The Trauma Survivor Network

It is finally getting close enough to being implemented in various Level 1 Trauma Centers that it’s time for me to start talking about this amazing program. As a member of the Consumer Advisory Board of the American Trauma Society, I have a bit of an inside track on the program, where it is right now, what it’s all about, and when you can expect it at a trauma center near you.

The seeds were planted several years ago, while germination has taken longer than any of us had hoped, it is going to soon be reality. I can say for sure, that the very heart of the American Trauma Society is in this thing, and they all — WE all want to see it in effect in as many trauma centers as possible as soon as possible.

TSN represents a para gm shift for trauma survivors in the US. I can certainly testify from my own trauma experience, and from what I’ve learned from getting to know and work with other trauma survivors that this program will fill a complete void; a void that has been around longer than trauma medicine itself. Void pretty much sums it up. Every trauma survivor, almost to a person has had to do the tough work of recovery on their own. There are very few people out there that haven’t had a trauma experience that are the least bit interested in what it’s like, aren’t the least bit interested in talking about the subject in general, and certainly unwilling to be a true friend to someone who has faced horrors that they just can’t imagine.

Full orbed coverage is what TSN is all about. It has 4 key components:

• Peer Visitation – long time trauma survivors that are a part of the TSN in any TSN trauma center will regularly visit new hospitalized trauma survivors on a regular and constant basis. Experience from the few trauma survivor programs out there now show that this is a very important and needed component to the program. Simply modeling light at the end of the tunnel is often very reassuring to new trauma survivors. Another aspect of this program is a regular group environment that is open to new and long time survivors. Part of the challenge any trauma center will have in developing this program will be attracting long time survivors well suited for peer visitation. Those who have settled all the issues that come with surviving trauma to the extent they can carry out this mission in a healthy way. Instructions and training on peer visitation will be a part of this group environment.
• Second Trauma – A vital part of the program that teaches front line doctors and nurses the finer points of communication with the families of survivors. It has been proven in many cases that special attention on the front end of the experience for the family members gives them a level of comfort that their loved one is getting the best possible care, it gives them a real picture of expected outcomes without them having to guess what the future may hold. While a vital thing to do in trauma centers, it’s easy for staff to overlook, because in this day of ever shrinking budgets and personnel cutbacks, it’s easy to say "we don’t have the resources to do this". Fact is, every trauma center need to be doing it, and this system has been developed to instruct hospitals how it should be done.
• Survivor Boot Camp – While the name of this program has changed a few times, this is likely the one they’ll stick with. To me, it’s not so important what you call it, the important thing is implementation. This will be a regular course offered to all trauma survivors that aids trauma survivors in dealing with life after trauma. Specifically offering training in the re-assimilation process back to work and back to the circle of friends, simply stated, getting back to life. It offers specific training in these areas as well as coping skills for fighting depression and the other common pitfalls that survivors often incur. This will also feed into the group environment, and every attendee will be encouraged to continue in that group environment, While these types of things are not for everyone (that is, it’s an individuals own decision whether they want to continue in a group environment or not), it will become clear early on the benefits of regularly attending a group. Often, it’s a survivors only opportunity to meet and work with other survivors on an equal plane.
• Web Site – There will be a comprehensive website offering helpful information for trauma survivors, one done in a wiki format, so that survivors, doctors, surgeons and other trauma health professionals will be able to contribute, as well as specific help to the survivor while they are in the hospital and in the early stages of recovery after release, that will be a blog type environment where friends and family members can track the progress of their loved one, often sparing immediate family from the constant loud drumbeat of phone call after phone call answering the many questions loved ones will have. It will be a great tool for communication and a blessing to both the survivor and their immediate family.

I came to the Ryder Trauma Center here in South Florida a little over a year ago with one specific mission in mind, to make darned sure that this, one of the largest and best level 1 trauma centers out there implement this program as early as possible and be a shining example and encouragement to other trauma centers to get on board with this extremely important program. We are still at the starting gate with it, but hope to have this vehicle in first gear soon. Complications with funding and the need for double blind studies for this program in order to get the funding needed has slowed and driven back the roll out, but that’s the way it goes. For major funding, the CDC wants evidence that this will be a worthwhile recipient for funding that the CDC does not have an unlimited source of.

My hope is that my efforts on the internet, speaking about trauma survivor issues and speaking out about the need for advocacy and support from trauma survivors themselves will be some aid to the ATS and this program. As a member of the Consumer Advisory Board of the American Trauma Society, I’ll have an inside track on the program, and actually help to shape what it will become. The formation of this panel is an important step for the ATS, as having real survivors who’s heart is really in trauma survivor issues will be able to help guide the creators of the program in directions that may have escaped them. Every trauma experience is as different as the individual survivor themselves, but there is a great deal of commonality as well between various trauma experiences that only a survivor will know.

On my blog as well as on my community site for trauma survivors, I’ll be talking this program up in a big way. We need involvement; especially from long time trauma survivors nation wide in the US. Long time survivors will play one of the most important roles in the program, especially when it comes to the peer visitation component, because this is a job for long time survivors. Each hospital will certainly continue to work with the newer survivors to get them to a place where they can be involved as well, it is necessary however to be certain that everyone involved in peer visitation has their own issues settled to the point where none of the anger and negative feelings that newer survivors inevitably face. That is what is great about the group environment though; those that get involved and stay involved in the group at their level 1 trauma center will do much better in terms of psycho-social recovery, because they will have others there that have worked through the issues helping them to resolve theirs.

I encourage anyone interested in this ground breaking program to stay tuned to this blog and even my survivor community site for news and headlines of where this amazing program is at and where it is going. I would further encourage all you survivors out there to join Trauma-Survivor-Community.org. The only site of its kind, it’s geared towards bringing trauma survivors together in an environment where everyone can feel safe and feel free to speak their mind on what ever issues they may have.