A Trauma-Informed Approach

Lecture Overview

You have just arrived for your shift, received handover, and are caring for someone who is agitated with delirium or dementia. Take a second to stop and think: is there another reason they are experiencing outbursts of agitation? Could there be some other underlying reason beyond their illness? Using case studies, this session will encourage you to rewind and take a trauma-informed approach to situations like this one.

Educators

Amanda Smith

Amanda Smith is a proud and vocal advocate of comprehensive health care with a passion for mental health nursing. Although initially starting her career in general nursing, working across the aged care sector, cardiac, medical, and later emergency departments, Amanda's desire to improve quality outcomes for those suffering with mental distress navigated her career towards mental health nursing and education. For the last 7 years, along with being a clinical practitioner in the mental health care arena, Amanda has additionally been privileged to work alongside some truly amazing academics as a sessional tutor teaching in tertiary institutions in Queensland for undergraduate nursing and paramedic degree students. Amanda's experience spans all facets of mental health nursing from acute triage and assessment, to emergency and special service co-response teams, to high dependency and case management. She is passionate about consumers receiving quality service from first contact throughout their entire mental health journey. She believes the fundamental issue for all consumers is the barriers of stigma and discrimination, which often prevents people from making that initial contact and receiving both accurate physical and mental health assessment. It is Amanda's ongoing intention to address these barriers through drawing on her own journey and experience, as well as through clinical practice, education, and ongoing professional development.