Treating
women Veterans
Patty Axtell, RN, and
Suzanne Rainforth, LPN, (pictured above) practice pelvic exam supply setup
with instructor Jonna Brenton, RN, at Grand Island VAMC. The number of women
Veterans is increasing rapidly. Consequently, the number of women Veterans
receiving health care from VA tripled from between 2000 and 2016, growing from
160,000 in 2000 to 475,000 in 2016, driving an increase in need for
high-quality, gender-specific health care.
As of May 2017, 26
percent of enrolled women Veterans lived in rural and highly rural areas. These
are areas in need of more trained primary care providers designated as Women’s
Health Primary Care Providers (WH-PCPs) and nursing staff trained in women’s
health.
The highest level of care for women Veterans in rural areas
Since 2008, the Women’s
Health Services (WHS) has developed and delivered a
comprehensive education and training model for clinical staff, called the
Women’s Health Mini-Residency, to address gaps in knowledge and skills in
women’s health topics. This training is traditionally a three-day, face-to-face
program offered 1-2 times per year in Orlando, Florida.
Although more than
3,500 PCPs and 1,200 primary care nurses trained in this mini-residency model,
additional training needs persist, including for staff in rural VA facilities.
WHS understands that
rural VA clinics, with fewer staff, may face challenges sending staff off-site
for training without disrupting normal clinic operations. Travel from rural
areas also means more time away from clinical care.
Bringing the training
to clinic sites
To better support
women Veterans’ long-term health and well-being, address staff training need
and minimize the burden on the clinic and staff, WHS, funded by the Office of
Rural Health (ORH), launched a blended learning approach to the Women’s Health
Mini-Residency intended for providers and nurses at rural Community Based
Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and VA medical centers (VAMC) by bringing this
training program directly to clinic sites. This modified mini-residency
includes:
- Core women’s health courses on
topics such as abnormal uterine bleeding, contraception, breast issues and
intimate partner violence offered via the Veteran Affairs’ Talent
Management System (TMS) and done independently in advance of the one-day
training delivered directly at clinic sites
- Tailored one-day on-site training includes interactive
portions of the program such as facilitated case discussions, simulation
equipment for hands-on activities, videos of gynecologic procedures and
exams, and live models for breast and pelvic exam instruction
Patient-Aligned Care
Team (PACT) providers and nurses train side-by-side in this inter-professional
training program, which aligns with how care is provided. In all, each provider
and nurse will receive more than 18 hours of accredited medical training.
Launched June 2018, in partnership with ORH, WHS will provide this
mini-residency for rural providers and nurses in up to 40 rural clinical sites
per year to support the highest level of care for women Veterans in rural
areas.
If you have any
questions about the Women’s Health Mini-Residency for Rural Providers and
Nurses, please contact whrmrteam@va.gov.
Aimee M. Sanders, MD MPH, is the Physician Educator with Women’s Health
Services. The Women Veterans Health Program was created to streamline services
for women Veterans in order to provide more cost-effective medical and
psychosocial care. VA’s Women’s Health Services office provides
programmatic and strategic support to implement positive changes in the
provision of care for all women Veterans.
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