Implementing trauma-informed educational practices in an online family nurse practitioner course: Lessons learned from a pilot study

Family Nurse Practitioner students often navigate graduate education while managing personal, professional, and emotional stressors. Many enter programs with histories of trauma, which may impair learning and performance in rigid, high-stakes academic environments. This pilot study explored the feasibility and perceived impact of implementing trauma-informed educational practices (TIEP) in an asynchronous Family Nurse Practitioner course using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's six principles to trauma-informed care as a framework. A mixed methods design was used with two consecutive student cohorts. Trauma-informed strategies were embedded into the course. Quantitative data were collected by pre-intervention and postintervention surveys. Qualitative feedback was obtained from open-ended responses and course evaluations. All students who completed the pre-intervention survey (n = 25) reported at least one adverse childhood experience, with over half citing trauma related to their nursing practice. Post-intervention surveys (n = 12) indicated high satisfaction with the trauma-informed course modifications. Thirty-three students provided qualitative feedback through the postintervention survey and course evaluations. Across data sources, students emphasized emotional safety, faculty connection, and the value of wellness reminders. Three themes emerged: (1) prioritizing wellness and emotional safety, (2) trauma is a daily lived reality for students, and (3) connection and communication. Findings suggest that TIEP can be feasibly integrated into asynchronous graduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) education and are well received by students. Although the study did not measure academic or clinical performance outcomes, TIEP aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials for competency-based graduate education and supports ethical preparation for advanced practice.