| Sumario: | Aim: The aim of the study was to measure the effectiveness of an eight-week trauma-informed care credentialled course on the attitudes of health-care professionals towards being trauma-informed in their practice. Background: People engaged with mental health and addictions services are more likely to have experienced trauma than the general population. At the same time, health-care professionals working in these services are at risk of experiencing secondary or vicarious trauma as a result of working with people who have experienced trauma. Service providers need to ensure their workforce is equipped to recognise the multidimensional impact of traumatic experiences. Achieving this goal requires understanding service users' experiences through a trauma-informed lens. Method: A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-and-post teaching study was undertaken, using purposive sampling. Data were collected pre- and post-course using the ARTIC-35, a reliable and validated tool. Results: Results indicate a significant difference in pre- and post-scores. Discussion: The findings suggest that participation in the course had positive outcomes for participants regarding their attitudes towards trauma-informed care. Conclusion: Trauma-informed care is considered best practice. Professional development in trauma-informed care for health-care professionals, including undergraduate and registered nurses (RNs), may improve care and outcomes across the health sector for those who have experienced trauma. Trauma-informed care not only benefits those receiving care, but also those delivering care by enhancing self-efficacy. As the largest professional health-care workforce, RNs are in a unique position to provide trauma-Informed care and influence the quality of care patients receive.
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