Trauma-Informed Care in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy to Reduce Retraumatization

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy
• Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Trauma is prevalent and significantly impacts patient health.
• Understanding the neurobiology of trauma is crucial for effective patient care.
• Healthcare settings can inadvertently trigger traumatic responses in patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of trauma-informed care.
• To explore the neurobiology of trauma.
• To identify interventions for reducing patient retraumatization in medical imaging and radiation therapy.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases was conducted.
• 12 peer-reviewed journal articles were collected.
• Thematic analysis was performed on selected sources, including textbooks and reports.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: definitions of trauma-informed care, neurobiology of trauma, pillars of intervention, and implications for medical imaging and radiation therapy.
• Trauma-informed care involves recognizing trauma, its signs, and symptoms, and integrating this knowledge into practice.
• Pillars include safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and responsiveness.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare professionals, including radiologic technologists and radiation therapists, must adopt trauma-informed approaches.
• Routine care in medical imaging and radiation therapy can be unintentional reminders of trauma.
• Implementing trauma-informed care reduces retraumatization and improves patient outcomes.