Nursing in the Native American Culture and Historical Trauma

Abstract

Historical trauma is a significant fact in the Native American community, a fact affecting both health status and social milieu. Mental health nurses and other persons working in the mental health professions will be confronted over and over with historical trauma when working with Native American peoples and communities. To heal historical trauma, culturally appropriate strategies derived from the ancient knowledge, philosophy, and world view of Native America are needed. One tool mental health care providers can use when encountering historical trauma is the Conceptual Framework of Nursing in the Native American Culture.