Ethical Decision-Making Using Trauma Informed Principles: A Case Example

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

This article explores ethical decision-making utilizing trauma-informed (TI) principles through case examples. A TI approach to ethical practice is aligned with nursing goals of promoting, protecting, and restoring health and relieving suffering and with the perspective of humanizing the health care environment. It emphasizes that an inability to bounce back from traumatic events is not a character flaw or a moral weakness for which a person can be blamed. Practical guiding principle as for trauma-informed approaches to care and problem resolution. The assumptions, which they call the 4 R's, are: realizing that trauma is pervasive; recognizing signs of trauma; responding to trauma through trauma-informed care; and resisting retraumatization by remaining aware of this possibility. Along with the 4 assumptions, there are 6 principles that provide more direction. For the current case, and paraphrased from the US Government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines, 4 of these are more pertinent to the patient and 2 of them are more pertinent to the clinicians and health care team.

Objectives

Discuss how clinician biases and/or prejudices can interfere with good care of a person who has experienced current or past trauma
Articulate two ways in which a trauma-informed approach can elicit or allow the development of patient trust
Describe three guiding principles for ethical decision-making using a trauma-informed approach

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation to be awarded contact hours AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity. Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.