Trauma histories are ubiquitous in Australian society and affect a large proportion of individuals accessing health care services. Accordingly, trauma-informed care is now a requirement in all areas of service.
However, disorders resulting from more severe complex trauma are still misdiagnosed frequently. Healthcare professionals reportedly lack information about complex trauma and its effects and presentations.
Acquiring an in-depth understanding of the pervasive impacts of complex trauma should thus be a priority for all health professionals to prevent the inappropriate and potentially harmful treatment of clients.
This module introduces the concept of complex trauma and explains its characteristics, pathophysiology, and long-term psychological and physiological consequences. It should be completed as a prerequisite to the discussion of implementing trauma-informed care in the following module in this series.
At the end of this eLearning activity participants will be able to:
