Preserving Provider Wellness and Averting Secondary Traumatic Stress When Caring for High Risk Patients with Adverse Childhood Experiences

Background: Empathic providers and staff are at risk for experiencing secondary traumatic stress when caring for high-needs patients in busy clinical settings with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). To preserve provider wellness, it is vital to advocate for self-care and self-compassion to avoid secondary traumatic stress while providing trauma-informed care for high-risk patients. Objective: To understand awareness of ACEs among pediatric providers who work with underserved populations and to generate strategies to promote self-care. Design/Methods: We used a mixed-methods approach with medical staff in …