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Mercy Mission Offers Hands-On Training

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080616-19
Release Date: 6/16/2008 9:00:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Katherine Sanchez, Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines Public Affairs

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (NNS) -- USNS Mercy's (T-AH 19) medical team were able to provide nurses, nursing students, doctors and other local Filipinos working in various areas of the medical field, training that covered several topics of medicine, medical care and medical equipment during 10 days beginning June 1.

A series of lectures and hands-on training was held at Cotabato Regional Medical Center.

Day one of the training began shortly after Mercy pulled in to port in the southern Philippines. Each day began with a group of approximately 22 of Mercy's top medical professionals setting out to the hospital for a full day of medical lectures and training. Daily, more than 200 people signed-up and attended courses which among other medical-related topics, included industrial hygiene, environmental health, basic life support, advanced life support, HIV awareness, lab equipment overview and medical equipment repair and maintenance.

A team of 12 Biomedical Repair Technicians (BMET), split into two six-person teams to repair hospital equipment and machines including electro surgical units, ultrasound machines, infusion pumps, patient monitors and ventilation systems. As they worked to fix the equipment, the BMET team, through a hands-on approach, ensured the hospital staff learned how to do the repairs themselves and how to conduct preventive maintenance to keep it in good working order.

According to BMET Team Leader, Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW) Alfredo Fontimayor, the repairs they made will save the hospital several thousands of dollars by eliminating the need to hire outside technicians. In addition, the preventive maintenance training the teams provided will, over time, result in further savings for the hospital.

"Through hands-on training, we taught the system operators how to repair and maintain their equipment and machines," said Fontimayor. "It will benefit them greatly, helping them understand how to operate, fix and maintain their machines and save a lot of money."

Fontimayor, a Filipino-American who was also part of the Mercy crew to visit the Philippines in 2006, said it was a privilege for him to return to the Philippines on this mission.

"It's an honor to come back to the Philippines, back to my roots, and be able to share this knowledge with my fellow Filipinos," Fontimayor said.

Lt. Cdmr. April Scheunemann, a training officer from Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, worked closely with Nimia P. Juanday, the hospital's nurse training officer, and the hospital staff to coordinate the lectures and classes after being contacted by the hospital to provide this service.

Juanday explained that the majority of the people who registered for the courses were nurses and nursing students, but participants also included physicians, firefighters, midwives and rescue team members.

"All of the participants are pleased and appreciative of this new knowledge to help them care for their patients," Juanday said.

The team repaired 107 pieces of biomedical equipment, saving the hospital an estimated $1,138,310.

For more news from Pacific Partnership 2008, visit www.navy.mil/local/PP08/.