Pediatric oncology nurses’ experiences with trauma-informed care in South Korea: a qualitative study

PURPOSE: Trauma-informed care (TIC) provides a framework for recognizing and responding to trauma in healthcare settings. However, little is known about how pediatric oncology nurses in South Korea understand and practice TIC, which has not yet been systematically implemented in pediatric oncology wards. This study explored pediatric oncology nurses' perceptions and experiences of TIC through individual in-depth interviews. METHODS: This descriptive qualitative study used purposive sampling. Eight female nurses from tertiary hospitals in the capital region, each with at least 1 year of experience caring for children with cancer, participated in individual in-depth interviews. Data were collected from January to March 2024 and analyzed using thematic analysis guided by the conceptual framework of trauma-informed nursing care. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: (1) trauma-uninformed care emerging within constrained environments, (2) emergent trauma-informed strategies aligned with core principles, (3) emotional burdens and tensions endured under structural constraints, and (4) bearing fruit of the partial enactment of TIC through mutual trust building. Conclusion: Despite structural limitations, pediatric oncology nurses recognized the presence and effects of trauma and implemented informal trauma-informed practices. System-level adoption of TIC, including universal trauma precautions, screening protocols, and staff-support systems, is needed to provide TIC for both patients and healthcare professionals.