OAK HARBOR, Wash. — Clinical skills can diminish without regular practice, even for experienced nurse leaders. To ensure Navy medical professionals remain ready to provide patient care wherever the mission requires, Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor (NHCOH) recently sent one of its senior nursing leaders back to the bedside for a clinical sustainment rotation alongside U.S. Army counterparts. Lt. Kelsey Przybilla, a Navy Nurse Corps officer and department head of Primary Care at NHCOH, recently completed a two-week clinical sustainment rotation at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The temporary additional duty assignment, conducted at the end of June, allowed her to return to inpatient bedside nursing while maintaining the clinical proficiency required to support operational and expeditionary medicine.
"I spent my first three years in the Navy as a medical-surgical nurse before moving into clinic leadership roles," Przybilla said. "Returning to the bedside gave me the opportunity to maintain those clinical skills, work alongside Army nurses, and remain proficient for operational assignments."
Przybilla began her Navy career at Naval Medical Center San Diego before serving for five years as clinic manager of the Medical Home Port clinic at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Sigonella in Sicily. She now leads the Primary Care department at NHCOH, overseeing one of the clinic's largest departments while supporting the medical readiness of Sailors at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Przybilla is not the only NHCOH nurse leader to return to inpatient care through clinical sustainment. Lt. Lauren May, Clinic Manager for Family Medicine at NHCOH, completed her own rotation at MAMC from March 1-13, working on 6 North, an inpatient medical-surgical ward.
During the rotation, May cared for patients ranging in age from 22 to 87 with a variety of acute and chronic conditions and diagnoses. The experience allowed her to return to skills that are routinely performed in an inpatient environment but may be used less frequently while serving in a clinic leadership role.
"There are many skills in nursing that become second nature as you do them 20 times a day, such as programming infusion pumps and providing wound care, and it was so fun to perform those skills again in a hospital setting," May said. For May, the rotation also served as a reminder of the personal connection at the center of patient care, particularly while caring for veterans during inpatient stays.
"I truly enjoyed my time down at MAMC," May said. "I loved hearing the veterans' stories and providing them with the highest quality of care during their most vulnerable inpatient moments."
The rotation also provided the opportunity to work alongside Army nurses in a high-acuity inpatient setting, strengthening interoperability between Navy and Army medical personnel and preparing military clinicians to seamlessly integrate during deployments and contingency operations.
Cmdr. Jonathan Rebustillo, Director of Health Services at NHCOH, said maintaining clinical proficiency is essential for nurse leaders, regardless of their administrative responsibilities.
"Clinical skills are perishable if they aren't exercised," Rebustillo said. "Rotations like this ensure our nurse leaders remain clinically proficient while bringing current bedside experience back to the clinic. That combination of leadership and hands-on expertise ultimately benefits both our patients and the operational forces we support."
Capt. Teresita L. Alston, director of NHCOH, said Przybilla's commitment to maintaining her clinical expertise reflects the standard expected of Navy Medicine leaders.
"Lt. Przybilla is an exceptional leader whose commitment to professional development strengthens both her department and our command," Alston said. "When our leaders invest in maintaining their clinical skills, they set the standard for readiness and reinforce the culture of excellence we expect throughout Navy Medicine."
Alston said maintaining clinical proficiency among leaders ultimately strengthens the entire command's ability to provide care wherever the mission requires.
"Our mission requires medical professionals who can lead from the front and deliver outstanding patient care in any environment," Alston said. "Training opportunities like this ensure we remain ready to answer that call, whether at home, alongside our joint partners or in support of operations around the world."
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