No abstract

No abstract

Veterans receive care across the entire health system. Therefore, the workforce needs knowledge and awareness of whether patients are Veterans and the impact of their military service on their physical and mental health. Recent reports of limitations in access for Veterans seeking health care have highlighted this need across all health care settings. Academic-practice partnerships are one mechanism to align the need for improved health care services within the Veteran population while advancing nursing practice in the Veterans Health Administration and surrounding communities. The key to strong partnerships and sustained collaboration is shared goals, mutual trust and respect, the development of formal relationships, and support of senior leadership that fosters the joint vision and mission to improve nursing care for Veterans. This article describes the evolving partnership between one Veterans Health Administration Medical Center and a School of Nursing, which aligned strategic goals across both organizations to increase the capacity and capability of services provided to Veterans.

Introduction: Measurement-based care (MBC) is commonly used to manage medical illness, whereas only about 20% of psychiatric care providers use MBC. One aim of the partnership between the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center (BVAMC) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing (UAB SON) is to provide MBC to Veterans. The goal is to describe the efficacy of MBC in the treatment of Veterans by psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) residents. Purpose: By teaching PMHNP residents evidence-based assessment, they gain tools to shorten time to remission of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Methods: Residents administered the Patient Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), an MBC tool that assesses depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, and alcohol use, to patients of the Residency Continuity Clinic (RCC). Patient Stress Questionnaire scores from March 2016 to May 2018 were analyzed using paired t tests. Results: Analysis revealed a downward trend in PSQ scores over time, suggesting improvement in psychiatric symptoms. Depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased significantly. Conclusions/Implications: This quality project highlights the utility of MBC by PMHNP residents in an RCC. Measurement-based care tools can be quickly and easily administered with little impact on workflow. Use of validated screening tools can enhance care, engage patients, and improve patient outcomes.