Patient and Family Perspectives for Trauma-Informed Ethics Consultation: A Pilot Study

AbstractThis article reports on a pilot study soliciting patient and caregiver views on trauma-informed principles to influence the provision of trtauma-informed ethics consultation (TIEC). The study conducted case-based focus groups with participants (1) to assess the feasibility and efficacy of focus group methodology for collecting information to better understand and describe patient and family perspectives relevant to TIEC and (2) to analyze participant reflections so as to further conceptualize and operationalize TIEC. Overall, the case-based focus group methodology was generally effective. Findings show that patients and families conceptualize trauma-informed principles in ways that overlap with and reinforce each other. For example, safety supports inclusion, and inclusion supports a sense of safety. Preliminary thematic analysis suggests that how one may construe actions and practices as "trauma informed" in ethics consultation is influenced by the individual's identity, background, and experiences, suggesting that TIEC is an active, iterative process.