Development of a Trauma-Informed Care Training Program for Emergency Department Health Care Providers

Trauma affects individual health, increasing health care usage, particularly in emergency departments. The stressful emergency department environment easily triggers trauma reactions in patients, families, and healthcare providers exposed to trauma. Trauma-informed care equips emergency department providers to identify and address challenges, yet its implementation remains limited. This study aimed to develop a trauma-informed care training program tailored for emergency department healthcare professionals.

A 2-stage, quasi-mixed sequential design study was used. Stage 1 included a scoping review of 65 articles and a qualitative needs assessment of 5 emergency nurses and 5 care recipients who had experienced traumatic events. Thematic analysis identified themes for designing training. The second stage was the content validation by 5 experts to evaluate the relevance and clarity of the program's components.

Three core themes and 12 subthemes were identified for nurses, whereas 3 core themes and 9 subthemes were found for care recipients who had experienced traumatic events. The results of the scoping review and qualitative study guided the design and the naming of the Triple TICs training program. Content validity indexes (item-level content validity index and scale-level content validity index/average proportion) scored 1.0, indicating strong content validity. Experts also suggest a blended learning format, including asynchronous online modules and a 1-day in-person workshop.

The Triple TICs program provides a content-validated, universally applicable trauma-informed care training framework for emergency department providers. It supports trauma-sensitive practice, enhances staff awareness, and promotes safe, empathetic care environments.