Trauma & Resiliency Informed Practice (TRIP)

Methods & Measures 

• Pre–post design with 6-month follow-up 
• Conducted in a Southern Alberta hospital ED with nurses, physicians, and protective services 
• Measures included: 
  • Stigma scales (OMS-HC, OM-PATOS) 
  • Self-compassion (SCS) 
  • Resiliency skills (RSS) 
  • Qualitative feedback on learning and impact 

Recruitment 

• Posters in ED staff areas 
• Emails from team leads/managers 
• Newsletters and rounds presentations 

Quantitative Results: 

Key Findings: 4-hour workshop demonstrated significant results! 

• Reduced stigma toward patients (mental illness & substance use) 
• Resiliency skills increased and remained stable 
• Self-compassion improved, especially at 6-month follow-up

Qualitative Results: 

Participants reported intentions to: 

• Apply TRIP principles in everyday practice 
• Improve language use and overall communication 
• Demonstrate greater empathy and active listening 
• Encourage patient choice and increased involvement in care 
• Practice self-compassion techniques 
• Use emotional regulation strategies 
• Apply grounding techniques to manage stress and responses 

“Definitely going to use the breathing methods when I'm starting to feel overwhelmed. Also going to practice self-compassion and adjusting my self-talk to a more positive approach.” – ED Nurse, 4 hr workshop  

“I will be working on self-compassion in times of failure, as I know I can be quite self-deprecating. I will remind myself to be my own advocate.”– ED Psychiatric Resident, 2-hr workshop  

“Words/perceptions matter and self-care. Focusing in on the what happened to you vs. what's wrong with you. Finally, asking the individual what they want me to know and/or understand to support their care.” – ED Psychiatric Nurse, 4-hr workshop  

“Try to find a moment of compassion/love for each patient, and to suspend judgement. Finding space to be more reflective, less colonial response of seeking answers, more listening for answers.” – ED Psychiatric Resident, 2-hr workshop 

• The findings demonstrate a meaningful connection between healthcare provider wellbeing and the quality of patient care, suggesting that supporting staff may also improve patient experiences.
• Improvements in self-compassion and resilience, alongside reductions in stigma, indicate that addressing emotional and moral distress may be an important pathway for promoting compassionate, person-centered care.
• Trauma- and resiliency-informed approaches show promise as practical strategies to support healthcare workers, reduce stigma, and foster healthier care environments for both providers and patients.