Before, during and after: Trauma-informed care in burns settings

Area of Science:

• Trauma-informed care
• Burn injury management
• Mental health in physical recovery

Background:

• Burn injuries often coexist with or are preceded by trauma and associated mental health disorders.
• These comorbidities complicate patient recovery and healthcare experiences.
• Existing care models may not adequately address the pervasive impact of trauma on burn survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel, staged model for implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) specifically for burn patients.
• To outline key components for integrating TIC across the patient journey: before, during, and after initial treatment.
• To enhance the recovery outcomes and overall experience for individuals with burn injuries.

Main Methods:

• Development of a three-stage TIC model: 'before,' 'during,' and 'after' patient engagement.
• Identification of critical elements within each stage, including organizational changes, safety protocols, screening, collaborative planning, psychoeducation, and peer support.
• Emphasis on proactive outreach and follow-up in the 'after' stage.

Main Results:

• The proposed model requires significant clinical and organizational adjustments in the 'before' stage.
• The 'during' stage emphasizes creating safety, screening, patient inclusion, psychoeducation, and peer support.
• The 'after' stage necessitates proactive patient support through outreach and follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a trauma-informed care model can mitigate trauma responses and mental health complications in burn patients.
• This approach offers substantial benefits for both burns services and patient recovery.
• Proactive and integrated trauma-informed care is crucial for optimizing outcomes in burn injury management.