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In an effort to both increase knowledge and build community partnership, the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron hosted local national nursing students Sept. 13.
Nineteen students from Caritas Schulzentrum St. Hildegard in Saarbruecken, Germany, toured the facilities with Airmen from the squadron.
“U.S. military presence is known throughout the world,” said Maj. Teri Sutherland, aeromedical evacuation operations officer. “Many of our host nation civilians are only exposed through social media to events conducted by our armed forces. Educational visits provide the opportunity to open the eyes and minds of individuals who do not have direct involvement or affiliation with military units, organizations or the (Department of Defense).”
The ability to broaden future medical practitioners’ scope of knowledge is a responsibility the squadron takes very seriously.
“The 19 students are enrolled in a nursing program that will enable them to enter the workforce of civilian hospitals,” Sutherland said. “The visit today allowed these students to learn opportunities where Air Force nurses can incorporate their skill sets and training in an environment outside of the traditional clinical setting.”
Medicine is built on the sharing of knowledge, but it’s as much students teaching Airmen as it is vice versa, said Staff Sgt. Robert Christopher, 86 AES education and training NCO in charge.
“Training like this absolutely benefits the local community, our interoperability and builds trust among medical providers,” Christopher said. “The knowledge gained and lessons learned between nations, especially with our medics operating in their country, is invaluable to how we represent the Air Force Medical Service at Ramstein.”
In addition to briefings about what the 86 AES does, the students participated in a simulated mass casualty scenario as part of the Emergency Medical Technician refresher course.
The scenario included five simulated casualties who needed treatment ranging from a broken femur to severed limbs. The nursing students triaged and treated patients as Air Force medical staff would in a real-world situation.
“They had to control the scene, effectively direct a team of (Self-Aid and Buddy Care) qualified team members and successfully treat their patients,” Christopher said.
After touring Ramstein’s facilities, the nursing students visited Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. There, the students visited the neonatal intensive care unit, the post-anesthesia care unit, labor and delivery, and the operation rooms.
“Events like the one today allow the Air Force and DOD to strengthen the existing partnerships with the international community,” Sutherland said. “This is essential when carrying out daily mission requirements but especially when responding to immediate threats, whether locally or throughout the world.”
