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Deploying NMCSD Nurses Prepare to Face Combat Trauma

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100623-31
6/23/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Berenguer, Naval Medical Center San Diego Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Medical Center San Diego's (NMCSD) Medical Surgical Simulation Center (MSSC) prepares Navy nurses for the types of casualties they could encounter in combat.

NMCSD provides vital training to nurses during a two day pre-deployment trauma course. The course covers common injuries that occur from combat trauma, such as improvised explosive device blast injuries, airway closures or blockages, large abdominal injuries and also medical evacuation training.

"Many of our nurses deploy from NMCSD and some have deployed several times. The need [for nurses in theater] hasn't lessened so we are finding our younger, less experienced nurses being deployed. We are doing everything necessary to ensure that they are well prepared to meet the physical and mental demands of deployment," said Cmdr. Don S. Raymundo, clinical simulation educator at NMCSD's MSSC.

Through the MSSC trauma course, NMCSD's nurses can practice clinical skills and utilize critical thinking in a safe and regulated environment prior to facing an actual combat trauma patient with the aid of high fidelity manikin-based simulators, combat scenarios and task trainers.

These advanced medical training manikins are computer controlled which are able to simulate various symptoms such as breathing abnormalities, variations in pulse rate and blood pressure and even go into cardiac arrest. These simulated symptoms allow nurses to practice procedures such as proper bag-mask ventilation, intubation, defibrillation and chest tube placement.

Seasoned course instructors who have deployed mentor new and junior nurses throughout the course by sharing their personal experiences in field trauma.

The MSSC course also familiarizes nurses with equipment that they do not typically use at a hospital such as a field defibrillator.

"The course gave me hands-on training using the actual equipment that we would use overseas in the field. I can read about these things all day long, but I am a hands-on learner. The training really helps me visualize what I need to do and physically implement what I have learned under the supervision of experienced instructors," said Lt. Carla Henley, a NMCSD registered nurse.

The MSSC course is specifically designed to prepare nurses mentally to deal with the shock factor of facing severe trauma found in a combat zone and implementing crucial critical thinking.

"We can't have [nurses] freezing up when faced with a seriously injured service member. Each one of them will have a sink or swim moment when faced with a serious injury. We want them to be able to know that they can handle particular scenarios because they have already performed the procedure in this class on advanced training aids," said Raymundo.

The $780,000 MSSC facility includes a classroom and 10 trauma rooms that have 30 different task simulators which are available for training and practice by doctors, nurses, hospital corpsman and clinical staff.

In addition to the MSSC course, nurses also receive training in Cardiothoracic Clinical Sustainment, Nurse Leveling, Nurse of the Day, Rapid Response Team Training, Mock Code Blue Training and Resuscitative Equipment Training.