title: Nursing leadership collaboration for rehabilitation of polytrauma patients.
abstract: This article describes a variety of nursing issues that emerged over a 3-year period on polytrauma rehabilitation nursing units and the leadership roles and strategies that were used to meet the rehabilitation needs of newly injured servicemembers who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Nursing's leadership responsibilities focus on three primary areas: patient advocacy, family centeredness, and advocacy for staff Collaboration among the four national polytrauma rehabilitation centers (PRCs) run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has enhanced the skill set for nursing staff members. These rehabilitation nurses possess the strong skills necessary to assess complex patient cases involving blast injuries, as well as strengthened interpersonal competencies in family dynamics, family education, and team function.
authors.affiliation: James A. Haley VA Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA. sandra.janzen@va.gov
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Janzen
authors.forename: Alice S Naqvi
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mugler
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D007857:Leadership; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs