What “Trauma-Informed Care” Actually Means for Your GYNE Visit
The current healthcare approach is a patient-centered model that aligns clinical decisions with the patients’ specific needs and values. The process empowers the patient to be an active participant in their healthcare therapies rather than a passive observer of their doctor’s diagnosis and treatments. But, when it comes to the gynecological field, Derrick Pickering believes that health providers must go even further to empower women, especially those who have experienced health traumas such as pregnancy complications, infant loss, or infertility.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that nearly 50% of new mothers have experienced a childbirth that was psychologically traumatic or personally distressing. And women with high-risk pregnancies or infertility concerns often report primary care visits where they may feel a loss of autonomy. Feeling ignored or even negative and insensitive language, especially for those who have experienced abortion, miscarriage, or sexual violence, are also reported.
Pickering is a dual board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife with a diverse and accomplished career in women’s health. Through experience, Derrick has discovered that traumatized women patients require an individualized and holistic approach to their GYN care, delivered in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Here, he explains how both women and health care providers can improve the delivery of trauma-informed care (TIC).
The need for trauma-informed care
During childhood, Derrick Pickering experienced his own medical trauma and witnessed firsthand how informed and compassionate healthcare made a difference in his recovery. Later, he and his wife struggled with infertility and the loss of infants due to pregnancy complications. This offered Derrick an entirely new perspective on the need for trauma-informed care and a more positive patient experience.
The unfortunate reality is that women who have had unpleasant GYN experiences are more apt to avoid necessary exams. Healthcare trauma by caregivers can be introduced in many forms, including through systemic or institutional racism, perceived or real memories of past sexual harassment or assault, or unresolved trauma from negative GYN provider relationships.
Trauma-informed care that removes the stigma of negative experiences and prioritizes the emotional safety, along with the physical well-being of the patient, is critical. Transparent therapies, patient empowerment, and sensitive language can truly transform the doctor/patient experience for traumatized women.
A holistic approach to empowering women
Derrick Pickering believes in patient care that integrates the woman’s emotional, physical, spiritual, and social preferences into the treatment plan, resulting in improved well-being and sustainable healing. This type of proactive care requires communication to reduce the “fight or flight” response that can occur during clinical visits. Also, an emphasis on patient autonomy is critical. This means asking for consent at every step of an exam in an environment designed to be safe and comfortable.
Health providers should be trained to recognize the signs of distress in OBGYN patients, such as severe anxiety or a tense demeanor. In these situations, an unexpected touch, cold instruments, bright lights, or a “doctor knows best” attitude are among the ways the patient can be unwittingly retraumatized. As an OBGYN Nurse Practitioner at Sunrise Women’s Health and Wellness Clinic, Pickering creates a safe harbor for individualized care that includes therapies for anxiety or depression, if needed.
When healthcare team members go the extra step to explain procedures and request permission before touching, the patient is empowered to overcome past traumatic experiences and is free to make informed decisions about their body. Additionally, a relaxed and open patient improves diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes from the care team.
