Identifying facilitators and barriers to using trauma-informed care at a level 1 trauma center

Millions of individuals sustain traumatic injuries each year, yet the emotional impact of hospitalization and acute medical care remains understudied. Trauma-informed care (TIC) offers a framework for reducing retraumatization and supporting both patients and providers, but little is known about how TIC is understood or applied in trauma centers. This qualitative study used a human-centered design approach to examine healthcare workers' experiences, perceptions, and training needs related to TIC within a Level 1 trauma center to inform development of a training on TIC. This study employed a qualitative approach guided by principles of Human-Centered Design (HCD) to explore healthcare workers' perceptions, experiences, and training needs related to trauma-informed care (TIC) within a high-acuity trauma setting. Healthcare workers, including nursing assistants, registered nurses, physical therapists, advanced practice providers, and physicians were included as key informants in defining the relevance, challenges, and applicability of trauma-informed practice at the trauma center. Participants were recruited from the Trauma and Acute Care Division and hospital unit serving predominantly traumatically injured patients. Using thematic reflexive analysis, semi-structured interviews (range: 10-25 min) with 20 multidisciplinary staff revealed three overarching themes: the emotional toll and burnout associated with trauma work; TIC-aligned practices (including empathetic communication and perspective taking); and training needs including format and content and skills needed to deliver TIC effectively. Participants emphasized the need for practical, hands-on training tailored to the realities of trauma care. Trauma-informed approaches have the potential to improve patient recovery, reduce psychological distress, and lessen strain on healthcare systems. Study findings can inform broader behavioral medicine practices by guiding the development of scalable TIC interventions that meet providers' identified needs which are adaptable to trauma centers, emergency care, and other high-acuity medical settings to enhance patient-centered care.