Decreasing the Trauma of Trauma: Providing Emotionally Safe Care to Injured Pediatric Patients-Handout: Decreasing the Trauma of Trauma: Providing Emotionally Safe Care to Injured Pediatric Patients

Handout: Decreasing the Trauma of Trauma: Providing Emotionally Safe Care to Injured Pediatric Patients

Pdf Summary

The document outlines an educational activity organized by the Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA) aimed at providing emotionally safe care to injured pediatric patients. The activity, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, offers a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for physicians and 1.0 contact hours for nurses, emphasizing participation-based credit claiming.<br /><br />Jenaya Gordon, a Certified Child Life Specialist at Children's Hospital Colorado, plays a significant role in the initiative. Her work focuses on emotionally informed approaches to pediatric trauma care, and she has co-authored several key resources, including a chapter on trauma-focused medical play and training manuals like "Engage-Calm-Distract."<br /><br />The primary objectives of the educational activity include defining emotional safety for children, identifying common reactions of children and teenagers to trauma, and discussing trauma-informed, emotionally safe interventions for injured patients.<br /><br />Data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control indicates that over six million children suffered traumatic injuries in 2022, with 80% experiencing stress post-treatment. This highlights the necessity of emotional safety in medical environments.<br /><br />The document provides a comprehensive guide on trauma-informed practices, emphasizing the importance of building rapport, calming techniques, and fostering collaboration with parents/caregivers. Practical suggestions include using child-friendly communication, validating emotional responses, and offering distraction tools to aid in coping.<br /><br />It also addresses how to manage reactions during medical procedures and the importance of minimizing stressors and triggers in the environment. Resources like the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the Simply Sayin’ App are recommended for additional support.<br /><br />Overall, the initiative seeks to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by advocating for developmentally appropriate and culturally-centered care, underscoring the critical importance of emotionally safe environments in healthcare settings.

Keywords

Trauma Center Association of America

emotionally safe care

pediatric patients

Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education

Jenaya Gordon

trauma-informed care

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

child-friendly communication

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

culturally-centered care