One of the Best Healthcare Agencies in Portland Explains How Nurses Must Understand Veteran Patients

At some point being a nurse, you will have a patient who is a veteran, who are men and women from 18-80 years old that have served our country. Many of these patients have special healthcare needs, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), old injuries, prosthetics, and more. So, what can nurses do to help better understand veteran patients? A leading provider of Portland healthcare staffing explains how.

1. Ask the question “Have you ever served in the military?”

Asking “Have you ever served in the military?” is the most important question that you can ask one of your patients. When you ask this question, you learn much more about the patient and how you will care for them. The American Academy of Nursing created an initiative that focuses on this question called the Have You Ever Served in the Military? Initiative. The initiative aims to improve the health of veterans. It also gives providers and nurses a way to find important information on what to look for and what to ask when they are caring for their veteran patients. The site gives access to what military members may have been exposed to and what they might have a higher risk of.

2. Watch for health and well-being concerns.

There are many health concerns that you must watch for in veteran patients. These concerns include PTSD, blast concussions, military sexual trauma (MST), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and exposures, such as nuclear weapons, radiation, and more.

For example, veterans who served during the Vietnam War before 1992 became exposed to hepatitis C. The website “Have you ever served in the military?” gives important information such as this to help nurses understand and provide the best care to veteran patients. Musculoskeletal injuries plus associated pain, substance abuse, physical stress, PTSD, and suicide are some of the biggest health concerns with military members.

Take the time to build trust with your veteran patients and gain more knowledge regarding them and their health. Thanking them for their service is also a big help. It’s important to surpass a superficial relationship with a veteran patient, so they understand that you are truly there to help and care for them, explains healthcare agencies in Portland.

Express Healthcare Professionals in Tualatin, OR is one of the top Full-Service Nursing Agencies that progressively surpasses expectations by placing clinical staff in per diem and contract positions throughout the Greater Portland area and across the nation.

Express Healthcare Professionals

7401 SW Washo Ct #101

Tualatin, OR 97062

(503) 612-1550

https://www.ExpressHealthcareNW.com