RN-BSN curricula and veteran care competencies: Recommendations for bridging gaps

Nurses working in civilian healthcare environments are likely to provide care to a veteran on a regular basis and be unaware of their military history. Health impacts resulting from military service contribute to unique vulnerabilities in this population, some of which may not be immediately evident. Appreciating this, veteran care competencies should be integrated into Registered Nurse Bachelor of Science Nursing (RN-BSN) nursing curricula to prepare baccalaureate graduates to recognize both short-term and long-term health impacts of military service and to advocate for veteran-centered care. Yet, there is a paucity of nursing education literature demonstrating how veteran care competencies are incorporated into RN-BSN curricula. This article is a summary of published reports outlining veteran-health content integration into RN-BSN programs with recommendations for bridging curricular gaps. (c) 2023 Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.