First ever PACAF/ROK nurse conference

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. David Beavers
  • International Health Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  The first ever U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) Evidenced Based Military Nursing Conference was held in Dae Jeon, South Korea on Oct. 26 and 27. The U.S. team included Army, Air Force and Navy nurses from the Pacific theater and CONUS locations.

Colonel Sandra Schmidt-Berringer was the senior representative for the Air Force delegation and Lt. Col. David Beavers represented the 15th Medical Group commander at the conference. Planning for this event was coordinated by Lt. Col. Diep Duong and Maj. Kari Stone in the PACAF International Health Affairs Office (HQ PACAF/A8Z).

The goal of evidence-based nursing is to transfer research findings into clinical practice. It involves analysis of current practice, review of existing literature, evaluation of the research evidence using established criteria regarding scientific merit, application of interventions to justify the selection with the most valid evidence. It is carried out by individual nurses, groups of nurses working together to solve problems by interdisciplinary teams and by institutions and organizations seeking to make system-wide improvements in care outcomes.

The U.S. nurses visited the Armed Forces Nursing Academy in Dae Jeon. The Academy faculty presented an overview of the ROK military nursing curriculum. Earlier this year seven of the faculty visited Army, Air Force and Navy medical treatment facilities on Oahu.

A briefing on the mission and tour of the ROK military Capital Hospital was presented to the group of nurses. The tour included visits to the surgical suite, intensive care unit and the emergency department. The sights and sounds of the hospital were similar to those of U.S. facilities. Family members are allowed and encouraged to participate in the care of their loved ones at the Capital Hospital.

In addition to the presentations and tours of the medical facilities, there was a unique opportunity to visit the ROK Army Headquarters. The ROK hosts guided the U.S. team through the "Hall of Honor," where names of all those who have lost their lives in service to the ROK are engraved. The walls were decorated with bronze relief depicting major battles of the ROK Army.

Brig. Gen. Jong-Pil Yoon, superintendent of the Armed Forces Nursing Academy opened the conference and presided over the events. There were three papers from each country presented on the theme of evidenced-based practice. Topics ranged from standardization of nursing diagnosis in critically ill to stress and fatigue in Navy Shipmen. Colonel John Murray, research consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General, presented "U.S. Air Force Centers for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills." General Yoon recognized the best papers with awards.

The ROK holds a military nursing conference annually and this was the 18th annual meeting. This was the first combined conference between U.S. and ROK nurses at the event. It provided an opportunity to gain knowledge about the practice of military nursing in both countries and earned continuing education credit.