In this course, participants will expand their understanding of the prevalence and impact of trauma on both patients and healthcare professionals. They will learn how trauma-responsive care is being integrated into perinatal quality improvement initiatives and how to be trauma-responsive in individual practice and organizations. Participants will identify specific strategies to mitigate trauma and to express compassion through trauma-responsive care and reflect on how using trauma-informed practices can improve care for the patient and their own professional experiences. Finally, participants will build resources for continued learning.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this course, participants will:
- Name the 4 Rs of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) as outlined by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Describe how early trauma may affect brain development, impact health outcomes, and affect a person’s behavior in a healthcare setting
- Name potential benefits of providing trauma-responsive care to the patient, professional and health care team
- Access new resources for further learning on trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care
Course Structure
This course is self-paced and available to any user who registers with the Maine Medical Association, Center for Quality Improvement Learning Lab. The course consists of multiple sub-sections or units and will contain various elements, including video lessons, hyperlinks to readings and web resources, and pre-and post-tests for you to gauge your knowledge and understanding of the course topic.
Estimated Time to Complete: 90 minutes
Note: The course is divided into short digestible units (10-20 minutes in length) that can be completed in small increments.
Disclosures
The planners, presenters, and speakers do not have any relevant financial relationships to disclose. Their position titles and organizational affiliations are those at the time the course was recorded.
Farrah Sheehan, MSN, RN, IBCLC
Nurse Educator & Consultant
Farrah Sheehan Perinatal Professional Services, LLC
Amy Carter, BSHA-M
Director
Maine Medical Association Center for Quality Improvement
Kelly Roberts, RN, MSN
MCH Project Manager
Maine Medical Association Center for Quality Improvement
Funding: This course is made possible by the generous support and funding from our partners at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and HRSA grant number U7AMC46840‐01‐00.
Launch: October 1, 2023
Expires: October 1, 2026
Assessment and Grading
This course begins with a pre-test that will test your knowledge and allow you to gauge your baseline understanding of the topics to be covered. At the end of the course, there is a post-test. A comparison of your pre-test score and post-test score will help you assess how much knowledge you’ve gained on the topic.
To Obtain a CME Certificate or a CME Certificate of Participation
- Complete all the units within the course
- Complete the Survey Monkey evaluation at the end of the course
Upon completion of the evaluation in Survey Monkey, including the required demographic information, a CME Certificate will be emailed to M.D.s and D.O.s and a CME Certificate of Participation will be emailed to all other learners. These certificates will be emailed within 10 business days of completing the evaluation.
Joint Providership Statement
The Maine Medical Education Trust designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Maine Medical Education Trust and Maine Medical Association, Center for Quality Improvement. The Maine Medical Education Trust is accredited by the Maine Medical Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
None of the planners or presenters for this activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
- Test Your Knowledge: Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Responsive Care for Perinatal Professionals
Course Units
- Unit 1 – Introduction and Opening Reflections
- Unit 2 – 4 Rs of Trauma-Informed Care
- Unit 3 – Case Scenario and Reflections
- Unit 4 – Wrap Up, Resources and References
Course Wrap Up
- Post Test: Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Responsive Care for Perinatal Professionals
- Evaluation Survey: Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Responsive Care for Perinatal Professionals