Lessons learned and advice from Vietnam war nurses: a qualitative study

Abstract

Much can be learned from the lessons learned and advice given by Vietnam War nurses. These lessons stress that nurses need to take a pro-active role in preparing themselves for deployment to a war zone, and that institutional training for war needs to be intensive and realistic. The environmental, cultural, technological, clinical and psychosocial demands of war nursing need to be comprehensively addressed before nurses deploy to a war.

Perceptions of Israeli student nurses regarding clinical specialties and factors that influence these perceptions

“…As Tschudin and Schmitz (2003) comment, recent conflicts have generally been associated with fewer military casualties and more civilian wounded; this is certainly true in Israel and is widely reported in the media. Furthermore, it is suggested (Scannell‐Desch 2005, Vaughan 2005) that nurses caring for victims of war experience increased levels of stress. However, our study seems to show that this factor has not exerted a great influence on the variables studied.…”

‘You never come back the same’: the challenge of spiritual care in a deployed military nursing context

“…). While clinical care in the military does not differ greatly from that delivered by civilian nurses (Scannell‐Desch ), the context of care and the demands placed on military nurses provide unique challenges that are not generally experienced by nurses outside the military (Keighley ).…”

“…Nurses working in the military remain a unique subset of the contemporary nursing profession whose practice encompasses care for military personnel during times of peace and conflict (Felton et al 1998). While clinical care in the military does not differ greatly from that delivered by civilian nurses (Scannell-Desch 2005), the context of care and the demands placed on military nurses provide unique challenges that are not generally experienced by nurses outside the military (Keighley 2003).…”

Military nurses' experiences returning from war

“…With limited supplies, technology and language barriers, nurses face challenges in caring for patients with different nutritional, cultural and religious needs (Kraemer 2008, Agazio 2010. Mental body armour is needed to psychologically prepare to handle the stress of war and prolonged uncertainty, living away from home and dealing with multitrauma patients (Norman 1986, Reineck 1999, Scannell-Desch 2005, Boivin 2010). Despite opportunity for personal and professional growth, maintaining psychological equilibrium is often more difficult than what nurse's thought conceivable (Norman 1986, Scannell-Desch & Doherty 2010.…”