A student-run initiative to improve the confidence and preparedness of collegiate first response teams as they encounter patients with trauma.
Following a pivotal patient encounter as part of McMaster's Emergency First Response Team (EFRT) in Fall 2023, I recognized a significant gap in my understanding of trauma-informed care. Despite navigating the situation successfully, I felt a profound lack of confidence and wondered if my colleagues felt similarly. After sharing a survey with fellow collegiate first responders, it was evident that I was not alone. With this, I made it my mission to educate myself on recognizing and responding to patients with trauma. This framework aims to empower responders with the tools and confidence to deliver effective trauma-informed care. It is my hope that this page will foster a lasting positive impact on patients and responders alike.
- Ellika Greaves, McMaster University
Trauma refers to the physical, psychological, and emotional distress caused by one's lived experiences. The term trauma encompasses a range of responses, including anxiety, fear, frustration, and helplessness, often stemming from significant life events such as accidents, violence, natural disasters, or loss. Trauma disrupts one's sense of trust, safety and security, often affecting their mental well-being and interpersonal interactions.
Medical trauma is a subset of trauma that results from negative experiences with the healthcare system. This may include adverse experiences such as medical errors, misdiagnoses, clinician insensitivity, dismissive treatment, communication breakdowns between healthcare providers and patients, and perceived neglect. These experiences can have lasting emotional impacts, decreasing one's trust in the healthcare system and impacting one's overall well-being.
Healthcare trauma is a significant concern as it may hinder individuals from seeking necessary medical care in the future and contribute to disparities in healthcare access and long term outcomes. It is important to note, however, that the definition of trauma may differ significantly between individuals.
Up to 84% of college students have experienced at least one event deemed “potentially traumatizing.” And this demographic is only growing; as of 2024, 47% of students seeking college counselling services report experiencing trauma, compared to 37% in 2012.
In addition, trauma isn’t always linked to a single, obvious event. Chronic or debilitating illnesses can also be deeply traumatic, with up to 25% of individuals diagnosed with such conditions developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Patients with trauma can evoke a series of responses from their healthcare providers. While our goal as healthcare providers is to approach patients with empathy and compassion, continued exposure to distressing stories and challenging situations may contribute to compassion fatigue and emotional burnout.
Some responses may include feelings of frustration when witnessing the effects of past trauma, internalizing the emotions of one's patients, increased feelings of burnout, and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress such as as intrusive thoughts or numbness.
Why is this important? It is estimated that up to 50% of EMS providers experience feelings of burnout. This figure is likely even higher in collegiate EMS, where responders face the dual responsibilities of both students and healthcare providers.