Being Trauma Informed and Recovery Oriented

Thoughts that may indicate that there is room for improvement:

  • "If they wanted to get better then they should have just done what we told them to do."
  • "Sometimes we just need to teach them a lesson," (with respect to using a restraint intervention).
  • Making elaborate discharge plans with many appointments for people who have unstable housing and no social supports. 
  • Being directive rather than giving people a choice.
  • Making treatment plan/care plan decisions without any participation with the patient/client/person being cared for and/or their family.
  •  The focus of collaborative care planning is about medications more times than not. 
  • The same plan of care is tried over and over again, with an expectation that when the patient/client/person being cared for is "ready" then the success will come. 

At a certain point we really have to ask ourselves:

  • Is it the person that needs to change, or is it us? 

  • Are we more invested in the outcome of these interventions that the patient/client/person we are providing care for? And, equally as important, why are we so much more invested? Is it because these are our goals rather than theirs? 

  • Is it individualized care planning if everyone has the same care "standard" plan? 

  • Is is really collaborate care planning if the interdisciplinary team meets ahead of time, without the patient/client/person being cared for to decide what the plan of care is, and then the patient/client/person being cared for and/or their family attend a second meeting where we "inform" them of the plan? 

Peace,

Michelle D. 

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