Medical partnership cultivates readiness

  • Published
  • By Meredith March
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  Nurses and medical technicians from the 66th Medical Group have been honing their essential wartime medical skills by helping patients and working with health care professionals at the Veteran's Affairs Boston Health Care System hospital in West Roxbury, Mass.

A training affiliation agreement between the 66 MDG and the VA allows active-duty, licensed nurses and medical technicians not already working in a tertiary medical clinic to get hands-on training in a hospital environment, which provides the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills not commonly utilized at the 66 MDG Clinic.

"The greatest benefit of working here is getting to work with the patients," said Tech. Sgt. Derrick Brewer, 66th Medical Operations Squadron Education and Training noncommissioned officer in charge. "At Hanscom, we work with patients in a clinical setting, but here we get to work in the emergency room, emergency care or in the surgery ward where we deal with actual in-patients."

The nurses and technicians from Hanscom, who began their first rotations at the VA in Sept., spend a minimum of 8 to 16 hours per month training with experts at the VA, said Capt. Courtney Finkbeiner, 66 MDG Health Care integrator and deputy chief nurse.

"We work side-by-side with the preceptor as they guide us through the skills, equipment and patient care. We carry training folders that include a list of the required skills, and feedback forms for both the preceptor and the 66 MDG staff. The feedback has helped to ensure the training is beneficial, relevant and productive," she said.

So far, the venture has been positive for both the medical group trainees and the VA.

"Not only has our professional self-confidence improved, but the overall staff morale has soared," Captain Finkbeiner said.

Through the partnership, Hanscom's health care professionals are achieving their goals of readiness and becoming more prepared for combat service, Sergeant Brewer said. "It's critical to be trained in procedures that you would actually perform in wartime, so it's important to get as much training as possible. The procedures that we're learning here are the things we'd be doing, in terms of caring for our patients, in a war zone."

The VA staff has been impressed with the quality of Hanscom's health care professionals. "I see an appreciation on the part of our staff for the abilities and dedication of the Air Force clinical staff," said Charles Kerr, VA Boston Health Care System Special Care Clinical Resource nurse. "We have the same employer, the citizens of the United States, and we have the same customers, serving those who served. Working together for a common goal simply makes sense."

After touring the hospital and meeting with medical group and VA nurses and technicians during an official visit to Hanscom Jan. 28, Vicki Carlson, wife of Gen. Bruce Carlson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, also expressed appreciation for the efforts of all involved. "I've visited and toured many medical facilities, on and off base, and many people are now choosing to use their VA option. You do so much to care for our people. When you think of how many hours each person is putting into this, that's really a sacrifice," she said.