COVID-19: Military Nurses Leading Innovation Through Research, Clinical Care, Education, and Collaboration

ABSTRACT Military nurses have been placed in the forefront of clinical and leadership roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Serving in critical roles, military nurses have spearheaded innovations in clinical practice, conducted research, and implemented evidence-based practice projects that have advanced the capabilities of the Armed Forces Nurse Corps. This collection captures and highlights many of these military nursing contributions combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exploring competencies of military nurses in general hospitals in China: a qualitative content analysis

Background Military nurses should possess the competency to provide quality care in both clinical and military nursing contexts. This study aimed to identify the competencies of military nurses in general hospitals. Methods A qualitative study was carried out using a qualitative content analysis. We purposefully sampled and interviewed 21 nurses in general hospitals in China. Results The data analysis revealed 40 competencies, which were categorised into four main categories according to the Onion Model. These categories were motive (mission commitment), traits (perseverance, flexibility, etc.), self-identity of dual roles (obedience, empathy, etc.), as well as knowledge, skills and abilities (clinical and military nursing knowledge and skills, basic nursing ability, professional development ability, leadership and management ability). Conclusions Existing knowledge of competencies of military nurses in general hospitals is limited. A detailed exploration of this topic can provide guidance for recruitment, competency assessment, and competency building.

A enfermagem militar no enfrentamento à COVID-19 em comunidades indígenas

Descrever a experiência de enfermeiras militares na Operação Xavante no enfrentamento ao novo Coronavírus. Trata-se de um relato de experiência sobre a atuação de enfermeiras militares na Operação Xavante. Como parte de uma equipe multidisciplinar, a enfermagem militar na Operação Xavante foi primordial em várias frentes de atuação, as quais permitiram, dentro do contexto proposto, o adequado cumprimento da missão e o sucesso das ações de saúde planejadas, destacando-se nos seguintes aspectos: recepção e triagem; acolhimento; educação em saúde e realização de testes imunológicos para a COVID-19. Enfatiza-se que estas ações fazem parte da atuação profissional das enfermeiras integrantes das Forças Armadas, atuando em diferentes situações e contextos, possibilitando reafirmar as práticas de enfermagem na atenção à saúde indígena, em meio a um momento de extremo desafio vivenciado pela população mundial.Descritores: Enfermagem Militar, Infecções por Coronavirus, Saúde de Populações Indígenas, Grupos Populacionais. Military nursing in the fight against COVID-19 in indigenous communitiesAbstract: To describe the experience of military nurses in Operation Xavante in coping to the new Coronavirus. This is an experience report on the role of military nurses in Operation Xavante. As part of a multidisciplinary team, military nursing in Operation Xavante was primordial on several fronts of action, which allowed, within the proposed context, the proper fulfillment of the mission and the success of the planned health actions, standing out in the following aspects: reception and screening; host; health education and immunological tests for COVID-19. It ends by emphasizing that these actions are part of the professional performance of nurses who are members of the Armed Forces, working in different situations and contexts, making it possible to reaffirm nursing practices in indigenous health care, amid a moment of extreme challenge experienced by the world population.Descriptors: Military Nursing, Coronavirus Infections, Health of Indigenous People, Population Groups. La enfermería militar en la lucha contra el COVID-19 en comunidades indígenasResumen: Describir la experiencia de las enfermeras militares en la Operación Xavante frente al nuevo Coronavirus. Este es un informe de experiencia sobre el papel de las enfermeras militares en la Operación Xavante. Como parte de un equipo multidisciplinario, la enfermería militar en la Operación Xavante fue primordial en varios frentes de acción, lo que permitió, dentro del contexto propuesto, el adecuado cumplimiento de la misión y el éxito de las acciones de salud planificadas, destacándose en los siguientes aspectos: recepción y selección; acogida; educación en salud y realización de pruebas inmunológicas para COVID-19. Finalizase enfatizando que estas acciones son parte del desempeño profesional de las enfermeras integrantes de las Fuerzas Armadas, actuando en diferentes situaciones y contextos, posibilitando reafirmar las prácticas de enfermería en la atención a la salud indígena, en un momento de desafío extremo que vive la población mundial.Descriptores: Enfermería Militar, Infecciones por Coronavirus, Salud de Poblaciones Indígenas, Grupos Poblacionales.

