Forensic Mental Health Nurses' Perceptions and Experiences of Trauma-Informed Care in a High-Secure Hospital

Implementation of trauma-informed care (TIC) into forensic clinical practice may contribute to positive outcomes for both patients and staff.

The current study aimed to describe forensic mental health nurses' perceptions and experiences of using TIC within a high-secure forensic hospital.

Twenty-seven forensic mental health nurses were interviewed regarding their experiences of using TIC within a high-secure hospital.

Participants recognized the importance of understanding the past traumatic experiences of patients in their care but described a number of barriers to the implementation of TIC. A lack of organizational support, the negative impact of patient psychopathology on nurse well-being, and environmental factors were all perceived to negatively impact the successful delivery of TIC. Participants also discussed a widespread lack of knowledge and confidence in the application of TIC but expressed great desire for training to improve service delivery.

The application of TIC into daily clinical practice appears to be suboptimal. To support nurse and patient well-being and contribute to a highly skilled trauma-informed workforce, further training in this area is vital.

Training in TIC may contribute to enhanced patient outcomes and promote nurse well-being and should be supported organizationally with sufficient resources.