Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Trauma-Informed Care
An article in Journal of Palliative Medicine outlines how trauma-informed care (TIC) can improve care for people living with serious illness. Given the high prevalence of trauma and its impact on symptom burden, decision-making, and trust in health care, the authors recommend a “universal precautions” approach that assumes patients and caregivers may have experienced trauma. The article provides practical strategies for recognizing trauma responses, promoting safety and trust, supporting patient agency, and reducing the risk of medical retraumatization. It also emphasizes that trauma-informed care aligns closely with core palliative care principles and requires both clinical practice changes and organizational commitment to advance equitable, compassionate care.