Trauma-informed care for the pediatric nurse

BACKGROUND: Trauma is not limited to medical trauma and includes chronic stressors, toxic stress, adverse childhood events, abuse, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. Principles of trauma-informed care and resiliency guide pediatric nursing care across the life span from birth to adolescence. Trauma-informed care principles are pertinent to the nursing care needs of healthy and ill children from infancy to adolescence across care settings. METHODS: The purpose of this integrative literature review (IRL) is to elucidate evidence-based practices for pediatric nurses specific to trauma, trauma-informed principles, and the integration of these principles to care. Using Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) methodology, this IRL presents empirical literature to operationalize trauma-informed care for the pediatric nurse through 1) identification of the problem; 2) literature search; 3) data evaluation; 4) data analysis; 5) result presentation. FINDINGS: Results are presented in a contemporary framework by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2018) of trauma-awareness for the pediatric nurse, trauma-informed principles, and the integration of these principles to care. Pediatric nurses are in a unique position to offer trauma-informed care by recognizing and managing trauma to include chronic stressors, toxic stress, adverse childhood experiences, and abuse. DISCUSSION: Pediatric nurses today are caring for patients in a complex and diverse healthcare climate amid the world's worst public health pandemic in living memory. Awareness of trauma, assessment of trauma in pediatrics, and health and resiliency promotion are critical in moving forward post-pandemic. The overview of trauma-informed care provides a guide for the pediatric nurse.