The following quotations were taken from a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) (2025) report, and discussed by Devereux (2025), into the impact on patients and staff of the practice of nursing patients in corridors during the current winter crisis. A senior nursing support worker said:
‘When you leave, you take that home with you – everything you didn't do [or] you did do – and that sticks with you and it makes a hole in your soul.’
‘Every year we say it can't get worse than this, and then the next year, lo and behold, it wipes us out.’
Marcomini et al (2021) described a study that found that health professionals directly involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for patients with COVID-19 are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Concerningly, Devereux (2025) cited Nicola Ranger, Chief Executive of the RCN, as having:
‘Recalled conversations with frontline nurses who had said “they wished it was back in the pandemic” because they felt that situation was better than the one they are in now.’
Wolotira (2023) noted that many nurses have experienced trauma in their lives, including working through the pandemic, recognising that when previous trauma is combined with current workplace stressors, nurses are at risk of experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, and the quality of patient care suffers.
Speaking with my nurse leader friends and colleagues, many are feeling helpless while operating in the current workplace crisis. Wolotira (2023) stated that leaders can positively affect nurse wellbeing through a trauma-informed leadership approach and by promoting practices to reduce compassion fatigue and improve employee resilience. Furthermore, Wolotira noted that leadership behaviours that foster self-care and nursing resilience are imperative to maintain and strengthen the nursing workforce.
From my reading and experience, a trauma-informed workplace for healthcare staff is one that recognises and responds to the impacts of trauma on both patients and staff. It should combine policies, practices and environments, including recognising the importance of emotional safety, wellbeing, and support for staff. The understanding of trauma, both direct and indirect, clearly plays a crucial role in creating an atmosphere where staff feel empowered, valued, and able to perform their roles without compromising their mental health.
I have found several key principles of trauma-informed care for healthcare staff:
- Safety: this relates to the working environment and needs consideration of both psychological and physical safety
- Trustworthiness and transparency: building trust within the team and with management is essential for staff wellbeing. Clear and consistent communication regarding policies, decision-making processes, and expectations helps establish transparency. Trust also involves ensuring that staff feel heard and respected when raising concerns
- Peer support and collaboration: leaders and colleagues play a key role in providing support or signposting to where appropriate support can be accessed. Work environments where staff feel supported by one another are crucial in preventing burnout and promoting positive relationships
- Empowerment, choice and control: it is critical that nurses are empowered to be part of the decision making that affects their practice and which impacts patients
- Inclusion: it is clear that a trauma-informed workplace is attuned to the diverse backgrounds of its staff. Acknowledging and addressing the different types of traumas that can impact staff – especially those from historically marginalised or oppressed groups – will support ensuring a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Trauma-informed practice is not new. However, post-pandemic there is a contemporary evidence base and refreshed resources that can support leaders with practical strategies for implementing a trauma-informed workplace (Office for Health Improvement, 2022; National Trauma Transformation Programme, 2023), relating to:
- Training and education
- Access to supportive resources
- Supervision and debriefing
- The workplace environment.
Creating a trauma-informed workplace involves a cultural shift that requires leadership, compassion and dedication. By integrating these principles into the day-to-day functioning of healthcare settings, leaders can foster this much-needed workplace environment. This in turn will not only support staff but will also create a more positive and effective atmosphere for providing patient care.