Position Papers

A position paper in trauma nursing is a formal document that presents a clear, evidence-based stance on a specific issue relevant to the field of trauma care. It serves as a tool to guide clinical practice, inform policy decisions, and advocate for improved patient outcomes. Developed through rigorous analysis of current research, clinical expertise, and ethical considerations, position papers articulate the perspectives and recommendations of nursing organizations or experts. By addressing challenges and proposing actionable solutions, these papers aim to advance trauma nursing practice, influence healthcare policies, and enhance the quality and safety of care provided to patients in critical situations. Interested in submitting your own Position Paper? Click here to review Position Paper submission guidelines.

Position Papers

• 2003, Position Paper on Importance of Trauma Systems - Vital Role of Nursing
• 2003, Position Paper on Trauma Center Role in Disaster Planning
• 2005, Position Paper on Screening for Alcohol Use in Adult Primary Care Settings
• 2005, Position Paper on the Role of the Nurse Practitioners in Trauma
• 2015, Position Paper on Workplace Violence
• 2016, Position Paper on Optimizing the Use of Advanced Practitioners in Trauma and Critical Care
• 2017, Position Paper on National Trauma Systems
• 2018, Position Paper on Role Delineation and the Trauma Program Manager
• 2018, Position Paper on Trauma Nursing Specialty Certification
• 2022, Position Paper on Gun Violence
• 2022, Position Paper on Support of Family Presence During Pediatric Trauma Resuscitation
• 2023, Position Paper on Qualifications and Competencies for the Trauma Program Manager
• 2023, Position Paper on Trauma Registry Work Group Recommendations and Best Practices
• 2024, Position Paper on the Role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Trauma

Position Paper Guidelines

Position papers state positions officially endorsed by the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) as authorized by the Board of Directors and are intended to advance the mission of STN:

MISSION

The Society of Trauma Nurses is a professional non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure optimal trauma care to all people locally, regionally, nationally and globally through initiatives focused on trauma nurses related to prevention, education and collaboration with other healthcare disciplines. The Society of Trauma Nurses’ advocates for the highest level of quality trauma care across the continuum. We accomplish this through an environment that fosters visionary leadership, mentoring, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration in the delivery of trauma care.

1. Position papers will discuss issues in the field of trauma care of vital interest to the public and to the membership at large. A position paper will discuss not only the majority opinion about its subject but also a range of accepted (mainstream) minority opinions. The purpose of a position paper (white paper) is to advocate a specific solution or best way to go in addressing a particular concern.
2. Ideas for position papers must be submitted through the STN website for discussion and approval by the STN Board of Directors.
3. The STN Board will approve the topic and authors based on a review of the topic request form.
   1. The lead author can be recommended by the person submitting the idea.
   2. In the event the idea submitter does not have a suggestion for either a lead author and/or co-authors, the STN Public Policy Board Member will submit a request for authors to a SIG group with that paper’s focus or post a “call for authors” on the STN website.
4. Once the position paper is finalized the authors will submit their paper to the Journal of Trauma Nursing (JTN) for review.
5. After review by JTN, the STN Board of Directors will review the paper and accept or reject the paper for endorsement.
6. After the STN Board of Directors reviews the paper, it will be posted on the STN website for a period not exceeding 30 days during which time the general membership has the opportunity to submit comments regarding whether STN should endorse the position stated in the paper.
7. After the public comment period the STN Board of Directors will review the paper for final approval.
8. Accepted position papers will be published on the website as a position endorsed by the Society of Trauma Nurses for five years.
9. A paper rejected by the STN Board of Directors may be submitted to any medical journal as the product of the authors, but it may not be identified as an endorsed opinion of STN.
10. STN’s endorsement of a position paper ends five years from publication of the position paper. STN may renew its endorsement of a position paper by following steps 2-10 above.
11. In the event a position paper has already been published by another organization, and STN is asked to support it, steps 5 through 11 will be instituted. If an expedited approval process is required some steps may be altered.

PAPER FORMAT

A paper shall be concise (fewer than 2000 words recommended) and formatted as below:

• Abstract: The abstract is a concise (fewer than 250 words) review of the paper. The abstract summarizes the introduction, background, body, and major points of the paper.
• Introduction: The introduction concisely states the purpose and historical background that prompted creation of the paper.
• Discussion: The discussion is a review of the current state of knowledge on a particular subject. This section should contain only information currently accepted as factual under existing scientific methodology and knowledge. This section is intended to present a balanced review of the subject of the paper by highlighting the current state of knowledge, areas of contention, and preferred methods of practice. The paper will acknowledge and discuss mainstream minority opinions. Personal opinions, speculative theory, or information relative to a specific case cannot be included in this discussion.
• Conclusion: The conclusion states succinctly the major points supported by the paper.
• References: The paper shall include a concise list of references that support the main points of the paper as well as the mainstream minority opinions discussed in the paper. Papers will be prepared using the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual. Journal articles should be current. (< 5 yrs old.)