1. TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS ABOUT VETERAN FAMILY CARE NEEDS Sharon A. Denham, PhD, RN, CNE Professor, Houston J. & Florence A. Doswell Endowed Chair in Nursing for Teaching Excellence Texas Women’s University, Dallas, Texas

2. OBJECTIVES At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: Describe work with undergraduate nursing students to better prepare them to provide clinical services to veterans and their family members. Explain the importance of including veteran-centric care in nurses’ education.

3. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION NURSING ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP (VANAP) ➤ 5 year collaborative partnership between the Veterans Administration of North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) and Texas Women’s University (TWU), Dallas Campus ➤ Increase number of undergraduate students introduced to VA nursing & Veteran care ➤ Increase hiring & retention of BS/BSN prepared nurses ➤ Develop & implement a dedicated education unit(s) (DEU) ➤ Develop, implement, & obtain accreditation for a post-baccalaureate nurse residency program (PBNR)

4. FAMILY HEALTH MODEL (DENHAM, 2003) Guided development of ideas about nursing practice. Family context - Household members, cultural, & community factors Family functions - Member processes, roles, communication Family health routines - Rituals, traditions, & daily routines Use as framework for teaching student nurses & nurses about veteran care.

5. VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Moving Our Focus from Veterans to Care of Veteran Families. 5 Veteran Families

6. NEEDS FOR VETERAN - CENTRIC CARE Undergraduate nursing students - Rarely exposed to military culture or veteran care needs. Nursing faculty - Often unfamiliar with military culture and veteran care needs. Influence of military culture/battle experiences on future life ways. Male versus female care needs. Impact of multiple deployments on family/children. The complexity of veteran care needs over time unlikely to be considered. Care of the Veteran Family seldom considered.

7. ➤ Contextualize Veteran & family care concerns ➤ Identify a continuum of care needs over time ➤ Consider roles of an interprofessional collaborative team ➤ Emphasis can be on health, health maintenance, & enablement ➤ Focus on costs & risks of chronic conditions ➤ Family roles in care self-management ➤ Compare care delivery in acute setting, clinics, & home TEACHING ABOUT THE VETERAN - FAMILY

8. 2 HOUR ELECTIVE ONLINE COURSE ➤ Veterans & the Military ➤ Veterans & their Families ➤ Cultural Context (military, health & family perspectives) ➤ Complex Care Concerns ➤ Family - Focused Nursing Care

9. One really important thing this course has taught me is to always consider the family of my patients. The veteran’s family is also affected by the things they have experienced and should be addressed by the health care provider as an important part of their ongoing care. A good home life and healthy family is necessary for the best possible return to civilian life for a veteran. Being a nursing student I am very nervous about all these new areas of care. As I become more informed about how to provide care to different populations I feel more confident and encouraged to experience new things. I learned important and useful information in this class, however there is always room for growth and improvement. When you care for a patient you also must have a care for the family in order for your patient to receive the best possible care. It truly does take a team in order to do what is in the best interest of a patient.

10. CARE OF THE VETERAN FAMILY ➤ Veterans as members of family units ➤ Families have complex care needs ➤ Care needs change over time ➤ Needs vary across a continuum of care delivery settings ➤ Support needed for chronic conditions & long-term disabilities ➤ Physical & mental health (alcohol, substance abuse) ➤ Families need education, supports, resources, etc.

11. DEVELOPMENT OF A STANDARDIZED FAMILY ➤ Charle & Tuyet Walker family ➤ 5 generation pedigree of military families (50+ characters) ➤ Way to address culture, gender concerns, specific illnesses, VA care system, battle associated illnesses ➤ Long term consequences (mental health, depression, suicide, alcohol/substance abuse, PTSD, etc.) ➤ Affects of military service & Veteran wounds on individuals & families ➤ Use in case studies & simulation experiences