Enhancing Awareness of Culturally-Sensitive Care for Veterans and Soldiers

Abstract

Abstract Military culture has great impact upon health seeking behaviors of veterans and soldiers. Healthcare needs of veterans and soldier’s peak years after experiences of war and have a major impact upon illness and co-morbidity later in life. Due to fear of repercussion and mistrust of superiors and government healthcare agencies, veterans and soldiers often seek care in civilian healthcare agencies. The Emergency Department (ED) nurse is often the first contact with this unique population and their healthcare needs. ED nurses often lack knowledge of military cultural competence, military experiences and occupation, and the relationship of this experience to illness and disease. Collaboration with ED nurses increased the understanding of military culture, the relationship of military experiences to health status, and increased satisfaction of veterans and soldiers of a rural healthcare agency. The aims of this project were to increase satisfaction, and decrease the knowledge gap and barriers in providing healthcare to veterans and soldiers in Eastern Carolina. Implementation of the use of a process as well as an education session increased the quality of care to veterans and soldiers presenting to this rural healthcare agency. The data results from this project indicate an increased satisfaction of care and understanding of the healthcare needs of active duty soldiers and veterans seeking care in a rural healthcare agency.