A Walk in My Patients' Shoes | Patient Centered Care and Trauma Informed Care for Pediatric Patients

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress

Working as a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional, empathizing with and attending to the fears and worries of parents occurs every day.

Working as a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional, empathizing with and attending to the fears and worries of parents occurs every day. Parents not only worry over the health and care of their ill/injured child, but also their other children, their work, medical insurance and financial strain, burdening other family as well as many other things.

Truly understanding the anxiety felt by parents comes only from experiencing it yourself, as one nurse explains. She says "I have a better understanding of the total and utter paralysis the parent of a sick child has to face on a daily basis. Of being afraid to make any decisions and being terrified to have to “wait and see,” all at the same time".

No matter if you've experienced a child's injury or illness from both the provider and parent point of view, or only one, all parents need compassionate trauma informed care. While most parents will cope well, all should be assessed for traumatic stress reactions, provided education and tips on coping with illness and injury, and connected to needed resources.

How do you help parents cope with their child's injury or illness?

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress

Patient Education

Screening & Assessment

Intervention

Trauma-Informed Care

COVID-19

Resources