A weeklong slate of activities that begins Friday will
celebrate the contributions of nurses and medical technicians at Joint Base San
Antonio-Randolph’s 359th Medical Group.
“Small World-Big Heart,” the theme for National Nurses Week
at JBSA-Randolph, represents the impact nursing service members have within the
Air Force and the care and compassion they bring to their jobs, said Lt. Col.
Cynthia Weidman, 359th MDG chief nurse.
“We have nurses and medical technicians working in all parts
of the world delivering health care with the same compassion to ensure their
patients’ needs are met,” she said. “They see newborn babies taking their first
breaths and hold the hands of family members as their loved ones slip away. The
heart of nurses is the foundation of health care.”
Three events will highlight National Nurses Week, beginning
with the signing of a proclamation by Col. Dana James, 359th MDG commander, at
3:30 p.m. today.
Nursing’s traditional passing-the-knowledge cake-cutting
ceremony is set for 3 p.m. Monday.
“Last year was the first time we had this ceremony, which
symbolizes the passing of knowledge from the oldest nurse to the youngest
technician,” Weidman said.
The week will conclude with a dinner and program Thursday at
the Parr Club featuring presentations by retired Army Maj. Jorge Torres, Center
for the Intrepid behavioral health provider, and Army 1st Lt. John Arroyo, who
was injured during the April 2, 2014, mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, and is
undergoing rehabilitation at the CFI.
In addition to Arroyo, other wounded warriors will be
honored during the event, including a Naval enlistee who died while he was
training to be a Navy SEAL, but whose pledge to be an organ donor resulted in
the donation of a kidney to the 12-year-old daughter of one of the 359th MDG’s
nurses, Weidman said.
“Although he died in a training accident, he was able to
save the life of another person,” she said.
Also during the dinner, gifts and specially designed coins
will be presented to nurses and technicians, Weidman said. The heart-shaped
coins will feature the “Small World-Big Heart” theme on one side and the Air
Force Nurse Corps emblem on the other side.
The conclusion of National Nurses Week marks the birthday of
Florence Nightingale, founder of the nursing profession and pioneer of modern
nursing, who was born May 12, 1820.
Another event during the weeklong celebration is a luncheon
for nurses and technicians at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The nursing corps at the 359th MDG comprises more than 80
active-duty members, Department of Defense civilians and contractors who serve
as registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and technicians, Weidman said.
They provide care in family health, women’s health, pediatrics, flight medicine
and immunizations, serving active-duty members and their families as well as
retirees and their families.
Education is a hallmark of nurses and technicians.
Weidman said most active-duty nurses have advanced degrees
in nursing or health-care-related degrees, while technicians pursue educational
opportunities such as bachelor’s and master’s degrees and are trained to
respond to emergencies.
Master Sgt. Jose Libunao, 359th Medical Operations Squadron
superintendent, said technicians play an important role in the healthcare
process by preparing patients for the visits with their providers.
“Medical technicians are largely responsible for the
completion of the paraprofessional portion of all medical examinations here at
JBSA-Randolph,” he said. “That includes the patient's health/medical history,
vital signs, vision exams and immunizations.
“Medical technicians are the first in line as far as patient
care is concerned,” Libunao said. “These duties include doing the electrocardiograms,
drawing blood for lab work, starting intravenous therapies and responding to
cardiac or airway emergencies.”
Technicians are also certified national registered emergency
technicians, so they can respond to emergencies off the installation, he said.
National Nurses Week gives nurses and technicians the
recognition they deserve for their contributions, Weidman said.
“They sometimes forget that what they do is important,
but they take care of our families and warfighters so everybody can fulfill the
mission,” she said. “Without our nurses and technicians, healthcare doesn’t
function; without that team, it doesn’t work.”