TCRN Psychosocial Aspects of Trauma Care 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In trauma care, the nurse suspects intimate partner violence (IPV). Which approach is most appropriate?
- Interview the patient and partner together to observe their interaction
- Screen the patient privately using a validated tool, and provide resources regardless of disclosure (Correct answer)
- Document suspicion in the chart but take no further action unless the patient volunteers information
- Report immediately to law enforcement without consulting the patient
Correct answer: Screen the patient privately using a validated tool, and provide resources regardless of disclosure
Universal private screening with validated tools ensures patient safety and provides resources without coercion, regardless of whether violence is disclosed.
Question 2: A patient is brought in after a suicide attempt by drug overdose. After medical stabilization, which nursing action is the priority?
- Discharge the patient with outpatient therapy referral immediately
- Ensure one-to-one observation, remove harmful objects from the environment, and initiate a psychiatric consultation (Correct answer)
- Administer antidepressants and reassess in 24 hours
- Allow the family to take the patient home if they agree to supervise
Correct answer: Ensure one-to-one observation, remove harmful objects from the environment, and initiate a psychiatric consultation
After medical stabilization, immediate safety measures—constant observation, environmental safety, psychiatric evaluation—are the nursing priority.
Question 3: Which factor is the strongest risk indicator for completed suicide in a trauma patient?
- Mild depression without prior history
- A previous suicide attempt (Correct answer)
- Social isolation without prior attempt
- Chronic low back pain
Correct answer: A previous suicide attempt
A prior suicide attempt is the single strongest predictor of future completed suicide.
Question 4: A trauma patient refuses a blood transfusion for religious reasons. The nurse's most appropriate action is:
- Administer the transfusion anyway because it is a life-saving measure
- Document the refusal, notify the physician and ethics team, ensure the patient has decision-making capacity, and explore alternative treatments (Correct answer)
- Accept the refusal without further assessment or documentation
- Sedate the patient and proceed with transfusion
Correct answer: Document the refusal, notify the physician and ethics team, ensure the patient has decision-making capacity, and explore alternative treatments
A competent adult has the right to refuse treatment; the nurse must document, communicate, verify capacity, and work within ethical and legal frameworks.
Question 5: In pediatric trauma, which behavioral finding should alert the trauma nurse to possible child abuse?
- Bruising over the shins in a child who just learned to walk
- Injuries inconsistent with the developmental stage or the history provided by caregivers (Correct answer)
- Fearfulness during physical exam only
- Single fracture of the clavicle from a fall
Correct answer: Injuries inconsistent with the developmental stage or the history provided by caregivers
Injuries that don't match the caregiver's explanation or the child's developmental ability are the most important red flags for non-accidental trauma.
Question 6: Which professional resource is most appropriate for a trauma nurse experiencing signs of secondary traumatic stress?
- Continue working additional shifts to build resilience through exposure
- Access the hospital's employee assistance program (EAP) and seek peer support or professional counseling (Correct answer)
- Self-medicate with over-the-counter sleep aids until symptoms resolve
- Request transfer to a non-trauma unit without discussing symptoms with anyone
Correct answer: Access the hospital's employee assistance program (EAP) and seek peer support or professional counseling
EAP services and peer support programs are specifically designed to help healthcare workers manage secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.
TCRN Psychosocial Aspects of Trauma Care 2
In trauma care, the nurse suspects intimate partner violence (IPV).
Which approach is most appropriate?