Trauma Informed Care

This practical guide introduces and critically examines the concept of trauma informed care, exploring how it can be implemented in everyday nursing practice across a range of settings. Supporting nurses to integrate trauma informed knowledge and practice into their work, this comprehensive book begins with an overview of what we mean by trauma. It looks at theories of trauma and what we know about the neuroscience of trauma. It discusses how trauma impacts upon relationships (including those within healthcare settings), and upon health, illness and recovery. It also investigates how trauma can affect people differently across the lifespan and contexts.

The second part of the book builds on the first, focusing on how an understanding of trauma can inform nursing practice across settings. It looks at promoting safety in interpersonal relationships, navigating interventions, talking about trauma, responding to trauma, self-care and systemic challenges. This book provides essential knowledge around trauma informed care relevant to nurses and uses a range of interactive pedagogical features to help readers transfer learning to their own practice, including reflection points, application to practice boxes, and case scenarios.

It is an essential guide for nurses and midwives in practice and in training across the full range of practice settings.