Anyone at Keesler Medical Center?

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Specializes in Med/Onc, Med/Surg, Stepdown, ICU.

I know Keesler has changed alot since Katrina, but I'm curious what services are back or coming back soon. I'm hoping to eventually get my ICU identifier at some point if I get selected. I'd love to hear from anyone that's there right now. I'll be filling out my wish list next week. Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I know Keesler has changed alot since Katrina, but I'm curious what services are back or coming back soon. I'm hoping to eventually get my ICU identifier at some point if I get selected. I'd love to hear from anyone that's there right now. I'll be filling out my wish list next week. Thanks in advance!

I was stationed at Keesler a couple of years ago, but my understanding is that the hospital part will be closing. I have not seen that in writing yet, but it has already effected my next duty assignment.

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Specializes in Med/Onc, Med/Surg, Stepdown, ICU.

Well that bursts my bubble! Thanks for the info...do you have any idea when that could happen?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Well that bursts my bubble! Thanks for the info...do you have any idea when that could happen?

It probably will happen over a couple of years, but if you are wanting to work in ICU I would put in for Eglin if that is the area of the country you are intrsted in.

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Specializes in Med/Onc, Med/Surg, Stepdown, ICU.

That was going to be my 2nd choice (looks like it's moving up to #1). Do you happen to know if the critical care course if offered there? I was told I'd have to be in a place that offers the course in order to try for the ICU identifier.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
That was going to be my 2nd choice (looks like it's moving up to #1). Do you happen to know if the critical care course if offered there? I was told I'd have to be in a place that offers the course in order to try for the ICU identifier.[/quote

I am not sure about that. I would save those kind of questions for your chief nurse interview.

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It's on the prospectus I have from the Air Force (specialty code 46NXE) as being at Eglin.

Here's what's listed (I had no idea this document would be so handy, and to think I almost tossed it):

Air Force Academy/Peterson, CO

Andrews, MD

Eglin, FL

Keesler, MS (which apparently is going away)

Lackland, TX

Langley, VA

Nellis, NV

Scott, IL

Sheppard, TX

Travis, CA

Wright-Patterson, OH

Landstuhl, GE

Lakenheath, UK

Yokota, Japan

Hickam, HI

Kadena, Japan

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
It's on the prospectus I have from the Air Force (specialty code 46NXE) as being at Eglin.

Here's what's listed (I had no idea this document would be so handy, and to think I almost tossed it):

Air Force Academy/Peterson, CO

Andrews, MD

Eglin, FL

Keesler, MS (which apparently is going away)

Lackland, TX

Langley, VA

Nellis, NV

Scott, IL

Sheppard, TX

Travis, CA

Wright-Patterson, OH

Landstuhl, GE

Lakenheath, UK

Yokota, Japan

Hickam, HI

Kadena, Japan

Here is what little I know of these bases:

AirForce Academy: used to have a small ICU, but looking at the website I am not sure that it even has a hospital anymore.

Andrews AFB: Very small won't be suprised if it closes when NNMC/Walter Reed combines in 2011. NNMC/WR will be triservice hospital and open to AF starting in 2011 last I heard.

Egling AFB: is a nice place to be stationed, I did a manning assist there about 3yrs ago. The ICU there I think is either 6-8beds mostly low-moderate acuity patients.

Wilford Hall: Still the largest AF hospital, but is slated to combine with BAMC. It will probably give the most chance for additional certifications (CCATT/C4 etc) and there is always quite a few SRNAs from Lackland.

Langley: Don't know a lot about Langley other than it is relatively small.

Nellis: Combined AF/VA hospital...a lot of potential, but working with the VA can be problematic; other than that it is training site for AF SRNAs.

Scott AFB: I don't think there is hospital at Scott...someone can correct me if I am wrong. There maybe a slot for critical care but you would be stuck working in a clinic.

Sheppard AFB: Clinics only...that was my first duty station, and I was one of the last nurses to work there when it was a hospital.

Travis AFB: SRNA training site...considered a decent size hospital, although there was trouble with the ICU manager a couple of years ago and people were doing everything they could to get out of there.

Wright-Pat.: Also, a SRNA training site, but they're are also pretty small by civilian standards decent area for a family though.

Landstuhl: is considered a hoppin place and a great assignment....very hard to get as your 1st assignment though.

Lakenheath: extremely small last I heard. I am not sure they have an ICU...http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/units/index.asp

Yokoto: I believe it only has a 2 bed ICU which the last I heard weren't even open all the time, but most people really liked the assignment.

Hickam: clinic only, but you can't beat the location...lol

Kadena: looks like it is clinic only also....http://www.kadena.af.mil/units/18thmedicalgroup.asp

Hope this helps...the manning documents can be misleading.

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Here is what little I know of these bases:

AirForce Academy: used to have a small ICU, but looking at the website I am not sure that it even has a hospital anymore.

Andrews AFB: Very small won't be suprised if it closes when NNMC/Walter Reed combines in 2011. NNMC/WR will be triservice hospital and open to AF starting in 2011 last I heard.

Egling AFB: is a nice place to be stationed, I did a manning assist there about 3yrs ago. The ICU there I think is either 6-8beds mostly low-moderate acuity patients.

Wilford Hall: Still the largest AF hospital, but is slated to combine with BAMC. It will probably give the most chance for additional certifications (CCATT/C4 etc) and there is always quite a few SRNAs from Lackland.

Langley: Don't know a lot about Langley other than it is relatively small.

Nellis: Combined AF/VA hospital...a lot of potential, but working with the VA can be problematic; other than that it is training site for AF SRNAs.

Scott AFB: I don't think there is hospital at Scott...someone can correct me if I am wrong. There maybe a slot for critical care but you would be stuck working in a clinic.

Sheppard AFB: Clinics only...that was my first duty station, and I was one of the last nurses to work there when it was a hospital.

Travis AFB: SRNA training site...considered a decent size hospital, although there was trouble with the ICU manager a couple of years ago and people were doing everything they could to get out of there.

Wright-Pat.: Also, a SRNA training site, but they're are also pretty small by civilian standards decent area for a family though.

Landstuhl: is considered a hoppin place and a great assignment....very hard to get as your 1st assignment though.

Lakenheath: extremely small last I heard. I am not sure they have an ICU...http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/units/index.asp

Yokoto: I believe it only has a 2 bed ICU which the last I heard weren't even open all the time, but most people really liked the assignment.

Hickam: clinic only, but you can't beat the location...lol

Kadena: looks like it is clinic only also....http://www.kadena.af.mil/units/18thmedicalgroup.asp

Hope this helps...the manning documents can be misleading.

Yes they can - and what the military considers to be a "hospital" isn't always what we think it is, either, and what they believe constitutes a need for a 46NXE billet may not mesh with what we think is appropriate.

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I'm in the NTP program, and my base was switched from Andrews to Lackland because the med-surg part of the hospital is closing and being turned into a clinic.

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Specializes in Med/Onc, Med/Surg, Stepdown, ICU.

Thanks to all for the great info!

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Any news about Keesler?

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