Navy Corpsmen Caught

[guest52816]

I came across this news item in two different media outlets, and pulled this blurb from the NY Post.

If you go to their Web Site, you can see the offending nurses doing the things mentioned in the story. They apparently aren't smart enough to realize that what you post on social media (with your face showing) can, and will be used against you.

Their behavior is deplorable. I can't imagine how the parents of babies subjected to these two and their outlandish and unethical behavior must feel.

Nurses at a naval hospital in Florida have been booted from their posts after sick photos went viral of them rudely posing with newborn babies and referring to the tots as mini Satans.”

One of the pics posted to Snapchat shows Allyson Thompson, a corpsman at Naval Hospital Jacksonville, flipping the bird to a baby who's wrapped in a blanket, along with the caption, How I currently feel about these mini Satans,” [COLOR=#cc3333]according to Action News Jacksonville[/COLOR].

In another photo, Thompson grins as she holds a baby up by its arms. The pic was shared by a woman who identified the employee as a navy nurse” who made the newborn dance to rap music, [COLOR=#cc3333]First Coast News reported[/COLOR].

Thompson and another nurse, Joanie Barrett, were identified as the culprits in [COLOR=#cc3333]an online post[/COLOR].

[MunoRN, RN]

According to the Navy these weren't nurses, "Capt. Brenda Malone, spokeswoman for the*U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, which oversees several hospitals around the country, said the employees are corpsmen or medical officers for the Navy, not nurses. "

Disturbing images show Navy hospital staffers mishandling infant, calling babies ‘mini Satans’

[EllaBella1, BSN]

I've commented on like 10 posts about this on facebook tonight arguing the fact that these people are not nurses. It's such a shame that you can post a direct quote from the hospital itself in response to people's arguments, and they will STILL insist that these are nurses carrying on these horrible actions. It makes me so angry for our profession.

P.S.- Here is the quote from the Jacksonville Naval Hospital- Search them on facebook and it comes right up.

Naval Hospital Jacksonville's Commanding Officer sends: We are aware of a video / photos posted online. It's outrageous, unacceptable, incredibly unprofessional, and cannot be tolerated. We have identified those involved-- two junior enlisted corpsmen (not nurses). They have been removed from providing patient care and they will be handled by the legal system and military justice. We've notified the patient's parents.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Every article I have read about this refers to them as "nurses," even though they are NOT. I guess if you are wearing scrubs, you are automatically a "nurse," whether junior corpsmen or housekeeping.........

[Caprica6]

They were NOT nurses...they were corpsmen...

Corpsmen have a wide range of responsibilities and capabilities, but are not licenced professional nurses.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

The above links are to news articles that use quotation marks with the word "nurses". I ran both names through Florida BON. This site actually links to a site for all licenses in the state of Florida. No record of any Allyson Thompson being licensed as anything. A Joanie Richelle Barrett is licensed as a massage therapist.

So you're right, Sour Lemon. Neither one is a nurse. Can't stand how the public and the media assume anyone working in healthcare is a nurse.

If they're military, they might not need a particular state license to practice in that state. Not sure. At any rate, they sure are some kind of stupid.

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

Corpsman is an enlisted rate. The people involved graduated high school and obtained all their training through A-school (after boot camp) and OTJ training. (Before medical issues forced me out, I was heading to the Navy as a Corpsman. So yes, I have looked it all up.)

A nurse, in the US military, is an officer. Nursing school, pass the NCLEX, everything that a civilian nurse would be required to do plus all the military stuff.

Basically these two sailors were showing their immaturity and disrespect for their patients, their command, and their uniform.

[guest52816]

So is the term Corpsman, or military medical personnel jargon for CNA?

I read a Washington Post article this morning that clearly pointed out that these two AREN'T nurses, but what the hell are they? Again, they provided direct patient care, one is pictured wearing a stethoscope and they had access to the nursery.

When I did OB clinical, the hospital where it was held didn't use CNAs in the nursery or NICU. And a very limited number of people had access to the nursery. I do know the large-teaching hospital does use CNAs in the NICU.

Does anybody know how to change the headline of the topic? I certainly don't want to continue to spread misinformation.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Come on guys, I'm a Navy vet. Corpsmen are NOT nurses, they are unlicensed assistive personnel. I changed the title to better reflect the true occupation.

[Oxygenforeverybody]

As the post said above. Corpsmen are not nurses at all. Corpsmen, are at best CNA/EMT-B in terms of civilian 'practice/license'. As they advance in rank they have the option to move up the ladder of 'health care' for example a Chief who is my current provider is a NP.

Majority of corpsmen in the navy that i knew all hated their jobs with a few exceptions.

Obviously they're being called nurses because .. Well one they're in scrubs.. Two they're not in uniform and in a hospital setting. Anyone who doesn't know will assume "oh its a nurse because of the scrubs!"

[matcha-cat]

My husband is in the Navy. This morning he had to go to work early for a meeting about how they are no longer allowed to carry their phones on them at work, so he has to keep his locked up in an office due to this event.

EDIT: I should say the meeting was more about the event and behavior, and that losing phone privileges was a consequence.

[matcha-cat]

As the post said above. Corpsmen are not nurses at all. Corpsmen, are at best CNA/EMT-B in terms of civilian 'practice/license'. As they advance in rank they have the option to move up the ladder of 'health care' for example a Chief who is my current provider is a NP.

Majority of corpsmen in the navy that i knew all hated their jobs with a few exceptions.

Obviously they're being called nurses because .. Well one they're in scrubs.. Two they're not in uniform and in a hospital setting. Anyone who doesn't know will assume "oh its a nurse because of the scrubs!"

I don't know if that depends on the hospital? The hospital that my husband is a corpsman at has them wearing their blue digital uniforms. Even the doctors will sometimes wear their military uniforms. The hospital that he got laser eye surgery at had their corpsmen wearing the same uniforms, as well.

[HermioneG, BSN, RN]

I agree completely that what they did was inappropriate and unprofessional on so many levels. Babies are patients that deserve respect and to not be treated like toys or play things. Not to mention breaking patient privacy by posting it on social media. And the disrespectful nature of the snaps, etc.

My question though is that all the disrespect and unprofessionalism aside, did they put the baby at risk at all? I saw a lot of posts about not supporting the head (I agree) but I also saw some people posting about how the baby's spine and neck and shoulders could've suffered lasting damage

Is this true? Even if it's not true it doesn't diminish the disgustingness of it all. I'm just genuinely curious. Any baby/peds nurses or new parents out there?

edit: I feel like the answer is going to be obvious or that this is a stupid question... it's just that I would never consider holding a newborn like that and have never seen or heard of someone holding a newborn like that before so it hasn't crossed my mind in the past as to if it could hurt them or not. It just seems like a bizarre way to hold a little baby.