Photo By Sgt. Finis Dailey | Lt. Col. Kevin Zeeb, a critical care nurse with the Fort Bliss’ 528th Field Hospital...... read more read more
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee National Guard and medical personnel from Fort Bliss have finished their dual-status support mission assisting with COVID-19 relief efforts in Knoxville on Oct. 23.
Twenty-three active duty service members with a Medical Response Team from the 528th Hospital Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, were activated to assist the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Tennessee Department of Health, and the Tennessee National Guard fight COVID-19 on Sept. 21. The team, which consisted of four medical providers, 14 registered nurses, two respiratory therapists, and three support staff, assisted and back-filled medical professionals and augmented staff providing COVID-19 care at UT Medical Center.
Col. Jason Glass, the Tennessee National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General, Air, was selected to serve as the dual-status commander for the team. He served as a liaison between the 528th, Tennessee state agencies, and the UTKMC to provide the Medical Response Team with resources and oversight ensuring their success.
“The Tennessee National Guard just conducted a joint exercise with the civil support taskforce earlier in the year,” said Glass. “So when we received this mission, many of the working relationships that made it successful were already built. We train so when a crisis happens, we are ready to help our fellow Tennesseans.”
Dual-Status Commanders serve a critical and unique function during emergencies by commanding both National Guard and active-duty forces. They coordinate and give orders to both state and federal troops, therefore simplifying the command and control of military personnel.
“There was no real change or adjustment going from an active duty commander to a National Guard one,” said Maj. Jocephus Carlile, the officer in charge of the Medical Response Team. “The military does an excellent job in selecting commanders so that there are seamless transitions between missions.”
The duties of the 528th Soldiers consisted of caring for patients admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, monitoring patient vital signs, and regulating the administration of medication. In addition to providing ICU care, several of the Soldiers worked on the hospital’s COVID-19 ward managing ventilators and providing comfort to the families of patients.
“The staff has been very appreciative of our being here,” said 1st. Lt. Rebecca LaLonde, a critical care nurse with the 528th. “The most fulfilling part of this mission is augmenting the care given here and helping the nursing staff give better care with smaller patient ratios.”
The presence of the military unit helped the hospital staff manage the significant increase in ICU patients that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The hospital endured significant hardship with this COVID spike,” said Lt. Col Kevin Zeeb, a critical care nurse with the 528th. “The staff has worked with minimal days off and taking more patients than a normal ICU nurse takes. I was happy to help lighten the work load here.”
The Soldiers also remarked on how well they were made to feel welcome by the hospital staff. They also expressed an appreciation for being able to employ their military training in the service of their fellow Americans.
“The hospital staff has been a pleasure to work with,” said Zeeb. “They have been great teachers as far as learning the processes here versus what we normally work with. They have been fantastic.”
“I've enjoyed being able to help another community,” said Capt. Marc Johnson, a critical care nurse with the 528th. “Most of the time, we're overseas helping other countries. It's nice to be within the United States helping our fellow citizens.”
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| Date Taken: | 11.17.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2021 19:25 |
| Story ID: | 409523 |
| Location: | KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 94 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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