Abstract
Background: Trauma-informed care (TIC) is increasingly recognized as an essential component of acute care practice; however, little is known about acute care rehabilitation providers’ perception of their ability to apply TIC in practice.
Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive survey study examined acute care rehabilitation providers’ self-reported self-efficacy, practice implementation, and perceived barriers related to providing TIC. A modified Trauma-Informed Care Provider Survey, adapted for electronic administration and revised to assess self-efficacy, was distributed to occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists practicing in inpatient acute care settings across the United States.
Results: 41 rehabilitation providers completed the survey. Respondents reported low rates of self-efficacy in understanding the evidence underlying TIC principles, eliciting trauma-related information without re-traumatization, and assessing patients’ emotional needs following trauma. Commonly reported barriers included time constraints, lack of training, fear of re-traumatizing patients, and limited organizational support. Participants also reported minimal preparedness to provide caregiver/family education about trauma.
Discussion: Findings suggest meaningful gaps in TIC preparedness and implementation among acute care rehabilitation providers. Addressing rehabilitation-specific TIC training and organizational support in acute care settings can potentially enhance rehabilitation effectiveness and improve patient outcomes in acute care.