Trauma-informed education: Creating and pilot testing a nursing curriculum on trauma-informed care

Background Trauma is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. Trauma-informed care (TIC) provides a safe and supportive healthcare environment for patients who have experienced trauma. Educating healthcare providers improves knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to TIC. However, nursing programs do not systematically integrate TIC education. Purpose: To create, implement, and evaluate nursing content on TIC at the graduate and undergraduate levels at one university. Method: A pretest-posttest survey was utilized to assess changes in TIC knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to the delivery of content on trauma and TIC to students in three courses at one large Midwestern university in January 2019. Safety, acceptability, and transferability were also measured. Findings: The content improved nursing students' knowledge and skills related to providing TIC. Further, content on TIC is acceptable to both undergraduate and graduate students and is transferrable to non-nursing students. Discussion: The current study provides a trauma-informed nursing education model that is safe, appropriate, acceptable, and efficacious.