Understanding the meaning of trauma-informed care for burns health care professionals in a pediatric hospital: A qualitative study using interpretive phenomenological analysis
Megan Simons, Roy Kimble, Zephanie Tyack
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Trauma-informed care includes a range of practices that build a culture of safety, empowerment, and healing. Limited information is available regarding the lived experience of trauma-informed care by healthcare professionals treating burns in a multidisciplinary setting. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to understand what 'trauma-informed care' means to staff and students working in burns at a tertiary pediatric hospital. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and focus group were conducted with healthcare professionals (medical, nursing, allied health, pre-graduate students) working in paediatric burn care (or their line manager). Analysis of the dataset was undertaken using qualitative methods (interpretive phenomenological approach and qualitative content analysis). RESULTS: Eleven interviews and one focus group were completed and transcribed verbatim. Three superordinate themes were applicable across the five cohorts: 'what does trauma-informed care mean?', 'being able to deliver trauma-informed care' (agency) and 'impact of the setting'. Eleven components of trauma-informed care practice (for example, everyday interactions with patients and colleagues, screening and assessment) and service-level approaches (for example, service provider training) were described by participants. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering trauma-informed care in a burns centre highlighted the need to clarify the concept of 'trauma-informed care' as a first step. Enabling the workforce to understand trauma-informed care and apply it in everyday interactions with patients and colleagues, and a strategic commitment to practice change needs to be actioned more systematically to support implementation of a trauma-informed care approach in pediatric health services.