Episode 426: Tools to Support Patients and Nurses Through Medical Trauma in Oncology

"When people with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] get quite avoidant—and that can be expressed in so many different ways—the implications can be really profound. I think an important invitation to oncologists and oncology nurses and primary care providers who care for people battling cancer is let's explore what's underneath these avoidant behaviors. Is it a very practical thing? Or is it that underneath this avoidant behavior is really profound fear?" James C. Jackson, PsyD, research professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, TCTCN™, oncology clinical specialist at ONS, during a conversation about addressing medical trauma in oncology.

Music Credit: "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod

Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0

Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by July 31, 2027. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to medical trauma in oncology care.

Episode Notes

Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  ONS Podcast™ episodes: Episode 421: Medical Trauma in Oncology Episode 287: Tools, Techniques, and Real-World Examples for Difficult Conversations in Cancer Care Episode 264: Stop the Stressors and Improve Your Mental Health as a Nurse ONS Voice articles: Help Caregivers Control the Chronic Stress of Cancer Care and Manage PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] Past Trauma Lowers Hope, QOL, and Coping Ability During Cancer Managing Cancer-Related PTSD Starts With Acknowledgement Moral Injury and Trauma in Nursing Trauma-Informed Care Provides Person-Centered Support for Patients During Deep Distress Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: How Can a Trauma-Informed Care Approach Be Applied to Patients With Gynecologic Cancer? Psychosocial Barriers to Care: Recognizing and Responding Through a Trauma-Informed Care Approach Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Post-Traumatic Distress and Symptom Experience in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer–Related Tracheostomy and Family Caregivers The Effect of Neuroticism, Fear of Progression, and Self-Efficacy on Post-Traumatic Growth in Patients With Lung Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy The Relationship Between Colorectal Cancer Survivors' Positive Psychology, Symptom Characteristics, and Prior Trauma During Acute Cancer Survivorship ONS course: Psychosocial Dimensions of Cancer Care™ ONS Huddle Card: Coping Screening tools Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition] (CAPS-5) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 Trauma Screening Questionnaire International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies: Free Resources PESI Reclaiming Your Life From Medical Trauma by James C. Jackson To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.

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Highlights From This Episode

"For many people who have been traumatized, if they can avoid it, they will. They may not avoid the annual evaluation that is so hugely consequential—they might not avoid that. But they may well avoid a routine visit for a checkup to their oncologist. They very well may avoid a visit with a psychologist who is wanting them to talk about hard things. They may avoid visiting a friend in the hospital because it reminds them of really upsetting