Photo By Lewis Hilburn | JOLON, Calif. - Spc. Phuong Nguyen, 7215th Medical Support Unit licensed practical...... read more read more
JOLON, Calif. -- Soldiers from across the United States converged at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., May 9 to 20, to participate in various exercises. The terrain was uneven, treacherous and dry. The temperatures ranged from 34 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the exercise. Local wildlife added to an already diverse environment. The conditions were perfect for two things: training and injuries.
The training areas and observer controller trainers provided the training while the Troop Medical Clinic on post provided the care. Reserve Soldiers from the 7215th Medical Support Unit from Aurora, Co. integrated with the civilian medical staff to provide care to Soldiers during their training events.
Upon entering the medical facility troops were welcomed by Staff Sgt. Sherricca Lewis, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of patient administration for the 7215th.
“When I see them walking in I immediately greet them,” she said. “Then find out if they are here for sick call or not.”
The posted sick call hours for the clinic were 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and anything before or after those posted times the clinic would evaluate Soldiers based on their illness.
Lewis stated the process to get checked in to the clinic is simple as long as the Soldier has all the documentation needed. That documentation includes military common access card, personal information, prescription history, and orders.
After Lewis gets all the information she has the Soldier fill out a Department of Defense Form 689, Individual Sick Slip and a DD Form 2870, Authorization For Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information.
The completed documents are placed upside down on the front desk and the patient is checked in. A license practical nurse or combat medic picks up the documents and calls the patient back to one of the observation rooms according to Sgt. Kindra Mendoza, a licensed practical nurse for the unit.
Mendoza receives the patient along with a Standard Form 600, Chronological Record of Medical Care. “The SF 600 has all your care documented on it from your vital signs to your assessments,” she added.
In the observation room Mendoza goes through a methodical process. “We’ll have them take off their [Army Combat Uniform] top and proceed with their vitals.”
The four vital signs monitored by health care providers include the following: body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate and blood pressure according to her.
During this process Mendoza asks the patient questions concerning the reason for the visit. Once she has fully assessed the patient she moves on to the matter at hand, the illness or injury that brought the Soldier to the clinic.
“Say it’s a foot injury. We have them untuck their pants from their blousers, take off their boot and then take off their socks so it’s ready for the provider,” she stated as an example.
According to Mendoza, by doing this it speeds up the process of care. After she completes her initial assessment she hands her findings off to the provider.
Maj. Rodger Anders, a physician assistant for the unit, looks over the assessment prior to seeing the patient.
“They present that patient to me with the history and physical findings,” he said. “And I usually ask them what they think is going on and come up with a reasonable treatment plan.”
Based on their discussion Anders goes in to the observation room and talks to the patient. Anders says he always starts with open-ended questions like, “what brings you in here today?”
After he asks the initial fact finding questions Anders begins his observation. A lot of what Anders observes is exactly what the LPN has already done. According to him the reason is simple; it’s about the overall health coverage and making sure they haven’t missed anything.
According to him a lot of the injuries and illnesses they are treating at the clinic mirrors what they see in the civilian sector. “We see a number of upper respiratory infections, allergies, seasonal allergies related to the dust and pollen in the area,” Anders noted, “Back pain and injuries, sprains and strains are the most common patients we are seeing thus far.”
Anders develops a treatment plan for the Soldier and sends him back to where he started, talking to Staff Sgt. Lewis.
Lewis will have the patient sit in the waiting room until the LPN or medic gathers the information and treatment plan. “The discharge paperwork is done through the nurses,” she said. “We go and look through their files and make sure they have all the files in their documents.”
Lewis and her team ensures the Soldier walks out of the door with everything they need, in case further treatment is needed after the training event ends. The 7215th Medical Support Unit and the troop medical clinic provided the care, so the Soldier can complete the training.
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2016 20:34 |
| Story ID: | 198716 |
| Location: | JOLON, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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