7503NRS Assignment 1: Reflection on Complex Trauma Patient Needs

This presentation provides a reflection on complex trauma patient care, focusing on a 23-year-old woman with a history of physical, emotional, and psychological abuse. It explores the specialized needs of such patients, relating these needs to the type of trauma and mechanism of injury, including potential traumatic brain injury. The presentation differentiates between the needs of complex trauma patients and non-complex trauma patients, emphasizing the importance of personalized, patient-centered care and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. It highlights immediate priorities in patient care, such as addressing physical injuries and establishing a therapeutic relationship, and underscores the role of a multidisciplinary team in optimizing care and accelerating rehabilitation. The reflection emphasizes the necessity of accurate diagnosis and family-centered communication in treating complex trauma patients effectively. Desklib provides a platform to access similar solved assignments.

Reflection on Complex Trauma
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Authors note:

Background of Complex Trauma
Complex trauma is a kind of psychological disorder which is combination
of
 retentive stress or
 trauma developed over the time.
It is normally and interpersonal effect
The people with Complex Trauma or CT can develop Complex Post
traumatic Disorder or C-PTD.
It can be found in adults as well as in children (Cook et al., 2017).
However, both have potentially long term effect on the affected.

Background of the Patient
 23 year old woman
Caucasian woman has
a history of :
 Physical abuse
Psychological abuse
Bullying
Symptoms of the Patient
 Attachment Disorder
 Issues with Self Esteem
 Emotional Regularities
 Somatic Symptoms
 Cognitive problems

Specializes Needs of the Patient
It is to be understood that since every patient has special kind of assistance due to
various reasons:
Emotional vulnerabilities and may be polivictimized (Musicaro et.al., 2017).
Neurobiological problems
Have greater susceptibility neurobiological problems
They are unable to lead a normal lives (Australian Government-Australian Institute
of Family Studies, 2019)
Sometimes the caregivers also face a mental trauma
Complex Trauma in childhood and the developmental stages can be damaging
Tendency towards substance abuse
Inability address their emotional requirements

Relation between the type of trauma and
mechanism of Injury
The traumatic brain injury which is an external injury
to the brain can result from (Mechanism of Injury):
 Violence or
 Physical abuse
It can be a result of the complex trauma resulting
from the physical abuse and violence
Sometimes the patient might not be even aware of
the trauma that has caused to him or her.
Recent finding suggest that there is a relation
between impulsivity and suicidal behaviour.
The neurobiological vulnerability can to suicidal risk
can be due to the changes in the frontal white matter
(Gunter et al., 2013).

Difference between the needs of
non-complex and/or non-trauma
patientThe complex trauma is different from the trauma caused due to a single
incident.
Impacts of the complex trauma can be more than the more critical and
weakening mentally and physically.
Since there is an involvement of multiple incidences , the therapeutically
approach has to be personalised and patient centred.
The patients might have difficulty in expressing themselves.
Exposed to psychiatric disorder or chronic medical illness (Cook et al.,
2017).
The patient in case of complex trauma might have varied cognitive
impairments which can occur due to traumatic brain injury in his childhood.

Immediate Priorities of Patient
Care
If the patient has any physical injury then that should be attended first.
Patient based treatment, Each patient has an unique key to the
treatment, hence there has to be personalised approach towards
treating a complex trauma patient.
 Trauma focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (de Arellano et al.,
2014).
Evidence based practise has to be attempted
Anti-depressant medications like :Prozac could be given,
anticonvulsants, antipsychotic drug.
Therapeutic Treatment and establishing a therapeutic relationship
between the general practitioner or the nurse (Lawson, Davis &
Brandon, 2013).

Multidisciplinary Team involved
in caring for the patient
Will help optimize care
Reduce mortality (Bach et al., 2017).
Accelerated rehabilitation course
after the traumatic brain injury
Therapeutic Interaction as well as
relationships

Reflection
necessary to diagnose
 As complex trauma can be different
from the non-trauma patients
they might not be able express
themselves properly.
patient based approach.
Family centred communication.
therapeutic relationship has to be
established.

References
• Australian Government-Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2019). Acknowledging
complexity in the impacts of sexual victimisation trauma. Retrieved from.
https://aifs.gov.au/publications/acknowledging-complexity-impacts-sexual-victimisation-trau
ma/export
• Bach, J. A., Leskovan, J. J., Scharschmidt, T., Boulger, C., Papadimos, T. J., Russell, S., ... &
Stawicki, S. P. (2017). The right team at the right time–Multidisciplinary approach to multi-
trauma patient with orthopedic injuries. International journal of critical illness and injury
science, 7(1), 32.
• Blue Knot Foundation. (2019). Definition of complex trauma versus single incident. Retrieved
from
https://www.blueknot.org.au/Resources/Information/Understanding-abuse-and-trauma/Wha
t-is-complex-trauma
• Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., ... & Mallah, K. (2017).
Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric annals, 35(5), 390-398.
• de Arellano, M. A. R., Lyman, D. R., Jobe-Shields, L., George, P., Dougherty, R. H., Daniels, A. S.,
... & Delphin-Rittmon, M. E. (2014). Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for children

References
• Lawson, D. M., Davis, D., & Brandon, S. (2013). Treating complex trauma: Critical
interventions with adults who experienced ongoing trauma in childhood.
Psychotherapy, 50(3), 331.
• Musicaro, R. M., Spinazzola, J., Arvidson, J., Swaroop, S. R., Goldblatt Grace, L., Yarrow,
A., ... & Ford, J. D. (2019). The complexity of adaptation to childhood polyvictimization in
youth and young adults: Recommendations for multidisciplinary responders. Trauma,
Violence, & Abuse, 20(1), 81-98.
• Roozenbeek, B., Maas, A. I., & Menon, D. K. (2013). Changing patterns in the
epidemiology of traumatic brain injury. Nature Reviews Neurology, 9(4), 231.
• Ryan, K., Lane, S. J., & Powers, D. (2017). A multidisciplinary model for treating complex
trauma in early childhood. International Journal of Play Therapy, 26(2), 111.
• Stokes, Y., Jacob, J. D., Gifford, W., Squires, J., & Vandyk, A. (2017). Exploring Nurses'
Knowledge and Experiences Related to Trauma-Informed Care. Global qualitative
nursing research, 4, 2333393617734510.