Command Skills Fair provides subject matter experts to all hands

Photo By Douglas Stutz | To know the flow…as part of NHB/NMRTC Bremerton’s ‘Command Skills Fair’ held July 29, 2021, Lt. j.g. Madison Gutzman, assigned to Labor and Delivery, shares on the importance of proper blood transfusion procedures, emphasizing that such a crucial responsibility is never to be taken for granted. “Patient safety always comes first,” stressed Gutzman. The fair provided staff members the opportunity to hear first-hand from subject matter experts on a host of topics, from hand hygiene to fall prevention to urgent/emergent protocol, and more (Official Navy photo by Douglas H Stutz, NHB/NMRTC Bremerton public affairs officer).  

BREMERTON, WA, UNITED STATES

07.29.2021

Story by Douglas Stutz    

Naval Hospital Bremerton/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton

Hand hygiene and blood transfusion were just two of the numerous topics shared during Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Bremerton 2021 Skills Fair, July 29, 2021.

Other presentations focused on such areas as, Suicide Safety Risk, Urgent/Emergent Protocol, Medication Administration, Fall Prevention and more.

“Holding this fair is important for all our staff. For nurses, we work with and reply on our corpsmen for a lot. Having subject matter experts here to share their knowledge and provide different insight and perspective is invaluable,” said Lt. Renee Mimbela, Navy Nurse Corps officer assigned to Ambulatory Procedure Unit and event organizer.

Mimbela affirms that the skills fair is tailored to all hands, not just Hospital Corps and Nurse Corps staff members.

“We hope that as many as can stop by. This is for them. For example, even for someone who perhaps doesn’t have much patient contact, they can at least gain some basic understanding. We all work in a hospital environment and it’s good to know as much as we can to help out in any emergency or situation,” Mimbela said.

“We should all know where and who to go for specific specialty skills,” stressed Mimbela.

For Lt. j.g. Madison Gutzman, assigned to Labor and Delivery, sharing on the importance of proper blood transfusion procedures is a crucial responsibility never to be taken for granted.

“Patient safety always comes first,” stressed Gutzman. “We do a lot of blood transfusion in Labor and Delivery. Each step is important, as is communicating between nurse, corpsman, doctor, and also the patient before, during and after transfusion. The patient very well is going to be the one who knows there’s been blood loss even before lab results return. Knowing their condition, doing a good assessment in their immediate health, is all part of the communication process and blood transfusion administration process.”

According to compiled statistics, in the U.S., one out of 20 hospitalized patients contract a Health Care-Acquired Infection, and the most common type is catheter-related bloodstream infection(s). Gutzman emphasized the correct procedure if a transfusion is needed for a patient.

“Everyone has a different blood type and knowing the correct type is the first step. Even before picking up blood from the Laboratory Blood Back, there’s a time-crunch because there’s just 30 minutes between picking up the blood and starting the transfusion. Make sure the patient is ready, ensure the patient’s IV is open and not blocked, the filter tubing – which is good for only four hours - is prepared – and primed with normal saline only. Take the patient’s vital signs and document. Two registered nurses must verify blood and the patient identification at bedside. If there is any discrepancy, return the blood. An RN must be at the beside for the first 15 minutes and check vital signs every five minutes during that time, then every hour afterwards, and during post transfusion,” explained Gutzman, noting that every blood transfusion has many moving parts, including the actual process, and attention to detail is paramount for everyone involved.

Stopping and preventing the spread of germs was highlighted by the Hand Hygiene presentation by Elma Faye Miller, command infection prevention and control nurse.

Miller shared a number of bullet points and examples to remind everyone of the daily importance of personal hand hygiene, particularly in a hospital setting.

“Our hands are one of the main ways infections are transmitted. We want everyone to know when and how to perform proper hand hygiene, and when it is expected to do so, such as before and after entering/leaving a patient environment; putting and taking off gloves, before eating and after using the restroom are all examples when hand hygiene needs to be performed,” Miller said.

Miller acknowledged that there are times when remembering to perform hand hygiene can be easily forgotten, such as before direct contact with a patient, after contact with objects near a patient and after taking gloves off.

There are also a number of commonplace occasions as to why there can be hand hygiene noncompliance including the perception that hand hygiene is not needed if gloves are worn; forgetfulness and distractions, and even if hands are full or supplies or medications.

“When in doubt, perform hand hygiene,” stated Miller.

The fair was postponed last year due to the pandemic, and Mimbela hopes that this year’s effort provided a worthwhile experience to those who attended.

“We all should know where to go for specific skill training and know who the subject matter expert is for instruction and guidance as needed,” Mimbela said.

• Date Taken: 07.29.2021
• Date Posted: 07.29.2021 21:55
• Story ID: 402081
• Location: BREMERTON, WA, US