Air Force - Keesler Medical Center ICU

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · May 8, 2022

Keesler is small community hospital with <50 inpatients in all units for average census. Their ICU is tiny and many of the patients are more step-down level. The patient care will be a piece of cake for any experienced civilian ICU nurse.

You typically work 3-4 12s a week...often in a panama format. However, whoever the manager (flight commander) may try to flirt with self scheduling from time to time. Typically, you'll rotate every 3 to 4 months between day and night shift. Again that may change depending on who is in charge.

cspringer13, ADN, BSN · May 9, 2022

1 hour ago, jfratian said:

Keesler is small community hospital with <50 inpatients in all units for average census. Their ICU is tiny and many of the patients are more step-down level. The patient care will be a piece of cake for any experienced civilian ICU nurse.

You typically work 3-4 12s a week...often in a panama format. However, whoever the manager (flight commander) may try to flirt with self scheduling from time to time. Typically, you'll rotate every 3 to 4 months between day and night shift. Again that may change depending on who is in charge.

Thanks for sharing! How is the extra duty/how many hours per month? And do nurses from Keesler do Covid deployments often? If it’s slow around there, what are nurses doing when there’s not much going on?

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · May 9, 2022

Deployments these days are few and far between with Afghanistan now closed. COVID support 'deployments' are coming to a close as well. For Air Force nurses the most common deployments right now are natural disaster support (hurricanes), Germany, and Qatar. None of those are true combat deployments of course. You're waiting around for something to happen; it rarely does these days. You can expect to deploy roughly every 2 years for about 6 months as an ICU nurse; you may skip a cycle here and there.

To answer your question: not a lot. I suspect your average ICU census at Keesler will be around 3-6 patients. Because you're salaried, a lot of times you may not have a patient. You'll be sitting at the nurse's station doing additional duties related work. As far as additional duties, I'd say I spent a few hours a week doing those when I was active duty. Many bases rotate nurses to local civilian hospitals for a few weeks at a time to keep your clinical skills fresh.

If you really want 'action,' I'd seriously look at SOST (special operations surgical team). You're eligible to go to tryouts after 2 years if you're a at least a Captain. SOST is the Air Force equivalent of the Army's Ghost teams. They support special forces medically. Google them. They have a good website.

Demo, BSN · May 14, 2022

I'm stationed at Keesler. Manning is a big issue here along with many other mil facilities. COVID deployments have died down but the DHA transition is shaking things up. Average ICU census of 1 with a vented patient once a month or so. Feel free to shoot me a message for more specifics offline.

cspringer13, ADN, BSN · May 14, 2022

8 hours ago, Demo said:

I'm stationed at Keesler. Manning is a big issue here along with many other mil facilities. COVID deployments have died down but the DHA transition is shaking things up. Average ICU census of 1 with a vented patient once a month or so. Feel free to shoot me a message for more specifics offline.

Thanks for the info! I am unable to send you a private message for some reason. I'd like to know more info about manning and DHA transition! Can you try sending me a PM?

cspringer13, ADN, BSN · May 14, 2022

On 5/9/2022 at 7:28 AM, jfratian said:

Deployments these days are few and far between with Afghanistan now closed. COVID support 'deployments' are coming to a close as well. For Air Force nurses the most common deployments right now are natural disaster support (hurricanes), Germany, and Qatar. None of those are true combat deployments of course. You're waiting around for something to happen; it rarely does these days. You can expect to deploy roughly every 2 years for about 6 months as an ICU nurse; you may skip a cycle here and there.

To answer your question: not a lot. I suspect your average ICU census at Keesler will be around 3-6 patients. Because you're salaried, a lot of times you may not have a patient. You'll be sitting at the nurse's station doing additional duties related work. As far as additional duties, I'd say I spent a few hours a week doing those when I was active duty. Many bases rotate nurses to local civilian hospitals for a few weeks at a time to keep your clinical skills fresh.

If you really want 'action,' I'd seriously look at SOST (special operations surgical team). You're eligible to go to tryouts after 2 years if you're a at least a Captain. SOST is the Air Force equivalent of the Army's Ghost teams. They support special forces medically. Google them. They have a good website.

Thanks for the info!

Demo, BSN · May 14, 2022

Looks like the 15 post minimum is holding you up. Let me ask first what are your expectations for AF Crit Care?

cspringer13, ADN, BSN · May 14, 2022

6 minutes ago, Demo said:

Looks like the 15 post minimum is holding you up. Let me ask first what are your expectations for AF Crit Care?

Yes it is holding me up! I'm working on getting my 15 post minimum.

I'm trying to assess what day to day is like in general. What my chances of leaving home will be and for how long. Also trying to get an idea of bases to add to my preference list - whether I should move towards slow places like Keesler or more going on like BAMC. I am a Level 1 Surgical/Trauma ICU nurse. I have also been travel nursing (with my family) for the last year through COVID. I know AF ICU acuity is less than civilian and I am OK with that. What's more important to me is how my involvement in the AF as a ICU nurse will impact my family life (husband and 2 year old) and how much time I may spend away from them (OTS aside). Example: If I choose BAMC as my top preference, will my work duties be more or less than if I chose Keesler as my top preference?