Use of High-Fidelity Simulation to Improve Confidence in Military Nurses' Deployment Readiness

High-fidelity simulation (HFS) has been shown to be a successful means of skill sustainment and improved confidence across many professions in which human lives are a stake to include the fields of aviation and healthcare. More specifically, HFS technology has displayed efficacy with doctors, nurses, and other advanced practice providers. The flexibility of HFS makes for an ideal educational tool in both professional development and academia. Military medicine could benefit from HFS technology due to the dynamic nature which requires readiness at a moment’s notice. The benefit can be significant in the military nursing community due to the frequency of relocation to duty stations and positions that do not allow for frequent use of deployment critical patient care skills. These deployment skills must be carried out by confident military nurses. The functionality of HFS to provide an opportunity to repeat complicated procedures in a safe controlled setting to improve a nurses’ confidence is essential (Boling & Hardin-Pierce, 2016). The purpose of the project was to determine if the use of HFS in addition to traditional online education could improve military nurse confidence with the deployment specific skill of managing a patient with a chest tube. An educational pre-briefing, four simulation scenarios, and a debriefing were implemented and assessed using a modified confidence tool. The project demonstrated improvement in the confidence of all subjects in the assessment, intervention, and evaluation of a simulated patient with a chest tube.

Competency Development for Military Nursing: Developing the Competency Framework for Global Health

Background: As military nurses are required to maintain high level of clinical expertise and currency for short-notice deployments of global health missions, competency assessment and capability building is a basic paradigm of military nursing. However, research focusing on the competencies of military nurses is limited.Methods: A two-phased procedure was implemented. In phase 1, the competency framework was developed by scoping review and crosschecking the common used competency framework of nurses. During phase 2, two rounds of a Delphi process were carried out and a penal of experts used a 5-point Likert scale to rate their level of agreement with the competency statement. Results: Experts of military nursing and military medicine responded to the first round (n = 19), and the second round (n = 19). The final competency framework consisted of 67 competencies and was classified into five domains: clinical nursing knowledge and skills, military nursing knowledge and skills, professional ability, management ability, and comprehensive quality. Conclusion: The competency framework developed in this study lays solid foundation for competency-based education of a competent nursing team to play a significant role in the global health.

Nurse-performed ultrasonography in combat operations: a perspective for the future?

Background In current French military operations, it is not uncommon for the military nurses (MNs) to be required to support soldiers alone in isolated areas. At a time when advanced practice nurses in the civilian sector develop extended skills, we asked MNs about their willingness to be trained in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).Methods We conducted a web-based survey from 1 November 2018 to 1 December 2018, including all MNs deployed in the Barkhane operation. The questionnaire, sent by e-mail, aimed to describe the willingness of MNs to be trained in POCUS. Their opinion on the usefulness of this training, the situations and ultrasound targets that seemed most profitable to them were also studied.Results 30 questionnaires out of 34 were completed. On average, MNs had 7.4 years of practice and had already carried out three military operations. Three MNs reported having been trained in POCUS and six had already performed POCUS on the field. 96% of the untrained MNs wanted to be trained. Twenty-nine (96%) MNs felt that there was added value in knowing how to perform POCUS, especially in operations and in isolated posts without a military physician (MP). Focused assessment with sonography for trauma, pleural and urinary tract ultrasound were the targets considered most useful to them, in that order.Conclusion MNs are interested in learning POCUS. A training course before their departure on mission for simple and quick acquisition targets would be easy to implement and probably beneficial for the patient, the MN and the MP.

Exploring competencies of military nurses in general hospitals in China: A qualitative content analysis

Background: Military nurses should possess the competency to provide quality care in both clinical and military nursing contexts. This study aimed to identify the competencies of military nurses in general hospitals. Methods: A qualitative design based on the content analysis approach was employed. We purposefully sampled and interviewed 21 nurses in general hospitals in China.Results: The data analysis revealed 40 competencies, which were categorised into four main categories according to the onion model. These categories were motive (mission commitment), traits (perseverance, flexibility, etc.), self-identity of dual roles (obedience, empathy, etc.), as well as knowledge, skills and abilities (clinical and military nursing knowledge and skills, basic nursing ability, professional development ability, leadership and management ability).Conclusion: Existing knowledge of competencies of military nurses in general hospitals is limited. A detailed exploration of this topic can provide guidance for recruitment, competency assessment, and competency building.