Applying Trauma-Informed Care in Anesthesiology Procedures for Survivors of Sexual Assault

• In Event: Bridging Gaps in Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Research: Dyadic Insights, Strangulation, and Trauma-Informed Healthcare

Abstract

The purpose of this presentation is to summarize findings from a scoping literature review on the implementation of trauma-informed care (TIC) approaches in anesthesiology practice, specifically for survivors of sexual assault trauma. TIC approaches have been implemented in multiple healthcare settings to improve care for survivors, but minimal research exists on implementation of TIC in anesthesiology practice. Findings indicate that 90% of anesthesiologists do not ask about sexual trauma during preoperative assessments, though more would if they received trauma-informed training. Trauma-informed strategies specifically for anesthesiology-related procedures will be proposed. A case example highlighting how patient-centered adjustments, such as replacing inhalational anesthesia with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) for survivors with trauma-related triggers, can help prevent retraumatization. Additionally, the impact of physical positioning during surgeries will be discussed. As sexual violence survivors experience higher rates of PTSD, dexmedetomidine may be a helpful anesthetic agent in this population as it has been shown to be beneficial in decreasing emergence agitation in people with PTSD. Trauma-informed care recommendations include routine trauma history screening, offering patients choices to maintain autonomy, optimizing emergence environments, and carefully evaluating surgical positioning to minimize potential retraumatization.

Authors

• Luke Johnson, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

• Julie L. Valentine, University of Utah

• Matthew H. Johnson, Mountain West Anesthesia