the Hospital: Accidental & Non-Accidental Trauma

As the physical needs of patients are being met by medical staff, emotional needs are often either not recognized or misunderstood. When working with children with Non-Accidental Trauma, nurses and other caregivers are frequently met with behavioral outbursts, non-compliance and other behaviors that are overwhelming and difficult to address. Comorbid neurocognitive and/or emotional/behavioral conditions are common with non-accidental trauma and can affect care of these patients. Commonly, staff in the healthcare environment feel unprepared and ill-equipped to accommodate the unique needs of these patients. When receiving medical care, individuals with trauma are oftentimes met with multiple barriers to appropriate, positive medical care experiences.

To aid in meeting the needs of patients with a non-accidental trauma and their families, a standardized pathway was developed. This pathway focuses on the early identification of psychosocial factors affecting the child's behavior and ability to fully engage in medical care by the Safe Pathway team. The pathway utilizes a multidisciplinary approach designed to provide a standardized framework for staff to create individualized plans of care for patients that addresses the child's unique characteristics as well as the nature of his/her trauma.

Certified Child Life Specialists, Pediatric Psychologists, and Social Workers are the members of the multidisciplinary team. As experts in the psychosocial and developmental needs of children, adolescents, and families experiencing illness, injury, and treatment, this team can further assess how the patient's trauma may affect their ability to cope effectively during the healthcare experience. This team collaborates with the patient, caregivers, and the healthcare team utilizing a trauma informed care approach. The team serve as primary champions for the pathway and are heavily involved in the educational opportunities offered to help increase staff awareness of trauma related challenges in the hospital setting as well as promoting patient coping with trauma and the hospital environment.

Suggested Domain: Assessment, DEI
Credits: 1.0 PDU

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