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Well over half the adult population in the US indicates a traumatic experience, with roughly ¼ of those individuals developing post-traumatic stress from the event.
People can often see effects lasting throughout their lives from traumas experienced in their childhood leading in some instances to addictions and/or mental unwellness along with physical ailments. When trauma is neglected, individuals avoid healthcare.
“Trauma-informed care” and care from a trauma-responsive specialist are essential, considering the vast traumatic encounters endured by adolescents and adults with healthcare facilities and staff gaining insight into the many principles.
What are the fundamental principles behind these services that healthcare professionals should understand so that they can be implemented for optimum treatment? Let us learn.
Trauma-Informed Care & Trauma Responsive Specialist Crucial Principles
Considering the magnitude of traumatic encounters many adolescents and adults endure, healthcare professionals need to gain insight into the principles of trauma-informed care and the importance of trauma-responsive specialist care. These principles are integral in the recovery process.
The healthcare team can work with these specialists to focus on optimum patient care by reconfiguring how the facilities function and the systems they incorporate. Learn the premise of trauma-responsive care at https://behavioralhealthnews.org/trauma-responsive-care-beyond-mental-health/ and then look at the critical principles contained in trauma care.
- Providing a safe environment
Trauma teams prioritize safety and security with patients in care so that they feel a sense of protection among the staff, including the nursing staff and other medical personnel.
In every healthcare environment, a nurse tending to every patient should consider the potential for trauma and ensure that each person feels “emotionally, physically, and psychologically” secure in their surroundings while being cared for, acting as a liaison between the patient and other medical staff.
The medical environment should provide an air of safety with adequate room for patients to space themselves as they prefer without making contact if that is a trigger.
The structure’s exterior should offer nearby parking plus lighting to ensure security for clients with appointments later in the day. Security guards would provide an added layer of safety and security.
- Establishing trustworthiness through transparency
The healthcare staff should be transparent with patients to establish trust, particularly when that individual is a victim of trauma. These individuals could have experienced abuses stripping them of all confidence like “assault or domestic violence.”
Without trust, most avoid reaching out for healthcare since a stranger would be less compassionate than someone who loves and is hurting them. It would fall to a trauma response team to establish a renewed sense of trust with the patient, and the healthcare team must follow that lead.
That would involve offering complete details on the sort of care the patient will receive, what it involves, the price point, and providing answers to any questions on concerns before moving forward.
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- The healthcare team must be informed.
For healthcare staff to offer adequate trauma-informed care, the staff, including nursing and doctor professionals, must have a thorough grasp of the vast traumatic events and how these impact the care of these patients.
Some individuals will automatically close themselves off to the medical personnel when it comes to disclosing details of their conditions or overall healthcare due to the trauma they experienced. Through active listening, staff can discern needs instead of attempting to find a “cure.”
Final Thought
A vast majority of the population in this country experiences a traumatic event, with many having these occurrences in adolescence, effects that will endure for that person’s lifetime.
Seeking healthcare or reaching out for medical assistance is daunting for these people, making it necessary that there be intervention by a trauma response specialist to make the transition easier.
A trauma response specialist works to ensure patients feel safe and secure in the healthcare setting by following trauma-informed principles.
The key principles suggested here are a guideline for healthcare providers to follow to ensure that the medical facilities and their team offer an atmosphere conducive to that which the response specialist works to establish. Go here to compare trauma-informed care versus trauma response services.
When patients feel emotionally, physically, and psychologically secure, they are more apt to participate in their care plan openly and responsively.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
