Laura Sage, second from right, head nurse of the general surgery clinic, assists the surgical staff in performing a lipoma excision. Photo by Julia Yubeta.
Nurses make difference in patients’ lives every day
Clarence Davis III, WBAMC Public Affairs
The William Beaumont Army Medical Center nursing staff is celebrating National Nurses Week, which began Tuesday and runs through Monday, by emulating the week’s theme of “Making a Difference Every Day.”
Nurses assigned to WBAMC are skilled professionals who provide care to injured and sick Soldiers, families and other beneficiaries. Not only do nurses provide patient care, they provide education on disease processes and treatment, healthy living and wellness. Furthermore, nurses provide emotional support to patients’ family members. They also record medical histories and symptoms and help perform and administer diagnostic tests and analyze results. Most importantly, the treatment nurses provide is prescribed by physicians, physician assistants or nurse practitioners.
In 2006, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, registered nurses held more than 2.5 million jobs in the U.S. and 92 percent of registered nurses were women. The majority of these nurses were employed in hospitals. Other agencies where nurses are employed include physicians’ offices, home health services, nursing care facilities, employment services, outpatient care centers and government agencies. Twenty-one percent of employed nurses work part-time.
At WBAMC, there are 225 registered nurses who are civilians and serve in various capacities throughout the hospital and command. In contrast to the national statistics, only 74 percent of the civilian registered nurses are women.
“As nurses, we are tolerant and have a thick skin, yet we are accommodating to patients and their families for their ever-changing needs,” said Judith “Judi” Palmer, a registered nurse and trauma coordinator at WBAMC. “Nursing is a fulfilling career choice because we make a difference in someone’s life every day, especially when it involves a traumatic or difficult period in a patient’s life. When I see patients in a store or they come to the hospital to show their progress, I am reminded that I made the right career decision because I do make a difference every day.”
Maria Acosta, head nurse at Peripheral Vascular Surgery Service, performs a duplex ultrasound on the carotid artery of Elsa Martinez. Photo by Julia Yubeta.
On the other hand, there are 150 military nurses assigned to WBAMC, 62 percent of whom are female. At any given time, 10 to 15 percent of the military nurses are deployed in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, said Col. Karen M. Gausman, deputy commander, Patient Services and Nursing. Military nurses are assigned based upon their skill set, years of experience and current inventory. Military shortages are relieved by backfills through the Professional Officer Filler System or by hiring or contracting additional civilian nursing staff during the deployment.
Because of the increase in the number of Soldiers assigned to Fort Bliss, the beneficiary population will grow over the next several years. Because of this increase, there will be a greater demand for civilian nursing staff. Although the hospital is able to maintain current operations, “new employment opportunities in the El Paso community for nurses are affecting retention and recruitment at WBAMC,” said Gausman.
Dr. (Maj.) Robert E. Benjamin, chief of Trauma Services, discusses operation of the trauma room in the Emergency Department with Judith “Judi” Palmer, a registered nurse and the trauma coordinator at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. Photo by Clarence Davis III.
Although there may be nurse shortages, the staff is looking at various delivery models, staffing plans and processes to ensure all resources available are being used efficiently. Because of market conditions in the nursing profession, especially in El Paso, salary and benefits packages are being addressed to ensure WBAMC remains competitive in hiring civilian nursing staff, said Gausman.
Overall, the opportunities and rewards of being a nurse are great, whether it is in or out of the military, said Gausman. By 2016, the nursing profession is expected to grow by 23 percent overall. The growth will be predicated upon the increase in preventive care and new technology entering the medical field. The aging population will also contribute to the demands on the health care industry and nurses will be there “Making a Difference Every Day.”