Table 1
Sample Teaching Strategies to Achieve KSAs for the Veteran Care Competencies Veteran Care
Competency
Associated Knowledge, Skills
& Attitudes (KSAs)9,13
Teaching Strategy20
Military and Veteran Cultural Competence
Knowledge about military structure and norms, health concerns associated with deployment/combat and era served, and a basic understanding of resources and services provided by Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) [K]
Assessing military service and related health history, patient values, and care expectations. [S]
Openness to learning about and understanding a unique culture capable of influencing health and wellness over the lifetime.
[A]
Invite a guest speaker to discuss military and veteran culture and the experience of being a
veteran and receiving care in a civilian setting. What do veterans want nurses to know? [K,S]
Integrate a simulation activity with veteran actors or assign a veteran patient in the clinical setting for students to practice completing a comprehensive military health history. [K,S,A]
Create opportunities for students to reflect, through journaling, on their experiences interacting with veterans. [A]
Physiological Outcomes of Military Service (chemical/envi ronmental exposures, traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputation, and disability)
Identify risk factors, signs and symptoms,
complications, treatment modalities, and the impact to children and families.
[K]
Implement nursing interventions appropriate for a specific service- connected diagnosis. [S]
In an empathetic and sensitive manner, correctly administer appropriate screening tools, provide education, and connect veterans to available resources. [A]
Create a concept map defining the condition, outlining common signs and symptoms, how the condition is diagnosed, common treatment modalities including appropriate nursing
interventions, and community resources available with contact information. [K]
Students use the information to provide an in- service to practicing nurses. This will strengthen communication skills in students and improve veteran health knowledge in the nursing workforce.
[K,S,A]
Provide opportunities for students to reflect on the role of the nurse in supporting a veteran receiving treatment for or dealing with sequelae of a
physiological alteration in health resulting from military service. [A]
Psychological Sequela of
Identify risk factors or causes, assessing signs and symptoms, and available
Differentiate screening tools used identify mental health-related issues in the veteran population. [K]
Military Service (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], substance use disorder [SUD], suicide, and homelessness)
VA-sponsored resources for common mental health disorders and
psychological sequela of military service. [K]
Skills in administering screening tools and conducting risk assessments, individualizing
interventions to address service-connected
illnesses, and initiation of referrals to community agencies. [S]
Care provided in a nonjudgmental manner.
[A]
Research VA programs or resources for veterans with mental health disorders. Each student researches and presents a different resource.
Compile master list and share with all cohorts in the nursing program for use in the clinical setting. [K]
Interview a person from the community
organization to better understand their mission, vision, goals, and the ways they support veterans in the community. [S]
Watch recorded videos on living with predominant service-connected mental illnesses such as PTSD, substance abuse, or Homelessness22. [A]
Military Sexual Trauma [MST] and End-of-Life [EOL] Care
Identify incidence of MST, signs and symptoms, impact on personal and professional life, and available resources. [K]
Screen for MST using validated tools and provide access to community organizations and VA resources. [S]
Explore the experience of MST from the patient’s perspective. [A]
Link end of life care to military service experience and military culture.
[K,S,A]
Advocate for and assist veterans and their families to complete advanced directives. [K,S,A]
Link veterans and their families with end-of-life resources offered through the VA. [S]
Explore differences in sexual trauma experiences between military service members/veterans and civilians. Identify important nursing considerations for each population. Access the following link:
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/mst"
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/mst [K,A]
Explore the experience of MST on pregnancy. Small groups are assigned an aspect of MST to research (signs and symptoms, diagnosis, impact on pregnancy & postpartum experience, treatment options, VA resources, long-term services available to those who experience MST during military service) and present during a class. [K,S]
Watch a video related to the experience of MST or life after MST (VA 2020c). Reflect how this influences perception of nursing care. [A]
Invite a guest speaker to discuss the experience of caring for a veteran at the end-of-life. How is the experience different than caring for a civilian patient at the end-of-life? [K,A]
Create a simulation experience to allow students to practice end-of-life care of a veteran. Provide opportunities to communicate with veterans and family members, reminisce about traumatic military experiences, and how to handle guilt. [K,S,A]
Note. [K] – knowledge; [S] – skill; [A] – attitude.
References: see article
