UF College of Nursing, North Florida/South Georgia VA join first lady to support veterans
As part of first lady Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces initiative, the University of Florida College of Nursing and the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System have committed to educating America’s future nurses to care for our nation’s veterans, service members and their families facing posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression and other clinical issues.
Kathleen Ann Long, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the UF College of Nursing, was one of only 20 nursing deans nationwide present in Pennsylvania Wednesday when Obama and Dr. Jill Biden announced the commitment from nurses across the country eager to serve our veterans and military families. LeAnne Whitlow, associate director of nursing at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, was also in attendance as a representative of local VA medical centers from across the country.
In partnership with the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System in 2007, the UF College of Nursing was one of the first four universities selected to receive a VA Nursing Academy, an initiative from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to address a shortage of nurses across the nation and ensure that veterans continue to receive high-quality care. Since its inception, the initiative has sparked improvements in nurse recruitment and retention at VA facilities, increasing nursing educational opportunities, enhancing clinical activities, and improving nursing practice environments.
“I was proud to represent our college at an event that highlights the commitment to preparing nurses who will provide the best possible care for veterans and their families,” said Long. “Our already close partnership with our local VA through the VA Nursing Academy exemplifies our strong commitment to quality patient care for our nation’s veterans. It is our hope that the Joining Forces
initiative will continue to strengthen that commitment as well as allow us to further educate our nursing students on the unique health needs for veterans.”
In a broad, coordinated effort, more than 150 state and national nursing organizations including the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System and more than 500 nursing schools including UF have committed to further educate the nation’s 3 million nurses so they are prepared to meet the unique health needs of service members, veterans, and their families.
“Whether we’re in a hospital, a doctor’s office or a community health center, nurses are often the first people we see when we walk through the door. Because of their expertise, they are trusted to be the frontline of America’s health care system,” Obama said.
Together, UF and the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System — with the American Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing, in coordination with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense — will work to enrich nursing education on how to recognize and care for veterans impacted by posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression and other combat-related issues, in a variety of nursing practice settings. The group has also committed to disseminating effective models for care and to sharing the most up-to-date information on medical conditions across academic and practice settings.
“We are extremely proud of our existing commitment to excellent nursing care for veterans and are inspired by first lady Obama’s vision for expanding these efforts,” said Whitlow. “Our local VA Nursing Academy partnership is a key example of how nursing education and practice can work together to improve patient care for veterans. We look forward to building upon those efforts.”
By working to expand the body of clinical knowledge in this arena and by partnering with other health care providers and institutions, nursing leaders across the country will continue to advance high quality treatment for veterans in every community. More information is available at www.JoiningForces.gov.