NMRTC Patuxent River effectively integrates a new onboarding program for Sailors

PATUXENT RIVER, MD, UNITED STATES

08.14.2020

Courtesy Story

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic

U.S. Navy story by Lt. Claire Piccirilli

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. ( August 14, 2020) Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River has developed a new program called the Indoctrination Division, or I Div., to facilitate a seamless transition and assimilation for Sailors who check into the command. Successful completion of the I Div. process produces Sailors ready to support mission requirements.

Education and Training staff member, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Aidan J. Lasky, explains the Indoctrination Division in more detail, “The I Div. process is a four-week program that guides Sailors through administrative necessities and begins a basic orientation to their workspaces. Sailors acquire computer access to essential programs, complete administrative requirements such as government travel card applications, and attend the Command Indoctrination and Hospital Corpsman Basic Skills programs. In particular, I Div. provides special attention to Sailors who arrive at NMRTC Patuxent River for their first duty station. The program provides new Sailors opportunities throughout the Command to make their transition to their departments easy and efficient.”

New Sailors are given clinical experience opportunities to gain comfort in their prospective departments and to begin completion for one of Navy Medicine’s essential elements, the Hospital Corpsman Personnel Qualification Standards (HM PQS). The HM PQS is a year-long program to ensure basic knowledge, skills, and abilities are demonstrated before performing specific duties and establishes a learning continuum that focuses on developing a higher level of medical proficiency within the Hospital Corps. At NMRTC Patuxent River, the I Div. program integrates early clinical exposure for Sailors in multiple departments to help them develop a basic understanding of their work environment and to provide a framework for the early completion of the HM PQS.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Endale D. Gebre, one of the I Div. program administrators, explained that the department rotation allows for the review and completion of several sections of the HM PQS which include fundamentals of safety, healthcare administration, laboratory, and preventive medicine. Additionally, it introduces Sailors to watch standards qualifications. This early learning experience increases Sailors’ basic knowledge and allows for the completion of up to 50 percent of department-specific HM PQS items.

“Sailors who complete I Div. have the knowledge, skills, and ability to transition directly into their designated workspaces,” said Master Chief Hospital Corpsman CJ Eison, command master chief of NMRTC Patuxent River. “By creating a program which streamlines administrative and training tasks, we ultimately produce high performing Sailors who are able to transition quickly and efficiently into the workforce to support mission readiness.”

The I Div. program optimizes the crucial first few weeks for Sailors to transition to their workspaces. This collaborative process improvement to revamp onboarding procedures at NMRTC Patuxent River delivers Sailors who are ready to dive into workspace operations and support the fleet.

• Date Taken: 08.14.2020
• Date Posted: 08.25.2020 10:45
• Story ID: 376730
• Location: PATUXENT RIVER, MD, US