Working with refugee young people: a nurse’s perspective

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Objective: To improve the health outcome of young people from a refugee background through sharing nursing experiences and processes that can be used to effectively address young people’s health related problems. Setting: Primary Health Care. Subjects: Newly arrived young people between the ages of 12-24 years from a refugee background. Primary argument: There is evidence that a young person’s personal responses to history of torture and trauma, displacement, loss and interruption to family life; intertwined with adolescent uncertainty may lead to particular challenges. All young people require nurses and clinicians with the knowledge and skills to address their health problems. However this particularly vulnerable group also require health professionals that can approach these young people and their families in a manner that is culturally and professionally acceptable. This paper seeks to share some of the experiences gained while working with adolescents and youths from refugee backgrounds including common health issues raised by young people, their families and communities. In addition it will suggest some processes that are being used to address health issues. This includes setting up a health initiative that seeks to address health issues in a familiar supportive environment that is acceptable to the young people their families and communities. Conclusion: Refugee young people are a special group of people with different needs when compared to adults from a refugee background. It is very important for nurses to identify these needs and know how to identify the problems young people from a refugee background face. As clinicians it is very important to be aware of the issues facing refugee young people and the best way to approach young people so they feel welcome. Working with refugee young people requires patience and relationship building. It is very important to treat refugee young people as individuals and to involve the young people and their families in the treatment and problem solving as much as possible in order to get the best result.