Course

Trauma Informed Practices

Faculty
Health Sciences
Department
Nursing - Psychiatric
Course code
PNUR 4576
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
32
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course examines trauma and trauma-related disorders. Using the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework, students will gain an understand and evaluate trauma responses that patients and nurses may exhibit, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Secondary Trauma Stress, and Vicarious Trauma. Students will explore and analyze Post-Traumatic growth, resilience, and self-care.
Course content
  • Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework
  • BCCNM Professional and Practice Standards
  • Key disorders and trauma responses:
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disoder
    • Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Vicarious trauma
    • Secondary trauma stress
    • Post-traumatic growth
    • Resilience
  • Complex trauma in a variety of populations 
  • Trauma theory relating to Indigenous peoples 
  • Philosophy and practice of trauma-informed care
  • Trauma-specific services 
  • Key responses of health care professionals:
    • Burnout
    • Countertransference
    • Secondary trauma stress
    • Compassion fatigue
    • Vicarious trauma
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 
Learning activities

In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as discussions, group work, case studies, reading assignments, and teleconferences. 

Means of assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course in the Instructor Course Outline. This is a graded course. 

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 

  1. Apply the Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework and the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) Professional Standards and Practice Standards to identify trauma responses in oneself and others; 
  2. Identify and analyze Secondary Trauma Stress and Vicarious Trauma;
  3. Apply foundational theories including the ACE study, attachment theory, and affect regulation to psychiatric nursing practice;
  4. Discuss the links between trauma and psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder);
  5. Identify intergenerationl and cultural trauma with emphasis on Indigenous perspectives and cultural humility;
  6. Implement evidence-informed interventions and coping strategies that align with trauma-informed principles;
  7. Integrate the concepts of self-care and resilience in sustaining trauma-informed practice. 
Textbook materials

Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. 

Requisites

Prerequisites

Admission into:

LPN Access to Psychiatric Nursing Degree Program or

Psychiatric Nursing Degree Completion Program

Corequisites

PNUR 3700 and PNUR 4585 (for students registered in LPN Access to Psychiatric Nursing Degree Program only)

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for PNUR 4576
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) No credit

Course Offerings

Winter 2026

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
32
Currently enrolled
31
Remaining seats:
1
On waitlist
11
Building
Online
Room
ONLINE
Times:
-
Section notes

PNUR 4576 090 is restricted to BSPN Degree completion students. It is strongly recommended that students take PNUR 3700 prior to taking other PNUR Degree Completion courses. Offered online.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
32
Currently enrolled
21
Remaining seats:
11
On waitlist
0
Building
Online
Room
ONLINE
Times:
-
Section notes

PNUR 4576 091 is restricted to LPN Access to BSPN students only. Offered online.