The Effect of Trauma-Informed Care Education on Improving Knowledge and Confidence of Clinicians Caring for Women in a Labor and Delivery Setting

The birthing process can be profoundly emotionally, mentally, and physically strenuous for women. Many women feel a loss of sense of control during their labor and birth experience. While trauma during the birthing process can happen to anyone, women with a history of sexual trauma are more likely to experience retraumatization during birth. Health care workers have the ability to exacerbate the patient’s trauma or promote healing through the care they provide. The lack of provider and nurse education in trauma-informed care is related to women’s experiences of secondary trauma during labor and childbirth and can cause prolonged complications for both mother and baby. Clinicians frequently report feeling inadequate in their training and education on this topic and feel unequipped to help patients with a history of trauma. The goal of this project was to provide focused education to clinicians on trauma-informed care to promote their knowledge and confidence in hopes of providing better patient outcomes in the labor and delivery setting. Results from the project revealed that clinicians feel more equipped to implement trauma-informed care techniques into their practice after receiving focused education. Clinicians within the labor and delivery setting have a unique opportunity to promote healing and empowerment in a woman with a history of trauma. Trauma-informed care education should be a standardized part of training for clinicians in the labor and delivery setting. Providing extensive and habitual trauma-informed care education to clinicians is paramount to positive patient outcomes