I am thrilled and honored that on Wednesday,
April 11, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will come to Penn
Nursing to announce a major initiative on the education and the role of nurses
in meeting the unique health needs of service members, veterans, and their
families. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden are turning to nurses to identify, treat,
and conduct research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as part of their national initiative Joining Forces,
which champions wellness, education, and employment among military service
members and their families.
Of course the best possible care comes from the
best research and our Penn Nursing scientists are established investigators in
PTSD and injury science. We have here a critical mass of ongoing research
projects related to PTSD and trauma, led by faculty who partner with the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs and the military.
- Dr. Rosemary Polomano, an expert in pain management, conducts innovative research on the perceptions of pain
among military personnel and on battlefield analgesia. Her findings showed that
regional nerve blocks and epidurals shortly after injury led to a statistically
significant decrease in pain intensity and have the potential to reduce chronic
pain, a crucial finding given the high correlation between chronic pain and PTSD.
- Dr. Therese Richmond, a leader in injury science, conducts pioneering research on the psychological effects
of injury and how to address those effects. In a National Institutes of
Health-funded study, she found that even among patients who had relatively
minor injuries, a substantial number had PTSD and depression, which is a
precursor to PTSD, a year or more after the injury.
- Dr. Marilyn Stringer, a champion of women’s
health, is expanding the understanding of the care of female service people and
families in a nation at war. As associate editor of the Journalof Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, Dr. Stringer published a special section on the leadership
of military nurses in advancing science and practice in women's health,
including gender differences in the area of PTSD.
- Dr. Mary Ersek specializes in pain and palliative
care in older adults. Her work with the NIH’s Patient Reported OutcomesMeasurement Information System (PROMISE) program and her leadership in the End-of-LifeNursing Education Consortium are improving end-of-life care for U.S. veterans.
- Dr. Salimah Meghani is working
to address pain management in low-income and minority patients. Her focus
on racial and ethnic disparities in pain treatment can benefit active military personnel, veterans, and
civilians.
The role of nursing in bringing research to the battlefield and
the bedside is imperative to serving our military and their families. The number of service people returning from two major
wars requires healthcare professionals prepared to recognize the signs and
symptoms of visible and invisible injuries -- consequences of physical and
mental trauma -- and to develop and implement best care practices to help them
and their families cope.
Dean Meleis,
ReplyDeleteLet me congratulate you on organizing such a historical event at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing today. It shows your commitment to nursing profession and preparing nation’s nursing force to be able to help veterans who put their life at risk so we can live safely in our homeland. As First Lady Michelle Obama called “nurses the centerpiece of this vital initiative” I think you have put UPENN right in the middle of this commendable initiative.
I wish you all the best.