Abstract
The Joining Forces Initiative challenges nursing programs throughout the country to develop curriculum that address the unique healthcare issues facing veterans. This article describes how the RN to BSN program at American Public University System responded to the Joining Forces Initiative by developing the core curriculum course, Caring for Today’s Veterans. In this course, students have the opportunity to learn about veterans’ healthcare issues through reading, discussion, interviews, and visits within their local communities. Comments from students indicate they have a greater understanding of veterans’ healthcare needs and how they, as baccalaureate-prepared nurses, can help to meet those needs.
Highlights
There are 22.7 million living veterans (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans’ Analysis and Statistics, 2014). These veterans have diverse healthcare needs related to their military service, and nurses are in an ideal position to address these needs
It is imperative that Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students acquire the knowledge that will help them to care for veterans in all areas of nursing practice
In a study of over 18,000 veterans, Nelson, Starkebaum, and Reiber (2007), report that 89% of veterans receive no healthcare through the Veterans Affairs (VA) system
Summary
There are 22.7 million living veterans (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans’ Analysis and Statistics, 2014). These veterans have diverse healthcare needs related to their military service, and nurses are in an ideal position to address these needs. Supported by the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), National League for Nursing (NLN), National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (NOADA), and other stakeholders, the Joining Forces Initiative (WhiteHouse.gov., n.d.) asks schools of nursing to pledge to incorporate content related to veterans’ healthcare needs into their curriculum (AACN, 2014). This article describes how the RN to BSN program at American Public University System (APUS) responded to the Joining Forces Initiative by developing the core curriculum course Caring for Today’s Veterans and retrospectively evaluates how well the curriculum prepares BSN nurses to work effectively with the veteran population
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