Abstract: This research focuses on how measures of mindfulness, spirituality, and storytelling affect the reintegration of 159 military nurses after service in a combat zone. Chief nurses of all branches of service forwarded a survey link to nurses who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan during Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Findings suggest that spirituality, mindfulness, and storytelling strategies may mitigate the effects of war on deployed nurses. Nurses used a variety of strategies that made their time during deployment less stressful and their reintegration after deployment less traumatic.
While most individuals achieve the transition to civilian life smoothly, some face significant challenges. Although numerous support services are available to those who need them, …