The impact of trauma-informed care on patients in the emergency department
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Date
2025
Authors
Lewis, Annabelle
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences
Abstract
Trauma is highly prevalent within the Emergency Department (ED). The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health ([CAMH], n.d.) defines trauma as the emotional response and physical reaction to a distressing event. Since 2019, ED’s have experienced increased incidence and severity of clinical presentations (Finkelstein et al., 2021; Powers et al., 2024). An increase in clinical presentations to the ED, increases incidence of trauma-exposure and prevalence of trauma. Despite a high incidence of trauma exposure and increasing prevalence of trauma in the ED, healthcare providers lack appropriate knowledge surrounding psychosocial care (Afzal et al., 2022). Patients who have experienced traumatization in health settings, are at risk of decreased future engagement with health services and an increase in high-risk behaviours (Reid et al., 2022; Whetten et al., 2012; Vallieres et al., 2025). Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is a new emerging framework adopted by health practitioners to recognize and reduce impacts of trauma on patients (Brown et al., 2022). This quality improvement project aimed to pilot an education session to increase emergency nurses (EN) awareness surrounding TIC and its implementation in practice via an educational session. The project’s findings suggest ENs affirm the need for TIC education in clinical practice, within the ED.
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Keywords
Trauma-informed care , Emergency department , Emergency nurses , Trauma