Wolters Kluwer, a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry, today announced the release of a mobile version of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) toolkit from the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing). Developed by Lippincott Solutions, the free mobile app is designed to help nurses and other healthcare professionals gain rapid access to trusted PTSD information to support and inform care decisions.
PTSD is a serious mental disorder resulting from exposure to direct or indirect threat of death, serious injury or physical violence, including sexual violence. According to the National Center for PTSD, part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), approximately 8 million adults suffer from PTSD. It is a particularly significant mental health issue among veterans; more than 533,700 veterans with a primary or secondary diagnosis of PTSD received treatment through VA medical facilities in 2013.
“The PTSD Toolkit was designed to simplify the process of helping the nation’s veterans and military service members by making it easier for nurses and other clinicians to obtain trusted information and support tools,” said Kate Judge, Executive Director of the ANF. “A mobile version of the toolkit aligns with our mission to eliminate misinformation about PTSD and connect clinicians with the clinical references and training resources they need to make the best treatment decisions for their patients.”
Developed by Penn Nursing in response to Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative launched in 2011 by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to support service members, veterans, and their families, the PTSD Toolkit is a self-directed e-learning program designed to teach or reinforce nurses’ knowledge about the treatment of veterans with PTSD. It includes simulation tools based on real case studies that are designed to test treatment skills and practice interventions.
“PTSD is a complex disorder that is often accompanied by other equally devastating issues such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, relationship problems, and substance abuse that can impact timely and accurate diagnosis,” said Jayne Marks, Vice President, Publishing, Wolters Kluwer, Health Learning, Research and Practice. “The PTSD Toolkit in app form provides nurses and other clinicians who work with patients who have or may have PTSD with immediate access to reliable information and simulations to help with diagnosis and treatment.”
The app version of the toolkit streamlines clinical workflows related to the care of PTSD patients. It helps improve care quality by providing clinicians with mobile access to valuable insight into the disorder, as well as a step-by-step process for diagnosing PTSD and the ability to request additional information that can be shared with others.
The PTSD toolkit app has been enhanced with nine topics from Lippincott Solutions, including Alcohol Withdrawal Management, Reality Orientation, Suicide Precautions, Family Therapy and Depression or Hostility Monitoring and Precautions. A series of comprehensive, integrated software applications from Wolters Kluwer that helps organizations make evidence actionable at the bedside, Lippincott Solutions includes advanced online workflow technology, current evidence-based clinical information, and professional development tools for the practicing nurse.
Available for Android™ and iOS platforms, the app is available for download from Google Play and the Apple Store, or visitwww.LippincottSolutions.com/PTSD.
