nurses in combat areas

[dm22]

This is sort of a silly question due to the nature of what a nurse does, but I was just curious:

How much "ground combat" training would a Navy Nurse receive? Perhaps a nurse that is serving in a field hospital would receive more weapons and combat training? I am trying to get a good picture of the environment that a deployed nurse would work in.

[DanznRN, RN]

DM22-

We di not receive "combat training" as you asked. The Geneva Convention does not allow medical personel to actively participate in combat. And technically if you were captured, provided the enemy abides by the convention, you are supposed to be returned to your side or put in a position where you could be utilized to treat wounded. Now, we do receive some weapons training only as a means of self-defense. Most officers are issued a 9mm or .45 in the field to protect yourself, but we receive no formal combat training. That's is why we have the Marines.

LCDR(s) Dan

[navynurse06]

Also, nurse go to C4 training. This training includes Tncc and other trauma training. I haven't been yet, but its supposed to help you get prepared for "field nursing". Or nursing in a deployment situation.

However, I don't believe that weapons training is involved in this at all.

ENS PM

see this website: http://www.dmrti.army.mil/dmrti%20information%20-%20C4%20Anniversary%20Article.html

[Gennaver, MSN]

This is sort of a silly question due to the nature of what a nurse does, but I was just curious:

How much "ground combat" training would a Navy Nurse receive? Perhaps a nurse that is serving in a field hospital would receive more weapons and combat training? I am trying to get a good picture of the environment that a deployed nurse would work in.

Hello,

Nurses in the Army, (or Officers who attend training) must be familiar with an M16 rifle and a 9mm handgun.

I read an account from one nurse who said there were two parameters around their patient care center, an outer parameter and an inner parameter and that some of them had to gaurd outside the inner parameter to make sure it was safe. He wrote that even at the bedside during that time they kep their handgun with them and another nurse wrote something like, "if you think holding an M16 is what a nurse does...as the journalist noted she was smiling". Another nurse commented that holding a side arm is just an extreme form of patient ADVOCACY!"

I do not recall where I found them but, I think it was through a google search regarding Nurses and deployments and the article was about the Nurses who first helped set up the CSHs.

Gen

p.s. on the OBLC website they list that nurses but become familiar with one weapon above and proficient in the other.

[belabelisa]

So, no "boot camp" or anything similar to that? What kind of training do you get?

[Gennaver, MSN]

So, no "boot camp" or anything similar to that? What kind of training do you get?

Basic training or "boot camp" is for enlisted Soldiers. Nurses are Officers and attend Officer training courses, (for health care officers as combat officers have different officer training). Each branch has a different name for it.

Gen

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

DM22-

We di not receive "combat training" as you asked. The Geneva Convention does not allow medical personel to actively participate in combat. And technically if you were captured, provided the enemy abides by the convention, you are supposed to be returned to your side or put in a position where you could be utilized to treat wounded. Now, we do receive some weapons training only as a means of self-defense. Most officers are issued a 9mm or .45 in the field to protect yourself, but we receive no formal combat training. That's is why we have the Marines.

LCDR(s) Dan

however the military nurse when deployed on land or flying over non friendly territory stil requires basic soldiering, survival and fieldcraft skills...

you are not going to be a trained infantryman - this is not your role - although there are always routes and ways to improve your general military skills.

The Geneva Convention is academic in most of the modern wars where the enemy combatants are not soliders belonging to a recognised military or militia - probably the last wars where the geneva convention had a shread of relevance would have been the Falklands or possibly the first edition of the Gulf (with Shrub senior and Maggie rather than Shrub junior and Bliar)

weapons training is primarily for self defence , the defence of your patients or facility - but this doesn't mean that you should be unfamiliar with the common IW systems - from the point of view as a (former) UK reservist ( and currently seriously considering going reg) we were required to be familair with both the L85 family and the 9mm browning and many of those who had deployed were sufficiently familiar with common emnemy IWs to be able to safely handle them , unload and render them out of use

[DanznRN, RN]

Zippy-

Appreciating your view point and all, but rest assured the US Navy nurse does not routinely receive any type of "combat training." Irregardless of when the Geneva Convention was/ is relevant, the US adheres to it and thus trains accordingly. When getting sent off on deployment the Navy does provide for area specific training. Firearms training is not a staple of the US Navy nurse and we are only required to be familiar with the 9mm, any additional training is done only if you seek it out. We do receive basic survival training in the form of videos and self-directed learning, no formal classes are given. The US Navy nurse does attend C4 as mentioned above in order to familiarize one to the area of combat casualty care, again, no "soldiering" is covered, that is why we have Marines. Apparently, the UK sees it differently and maybe we should to.

This opinion is offered as clarification only, don't want people getting confused on what you get in the US military as a nurse.

LCDR(s) Dan

[MagRedC5]

I'd imagine an ANC officer that is PROFIS & deployed with a CSH that is getting mobilized to Iraq gets more of the combat training your possibly thinking about; qualify w/M16, M9 familiarization, Convoy Training, IED Training, etc.

[navygirl]

C4 does include 9mm weapons qualification for Navy nurses, docs, and dentists, or at least it did when I went last year. It's just sort of a crash course in dealing with simulated trauma situations..it's only 9 days long. If you join the Navy, it will be up to your command when you go. Since I am in a small command, I am able to take advantage of lots of training and went during my first year as a nurse.

[DanznRN, RN]

Where are you now? I remember talking to you when I was still in Italy, everything going O.K.?

LCDR(s) Dan

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

What type of things does a Navy nurse go through in their Officer school? Anything like Navy OCS for supply corps, etc?