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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that develops in some people who have experienced dangerous, frightening, or traumatic event in which they felt extreme fear, horror, or helplessness. (Townsend, 2015). While it is normal for us to encounter an assortment of responses from traumatic events, most will recover from these events. Those individuals who don’t completely recover from this fear may be diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD is one of the most common disorders among veterans coming back from battle, be that as it may, it can influence anybody, at any age, including children (Ladwig, Ackley, & Makic, 2017). Sufferers may encounter bad dreams, flashbacks, inconvenience concentrating, and insomnia. These symptoms may be serious enough to hinder daily life significantly. What are the most important factors for the RN to consider when performing an initial assessment on a client who is exhibiting flashbacks? (Describe at least 3 factors.)Some critical factors for the nurse to assess when dealing with a client who is exhibiting flashbacks are making sure he is not a danger to himself or anyone else. A question of importance is the patient having any suicidal/homicidal ideations or any thoughts of self-harm is a question that is of importance. A patient experiencing a flashback will also be dealing with severe anxiety, so the nurse needs to provide reassurance to the patient that they are safe and secure. It would also be important to assess what the patient’s “triggers” are. These are things that may initiate or cause the patient to remember frightening events and relive them via flashbacks. Furthermore, the nurse should assess the patient’s motivation and willingness to learn coping mechanisms and relaxation techniques. List three common flashback triggers for former military personnel and describe how the RN can assist to decrease the effects of these flashbacks.Common triggers for veterans can include sounds that are similar to those occurring in a war zone, anniversary dates of significant events that occurred while in a war zone, and/or powerful emotional states that remind the veteran of those experienced while in the war zone. Familiar flashback triggers former military personnel may be the presence of large crowds and loud fireworks. To decrease these effects, the RN can provide for a quiet, secure environment, provide re-orientation to surroundings, and encourage the patient to discuss feelings that he/she may be experiencing. (The American Nurses Foundation, 2014). The nurse should strive to maintain a calm, non-threatening manner with the patient. Encourage the patient to talk about the experience if they are comfortable doing so. Help the patient identify where he is now and where he wants to be. After evaluation of a positive screen and discussion with the results of the patient, determine community referral resources, which specialize in evidence-based care for veterans with PTSD (Hanrahan, Kelly, Blair, Longmire, Judge, Olamijulo, & DE Martinis, 2017). Ensure appropriate follow-up to evaluate for current health and PTSD symptoms, medication adherence and side effects, and setbacks or progress. Encourage behaviors that relieve stress with good sleeping habits, proper sleep habits, and exercising regularly. Provide one 3-part nursing diagnosis statement that might apply to former military personnel experiencing flashbacks. The statement must include an actual NANDA-I nursing diagnosis, a related factor, and “as evidenced by.” (No risk-for or readiness diagnoses permitted.) Ineffective coping related to situational crises as evidenced by an inability to meet basic needs and role expectations at home (Ladwig, Ackley, & Makic, 2017). REFERENCES Hanrahan, N. P., Kelly, U. A., Blair, L., Longmire, W., Judge, K., Olamijulo, G., & … DeMartinis, E. E. . (2017). The PTSD toolkit for nurses: Assessment, intervention, and referral of veterans. Nurse Practitioner, 42, 46-55.Ladwig, G. A. (2017). Mosby’s guide to nursing diagnosis (5th edition). St. Louis, MO.Townsend, M. (2015). Psychiatric mental health nursing. In Concepts of care in evidence-based practice (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.