Developing a trauma-informed care graphic narrative educational tool for emergency trauma nurses

Abstract

Background

In the emergency department, communicating therapeutically to optimize health outcomes is crucial when caring for trauma survivors. Graphic narratives are an innovative means of conveying critical nursing concepts to emergency trauma nurses that have the potential to promote enhanced application of trauma-informed care core values to clinical practice.

Purpose

The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the initial step of developing a graphic narrative educational tool depicting clinical scenarios in which trauma-informed care values are employed in an emergency department setting. Content validation by subject matter experts’ approach was taken to create a graphic narrative tool reflective of the core values of trauma-informed care.

Methods

A graphic narrative was created as an educational tool that included examples of nurses using core trauma-informed care values to provide nursing care to trauma survivors. Content Validation by subject matter experts’ approach was used to ensure that the core values of trauma-informed care were reflected in the script and visuals, or graphics, depicted in this tool.

Results

The development of a graphic narrative educational tool, compiled into a study guide, was designed to educate emergency trauma nurses in the specialized knowledge and TIC competencies needed to care for trauma survivors who have experienced acute trauma. The finalized four graphic narratives encompassing the six core values of TIC show nurse-patient interactions that demonstrate how the nurse would apply TIC in specific clinical situations.

Conclusion

The collaborative review process utilized in this study highlights a process of content validation by subject matter experts’ that can be useful for other nurse educators who collaborate with graphic artists to develop graphic narratives. Graphic narratives show through vivid imagery the powerful healing delivered to trauma survivors through trauma-informed care and can move nurses to employ this approach in every patient interaction.