Citation

Miller JL. J. Am. Acad. Nurse Pract. 2000; 12(11): 475-482.

Affiliation

Southwest Washington Medical Center, Vancouver, WA, USA. jlmarnp@pacifier.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11930388

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide clinicians in primary care settings with guidelines on evaluation, diagnosis, and management of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DATA SOURCES: Research-based articles in the medical and psychiatric literature, review articles, and diagnostic criteria. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD is a disorder where psychological and physiological reactions are closely related. Populations at risk include survivors of motor vehicle accidents, natural and man-made disasters, torture, and childhood sexual abuse, as well as combat veterans. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Patients with a history of recent trauma should be targeted for early screening and intervention. Effective treatment of PTSD is a three-stage process consisting of stabilization of symptoms, processing of traumatic perceptions, and integration of trauma into the patient's world- and self-view.

Language: en