Our position at the Ross Institute is that patients need to be responsible for their own thoughts, feelings, behavior, and memories. We work with the patient to help him or her sort out the reality of the past as best as possible. Most general rules and expectations for any adult psychiatric unit apply to a trauma unit. Often the correct nursing intervention is the same as for any inpatient with a given behavior or symptom. It is important to be both rigid and flexible at the same time, which can be difficult.
Clinical judgment is required to strike a balance between rigidity and excessive flexibility.
Personnel working regularly on a Trauma Program should read Dr. Ross' book, The Trauma Model . However, the following is directed at general nursing skills for a trauma unit. The first step is to identify the problem which is the current immediate nursing problem. Knowledge of the trauma model helps to plan the nursing intervention. Usually the problem is behavioral or involves severe symptoms.