A NEW LENS for Addressing Workplace Violence: Trauma Informed Care as an Approach to Management

Abstract

Objective:

To explore an innovative model for nursing administration practice in which a trauma-informed care approach is applied to staff and personnel management. This model is applicable especially for preventing workplace violence and managing its aftermath in psychiatric care facilities.

Methods:

This discussion article presents a conceptual model for practice called NEW LENS (Nurses who Experience Workplace violence, Leadership to meet Expectations and NeedS), which is based on the BITTEN trauma-informed care framework. A model case exemplar is used to illustrate current nursing administration practices and to contrast them with a trauma-informed care approach to staff and personnel management.

Results:

The model case exemplar highlights how the implementation of a trauma-informed care approach for nurses and staff could potentially impact the psychiatric work environment. Additionally, the model case exemplar suggests current administrative approaches may not adequately address the cumulative effects of workplace and personal trauma on staff responses to violence.

Conclusions:

There is a need for further research on trauma-informed care in psychiatric nursing. Specifically, systematic exploration is required to understand how trauma-informed care strategies in nursing administration can address the intersection of workplace and personal trauma and improve staff resilience and safety.