Photo By Amabilia Payen | Travis Young, a licensed vocational nurse with William Beaumont Army Medical Center,...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BLISS, Texas – In celebrating nurses, William Beaumont Army Medical Center’s Department of Primary Care hosted a dynamic Nursing Skills Fair on May 8, providing hands-on training, team building, and a renewed sense of purpose for nursing staff from all clinics.
The event, held at the Soldier Family Medical Center, featured five interactive stations designed to refresh critical clinical competencies that are vital yet rarely used in daily practice. Nurses from SFMC, Mendoza, Rio Bravo, and East Bliss Clinics, rotated through training in intravenous (IV) placement and pump usage, chart reviews for electronic medical records, coding, Automated External Defibrillator application, and management of patients with suicidal or homicidal ideations.
“These are high-risk, low-frequency tasks,” explained Lt. Col. Marisol Diaz, chief nursing officer of primary care and one of the event’s organizers. “Our nurses don’t get to practice them every day, so this fair helps us stay ready for real-world emergencies.”
Diaz emphasized that while the fair is about skills, it’s equally about morale. “We intentionally hold this event during National Nurses Week to remind our staff why they became nurses. It’s a time to reconnect with their purpose and celebrate the impact they make every day.”
Col. Richard Clark, WBAMC chief nursing officer, echoed those sentiments. “Events like this are about ensuring our nurses are up to date on the latest standards of care. When patients walk through our doors, they can trust they’re receiving the highest quality care—not just in El Paso, but anywhere in the country.”
Travis Young, a licensed vocational nurse with SFMC, appreciated the hands-on nature of the fair. “There’s nothing like practicing it yourself,” he said after completing the AED training station. “It helps you identify what you know, what you don’t, and what you need to refresh.”
Young also reflected on the importance of staying calm under pressure—something he believes both patients and healthcare providers should understand. “Being calm can save a life. That’s what we’re preparing for here.”
Ultimately, the Nurses Skills Fair served not only as a practical refresher, but as a celebration of the profession itself. Nurses left the event sharper, more confident, and reminded of the vital role they play in delivering world-class military healthcare.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2025 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 497839 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, William Beaumont Nurses Sharpen Skills, Boost Morale During 2025 Skills Fair, by Amabilia Payen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Community Health Nurse
