@article{c289f14cfd1443a6b13ebd84c5b61314,
title = "Battlefield acupuncture: Opening the door for acupuncture in Department of Defense/Veteran's Administration health care",
abstract = "Battlefield acupuncture is a unique auricular acupuncture procedure which is being used in a number of military medical facilities throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). It has been used with anecdotal published positive impact with warriors experiencing polytrauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury. It has also been effectively used to treat warriors with muscle and back pain from carrying heavy combat equipment in austere environments. This article highlights the history within the DoD related to the need for nonpharmacologic/opioid pain management across the continuum of care from combat situations, during evacuation, and throughout recovery and rehabilitation. The article describes the history of auricular acupuncture and details implementation procedures. Training is necessary and partially funded through DoD and Veteran's Administration (VA) internal Joint Incentive Funds grants between the DoD and the VA for multidisciplinary teams as part of a larger initiative related to the recommendations from the DoD Army Surgeon General's Pain Management Task Force. Finally, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing faculty members present how this interdisciplinary training is currently being integrated into both schools for physicians and advanced practice nurses at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Current and future research challenges and progress related to the use of acupuncture are also presented.",
keywords = "Advanced practice nurses, Battlefield acupuncture, Interdisciplinary education, Military, Pain management, Veterans",
author = "Walker, {Patricia Hinton} and Arnyce Pock and Ling, {Catherine G.} and Kwon, {Kyung Nancy} and Megan Vaughan",
note = "Funding Information: All students (GSN and SOM) who complete the formal BFA course receive a reference form that lists sample suppliers of ASP needles and associated stock numbers. This is information they can use at their respective facilities on departure from USUHS when coordinating supply procurement. Beyond both GSN and SOM courses and education experiences that encourage students to explore research and evidence for the effectiveness of integrated medical approaches, the search for evidence does not stop with the students. Faculty members continue to look for functional mechanisms and clinical utilization. For example, GSN nurse researcher, Lt. Col. C. Wilson is leading an interdisciplinary team with funding to investigate the impact of BFA on chronic lower back pain ( National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2016 ). This randomized control trial has been funded by the TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP) and seeks to determine what impact BFA has on short- and long-term outcomes. Short-term outcomes include perception (pain, quality of life) and function (flexion, balance). Long-term outcomes include important concerns regarding medication utilization. This study is critical to examining the relationship between BFA and treatment outcomes and establishing the efficacy of this intervention. Funding Information: Currently, there are a number of open research studies cited on the ClinicalTrials.gov site of the U.S. National Institutes of Health related to the important topic of addressing nonopioid approaches to pain management. Five of the seven studies currently recruiting subjects include “Neuroimaging Approaches to Deconstructing Acupuncture for Chronic Pain; Brain Imaging Study of Acupuncture in Chronic Low Back Pain; Brain Mechanisms of Acupuncture Treatment in Chronic Low Back Pain, and Group Acupuncture Treatment Effects for painful Diabetic Neuropathy; and Back Pain Responses to Different Acupuncture Methods” ( www.clinicaltrials.gov, 2016 ). Perhaps current and future research planned and funded by the NIH, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the Samuel Institute, the previously mentioned TSNRP grant, the VA and the DoD will further inform future directions and address any detractors who have or continue to question the use of acupuncture, specifically BFA. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016",
year = "2016",
month = sep,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.outlook.2016.07.008",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "64",
pages = "491--498",
journal = "Nursing Outlook",
issn = "0029-6554",
publisher = "Mosby Inc.",
number = "5",
}