Guidelines for creating, implementing and evaluating mind-body programs in a military healthcare setting

6^th World Nursing and Healthcare Conference

August 15-17, 2016 London, UK

Katherine Smith

Sr. Consultant Health and Wellness, Samueli Institute & Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH); Sr. Trainer and Virginia Liaison, MINDS Inc. - USA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

One of the many roles of the military health system is to support the Service member and family. Research suggests that the development of mind-body skills can improve individual and family resilience, particularly related to the stresses of illness, trauma and caregiving. To operationalize the research evidence that mind-body skills help with health and recovery, researchers from Samueli Institute, in partnership with experts in program development, program evaluation, mind-body therapies, and VA and military healthcare, created a set of guidelines for developing and evaluating mind-body programs for active duty military and their families. Stakeholder analysis was used to evaluate the feasibility, utility, and generalizability of the guidelines in the context of a mixed-methods program evaluation of an existing program. Feedback and outcomes were used to further refine the guidelines. The Guidelines for Creating, Implementing, and Evaluating Mind-Body Programs in a Military Healthcare Setting outline key strategies and issues to consider when developing, implementing and evaluating mind-body programs in a military healthcare setting. They address issues unique to mind-body programs, such as choosing evidence-based modalities, licensure and credentialing, safety and contraindications, and choosing evaluation measures that capture the holistic nature of these types of programs. These guidelines are intended to support an approach to care which empowers military service members, patients, and families with the ability to decrease their own stress and increase their resilience by learning mind-body self-care skills. They are practical, practice-based guidelines. Future direction calls for continued refinement and extension of the guidelines to non-military settings.

Biography :

Katherine Smith is a researcher, educator, and clinician with expertise in health and wellness, behavior change, and mind-body practices. She is a Sr. Consultant with Samueli Institute, a non-profit research organization exploring the science of healing, and Adjunct Faculty at Maryland University of Integrative Health, where she teaches behavior change. Ms. Smith also facilitates mind-body skills groups at Georgetown University School of Medicine and is a Sr. Trainer with MINDS Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based organization bringing mindfulness curricula into K-12 educational settings. Ms. Smith received her B.S in Psychology from Duke University and her MPH from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She has published in and is a peer-reviewer for multiple health and medical journals.

Email: smithkraz@hotmail.com