A novel approach to trauma-informed care: Co-designing policies to support healthcare provider mental health

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers (HCPs) have faced challenging and sometimes traumatic situations that have taken a toll on their mental health. Since February 2021, our team has been conducting research on Canadian HCPs and found they are suffering from high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. We have also learned that during the pandemic, many HCPs suffered mental distress as a result of organizational policies and unintended consequences of leadership decisions. These situations not only left many HCPs feeling their organization did not value or care about them, but also were primary contributors to decisions to leave their job. Prior research has found that implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) principles, such as facilitating choice whenever possible and establishing/maintaining trust by providing transparency via engaging HCP representation in the decision-making process in healthcare organizations, has a positive impact on the mental health of the healthcare providers who work there. This study aims to develop a trauma-informed policy for leaders who work in Canadian healthcare organizations based on an innovative approach to health policy analysis and informed by the Sanctuary Model of Trauma-Informed Organizational Change. Frontline healthcare providers, leaders in middle management and senior management positions from both an acute care hospital and a long-term care facility will be asked to be part of this study. All participants will take part in an interview and/or focus group and complete a survey about their beliefs on trauma-informed care. The results of this study will inform policies that guide leaders to better support the mental health of our Canadian healthcare providers. Efforts to better support and retain our healthcare workforce will ultimately benefit patients and the greater public who depend on their service and well-resourced health care system.