NY nursing students devote a day to experience military medical practices

49th Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Staff Sgt. Osvaldo Equite

Date: 11.10.2012
Posted: 11.10.2012 19:11
News ID: 97618
NY nursing students devote a day to experience military medical practices

FORT HAMILTON, N.Y. – Nursing students visited service members providing medical support at Floyd Bennett Field, New York City, on Nov. 10, 2012.

Nine students from the St. Paul School of Nursing, located in the city’s borough of Queens, met with Army and Air National Guardsmen – mobilized in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

“My biggest thing in nursing, is seeing nursing from all sides,” said Jeannine Sherwood, the instructor who accompanied the students.

“The field is constantly changing,” said Sherwood, a Rego Park, N.Y., native.

And it’s important that the students view nursing from a different point of view, she added.

In fact, the students were given a tour of the field’s battalion aid station operated by airmen of the 109th Medical Group, Air National Guard Base, Scotia, N.Y., and soldiers of the 228th Brigade Support Battalion, Allentown, Pa.

Twelve airmen arrived here Nov. 4, 2012, to provide health care support to military personnel located at the field.

“We hit the ground running,” said Air National Guard Senior Airman Julian Rodriguez, an aerospace medical technician, and non-commissioned officer in charge of infection control within the medical group.

The aid station provides immediate medical support 24/7 and on average cares for more than 20 service members a day.

“I believe that medical readiness is paramount to mission success,” said Rodriguez, a Philadelphia, Pa., native.

Throughout the visit, the students were shown aid station processes, essential medical equipment used by combat medics, and answered questions regarding military life.

“Its good giving them an insight,” said U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Kory S. Dench, a health care specialist of C. Co. 228th BSB.

Dench, a Philadelphia, Pa., native, even let the students place a field-expedient tourniquet on a soldier.

“Its different from being in a hospital,” said Margaret Bajnath, a nursing student and Ozone Park, N.Y., native.

The soldiers don’t have as many supplies readily available to them, she added.

“I think what they are doing is amazing!” she said.

Bajnath and the other students are on track to complete their training by the end of the year. And being able to visit soldiers performing with minimal equipment completed the experience.

“This was an excellent experience,” said Sherwood.

The experience allowed the students to think in a different way and hopefully take that with them and use it wherever they go, she added.

“It’s a wealth of knowledge that they are getting today – this they wont forget,” Sherwood said.