The Impact of Trauma-Informed Care on Patient Engagement, Experience and Barriers to Care: A Qualitative Study: Empirical Research Qualitative.
Victoria N Roberts, Alison M Hutchinson, Renee L Fiolet
PMID 40996254WHAT IT FOUND
Patients described trauma-informed nursing as removing the burden of explaining their reactions, which built trust and helped them access services.
Nurses advocated for them in appointments and simplified navigation, making care feel achievable.
Key findings
01Participants felt safer and more engaged when nurses already understood trauma, removing the need for patients to explain their reactions or educate the provider.
02Nurse advocacy helped overcome barriers to care, including accompanying patients to appointments, managing communication when patients were overwhelmed, and negotiating bulk billing.
03Service navigation support, such as breaking down information into manageable lists and matching options to needs, helped patients access services they would not have known about or asked for.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only six participants, all English-speaking and able-bodied, with one male and five females, limiting generalisability to diverse populations. The researchers were all nurses with potential positionality bias, including being white, educated, middle-class women, which may have influenced analysis. The interview guide did not explicitly address cultural, historical, or gender issues of trauma-informed care, nor peer support. Findings are specific to patients with experience of family violence or sexual assault in a specialist multidisciplinary centre setting, and may not transfer to other health services or trauma types. Small sample size increases risk of sampling and researcher bias.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by Monash Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive patient experiences as evidence that trauma-informed care improves clinical outcomes or reduces health inequities. This is a qualitative study of six people's perceptions, not a test of efficacy, and the findings cannot be generalised beyond the specific context of specialist multidisciplinary centres.