Trauma can have a significant impact on psychological, physical, spiritual, environmental, and social well-being. It can be life changing for a person to experience a traumatic event as it can stay with them for the rest of their lives. Traumatic experiences can be very damaging to a person’s mental health. The event or events that have occurred can trigger future negative reactions to things that resemble their traumatic event. Symptoms such as depression and anxiety can be directly correlated to trauma as a secondary diagnosis. A person’s physical well-being is also affected as well. Eating habits can diminish or escalate, sleep schedule can be derailed, and activity levels can plummet. These actions present as a person tries to cope with their traumatic experience or be a lasting effect of going through a traumatic experience. Socially, a person can become reserved and isolate themselves from others. Traumatic events can impact a person in ways that could be crippling. It is important to understand what happened during the event and try to work through the issues that present.
Adverse childhood experiences can develop into serious complications. Chronic illnesses, mental illness, and substance abuse are just a few examples of what can happen to an individual later in life due to ACEs. These events can cause things such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. The stress that is induced from ACEs can cause physical damage to and individual. It can also cause mental inadequacies that can be life changing. It is important to recognize and establish early interventions to reduce further complications and reduce the occurrences of ACEs. Having programs available so that children can feel comfortable and safe when talking about their experiences. Promoting a healthy lifestyle is also very important in reducing the complications of ACE’s. Healthy eating, regular exercise, mindful thinking, and proper sleep can all help to reduce stress and promote well-being. This information is vital when practicing as a nurse.
The Trauma-Informed Care principles are a key tool to use when handling a traumatic related situation. The principles look at understanding how trauma can impact a person in all facets of life and how that can be incorporated when giving care. The goal of patient care looks at the over all well-being rather than just the individual symptoms. When practicing, it is important to maintain patient safety. Providing the needed respect to allow a patient to feel safe both physically and mentally is key. Developing a trusting therapeutic relationship provokes a more safe and transparent care plan. This is important as a nurse because the patient will be more likely to express themselves which can help with diagnoses and maintaining their well-being. As a nurse, collaboration with peers and other health care professions will ultimately provide an enhanced care plan for all patients. This group work allows for sharing information between professions as well as with the patient. This entitles the patient to participate in their care and develop the course of treatment. Trauma informed care is very important in the healthcare role. It can drastically change the course of the patient’s health in a positive way.
