Reservists Reinforce Rota Hospital
Story Number: NNS030708-07
7/8/2003
By Lt.j.g. Christina Skacan, Naval Station Rota Public Affairs
ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- Throughout this year approximately 100 Reservists, a diverse group of surgeons, family practitioners, physical therapists, clinical dieticians, operating technicians and more, will serve at U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain ensuring patients receive the continuous quality care they need.
"Reservists provide excellent support," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (FMF) Richard Minter, Reserve liaison officer. "We have a lot of turnover, people PCS (permanently change station) or vacation during the summer. It's a good opportunity for our staff to take some leave - we can slide a Reservist right into that spot."
Seamless integration of Reserves and active duty medical professionals means patients need not wait for treatment even if the sole provider of that hospital care must take leave, transition or complete temporary duty elsewhere. Currently both the physical therapist and clinical dietician are Reservists maintaining a full schedule of patient consultations.
"Reservists who fill in for physical therapists assigned to active duty provide a continuum of care - in other words the care does not stop," said Lt. Cmdr. Bette Guzman, who serves with Fleet Hospital Minneapolis Det 22 in Des Moines, Iowa.
"I'm carrying a full patient load for the two weeks I'm here, seeing patients every half hour," said Guzman. "I see a wide variety of diagnoses, mostly orthopedic and some post-surgical patients," she added.
Guzman maintains her most interesting case so far involved a patient who came in with hip pain, but suffered from a rotated pelvis. The Sailor struggled with the pain for sometime, thinking it would go away, until barely able to get up from a chair. Guzman found the real source of pain, then prescribed stretches and muscle energy techniques designed to engage the muscle to support the joint.
"In two days he felt better, he said he even walks better," explained Guzman adding, "Improving 50 percent after two treatments - to me that's significant." Seeing the doctor or physical therapist matters to how individuals function everyday, therefore continuous care at Naval Hospital Rota affects readiness, deployments and quality of life.
Cmdr. Dennis Smith, MSC, drills with National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) Bethesda, Md. and currently mans the nutrition clinic at Naval Hospital Rota. While consulting with patients, Smith completes a SOAP: gathering Subjective data provided by the patient, Objective data including lab work, blood pressure, height and weight, Assesses the subjective and objective data, then develops a Plan of action for the patient to follow.
"A doctor has to refer them to the nutrition clinic, then we jump on them to keep them healthy and ready for the fleet," said Smith.
Though trained as an operating room technician, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Robert Paugh, of Fleet Hospital Fort Dix, Det. 0, works on preparations for MEDFLAG 03, the annual bilateral exercise providing joint training and humanitarian assistance in Africa, which will this year deploy Naval Hospital Rota doctors, nurses and corpsmen to Morocco.
"I'm working with the healthcare excellence department developing the handbook for MEDFLAG 03, collating data regarding preventative medicine, force protection issues, organizational information and even common French and Arabic translations," said Paugh.
Paugh, who in civilian life develops long term health care plans, will also work on training. "I'll be preparing some medical training courses the U.S. medical personnel will present to the Moroccans, evaluating which courses are available and appropriate," added Paugh.
When a submarine crew recently visited the naval station, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Sue Barkman, of Fleet Hospital Fort Dix Det. 11, experienced the hectic clinical setting of the family practice teams. "You're getting the true, active duty members coming in with their ship specific concerns," said Barkman.
As a certified athletic trainer and instructor in civilian life, the general environment of the family practice clinic -- providing adult care, pediatrics, internal medicine and of course the variety of treatments required by the submarine crew -- offers Barkman diverse training to bring back to Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Ebensburg, Pa.
For related news, visit the Naval Station Rota, Spain Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/rota.
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