Date of Submission

Fall 10-31-2022

Document Type

Manuscript

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

First Advisor

Francine Serafin-Dickson

Second Advisor

Elena Capella

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To gain a better understanding of the value of mental health screening for PTSD risk in hospitalized trauma survivors.

DATA SOURCES: Studies were pooled from a literature search performed on the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

STUDY SELECTION: Relevant studies published between 2015 and 2022 in English, excluding traumatic injuries incurred during combat.

DATA EXTRACTION: Ten articles were selected for inclusion in this review.

DATA SYNTHESIS: There is a significant and widespread mental health burden following traumatic injury. Early screening to quantify the risk for PTSD can guide interventions to mitigate PTSD development for a trauma survivor. Failure to screen for mental health issues after an injury may leave many individuals at risk of developing PTSD without the required care.

CONCLUSION: The literature reviewed supports the need to protect mental health sequelae after traumatic injury. Mitigating sequelae was shown to be feasible with the adoption of a standardized PTSD risk screening process in trauma centers.

Keywords: early intervention, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, trauma, trauma center, trauma patient, traumatic injury

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