What it means
A condition that can start after a person lives through or sees something terrifying, such as war, assault, a disaster or a serious accident. The person relives the event in flashbacks or nightmares, avoids reminders of it, feels on guard or easily startled, and has changes in mood and thinking. Symptoms last more than a month and get in the way of daily life.
For the nurse
Use a trauma-informed approach: explain each step before touching the client, offer choices and keep the setting calm. Ask about sleep, substance use and thoughts of self-harm. Teach that PTSD is treatable with therapy and medicine.
In a chart
"Veteran with PTSD startles at loud noises on the unit; prefers a room away from the nurses' station."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PTSD |
|---|---|
| Spanish | trastorno de estrés postraumático |
| Also written | PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic-stress-disorder |
Related terms
psych/o
A word root that means mind.