Course Description
The course reviews trauma-informed care (TIC) and focuses on TIC clinical practices. A trauma-informed approach to screening and assessment will be emphasized. Trauma-specific services and the principles of trauma recovery and the role of relational therapies are explored. An awareness of TIC principles, focusing on clients and practitioners, is pivotal. This course will define and differentiate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue (CF) from similar constructs. Risk and prevention factors for VT and STS are highlighted. Integration of VT and STS concepts, as well as, the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG) and compassion fatigue resilience (CFR) will be emphasized.
Course Content
In this course the learner will explore:
- Attachment theory, concepts of risk and resilience and types of trauma
- Aboriginal Peoples’ historic trauma and intergenerational transmission including residential school syndrome (RSS).
- Trauma Related Disorder in the DSM-5
- Complex trauma and the impact of trauma on the whole person
- Differences between Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and Trauma-Specific Services (TSS)
- A variety of Trauma-Specific Services
- Specific concepts of burnout, countertransference, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder that often lead to confusion and ambiguous conceptual models
- Explanatory models for VT and the Constructivist Self-Development Theory
- Risks for the practitioner associated with trauma-informed care, specifically vicarious trauma (VT) and secondary traumatic stress (STS)
- The role of self-care as foundational for prevention of VT and STS and the opportunity for post-traumatic growth and compassion fatigue resilience
- The role of belonging to the nursing occupation and the value of collegial and social support to promote post-traumatic growth and compassion fatigue resilience.
Learning Activities
Learners will acquire knowledge and skill to apply concepts through a variety of means of instruction and activities, including; lecture, audio-visuals, debate forums, critical thinking exercises and team work.
Means of Assessment
The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College evaluation policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course. All assignments must be completed to pass the course.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course the learner will be able to analyze:
- The impact of colonization related to historical trauma, intergenerational transmission of trauma and a recent framework related to residential school syndrome
- Trauma-informed care (TIC) clinical practices
- Philosophy of Trauma-Specific Services
- Trauma-Specific Services in Practice
- Risks associated with TIC: Vicarious Trauma (VT) and Secondary Trauma Stress (STS)
- Interventions and Prevention of VT and STS
- A model of Post-traumatic Growth
- A model of Compassion Fatigue Resilience.
Textbook Materials
A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.