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Nurse-Led PTSD Treatment in Primary Care

A Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Trial of Nurse-Delivered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment in Primary Care

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* o PTSD + trauma exposure (PCL-5 score ≥28, plus trauma endorsed on LEC-5/CAPS)

  * Life-threatening CV event in the last 90 days (including myocardial infarction/heart attack, acute cerebrovascular accident/stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, acute decompensated heart failure, or life-threatening arrhythmia requiring cardioversion or defibrillation).
  * Primary care patient at Rush University Medical Center

Exclusion Criteria:

* o Safety risk (documented suicidal ideation/need for acute psychiatric care)

  * NET conflict (actively receiving psychotherapy/PTSD treatment)
  * Cognitive/decisional non-capacity (University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent \[UBACC\] ≤ 14.5)

About the study

Purpose of the Study Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and serious condition, but many people cannot get the help they need because there are not enough mental health specialists (like psychologists or psychiatrists) available. This study is testing a new program called NurseNET. The goal of NurseNET is to train nurses to provide a proven, short-term trauma treatment called Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET).

Why This Study is Important Most people see their nurse or doctor for health concerns. Because nurses are highly trusted and already work on the front lines of healthcare, they may be in the best position to offer PTSD treatment quickly and conveniently. This study aims to see if nurse-led care can bridge the gap between patients and the treatment they deserve.

What the Study Involves Researchers will enroll 100 participants who have symptoms of PTSD. Participants will work with a trained nurse in a primary care setting to complete the NurseNET program.

The Treatment: The program consists of 4 to 6 sessions. During these sessions, the nurse helps the patient talk through their life story and process difficult memories in a safe, supportive way.

What We Are Measuring: The research team will look at several factors to see if the program is successful:

Effectiveness: Do PTSD symptoms improve after working with the nurse?

Feasibility and Acceptability: Do patients and nurses find this type of care easy to use and helpful?

Health Impact: Since PTSD is linked to heart health, the study will also look at whether the treatment improves things like blood pressure or physical activity levels.

Goal of the Research By the end of this study, researchers hope to show that nurses can safely and effectively provide trauma care. If successful, this model could be used across the United States to make PTSD treatment much easier to access for everyone.

What is being tested

• NurseNET (behavioral)
• Referral to PTSD Treatment (behavioral)

Sponsor: Rush University Medical Center · Participants: 100 · Started: Mar 30, 2026

Contact the study team

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07430657

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.