USNH Yokosuka Starts Medical Assistant Program

Transcription

1 Service to the Armed Forces Yokosuka / Southern Japan USNH Yokosuka Starts Medical Assistant Program By Tim Jensen, USNH Yokosuka Public Affairs YOKOSUKA, Japan U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka is expanding volunteer opportunities for the local Yokosuka community by starting a new Medical Assistant Program in collaboration with the Red Cross. The Medical Assistant Program is a 10-week volunteer program that kicked off on Monday with 8 volunteers rotating in clinics throughout the hospital once they complete an initial 2-weeklong training. The medical assistants will have 48 hours of classroom training and four hundred hours of clinical on the job training from this program. The medical assistants serve in a variety of functions with a little broader scope than the current Red Cross volunteers already at the hospital. According to Capt. Young, Director of Nursing Services, the medical assistants will be able to take vital signs, assist with procedures, general patient care assistance, and also doing some administration tasks such as answering the telephone. Young also mentioned experience the assistants can take away from the program. Applications for the upcoming Dental Assistant Training Program, beginning April 14, 2015, are available now. Appications can be picked up at the Red Cross Yokosuka office and completed applications must be returned by February 25, For more information, call us at continued onto the next page

2 This program is a way to get a good taste of the medical field and I hope leads to a bright future for the assistants, said Young. Lt. Alea Depauw, program administrator and clinic registered nurse, helped coordinate the program and watches over the assistants as they go through the program. I created a curriculum and worked to recruit the instructors throughout the hospital to teach the initial training for the assistants, said Depauw. Our team is teaching these assistants the necessary skills specific to working at this hospital, she said. Depauw also elaborated on how much of a positive impact this can have on the hospital and local community. Since we are a medium community sized hospital, one person can make a difference, said Depauw. This program gives some family members in our local community a chance to make productive use of their time and get them started in the medical career, she said. Amanda Rolsen, Senior Station Manager of Japan, at the Yokosuka Red Cross coordinated in screening of the applicants and talked about importance of this program. The Red Cross looks at the needs of the community and within the military community spouses often leave school and work opportunities to follow the military member s career, said Rolsen. This program allows spouses to experience the medical field and help them decide what educational or work opportunities they wish to pursue, she said. According to Rolsen, this program provides additional work experience not only for the assistants and community but also USNH Yokosuka staff. This program gives the hospital staff the opportunity to share their love for the medical field while receiving help in the clinics, said Rolsen. USNH Yokosuka hopes to continue the program in the future. If you are interested in the Medical Assistant Program, please talk to a representative at the hospital or the Red Cross for how to apply. U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka s Executive Officer Capt. Timothy Weber welcomes nine Medical Assistant Program volunteers to the hospital before they begin their rotation through the hospital clinics. The Medical Assistant Program is one way USNH Yokosuka expands volunteer opportunities for the local Yokosuka community in collaboration with the Red Cross. The 10-week volunteer program consists of 2-week long initial classroom training and on the job training as volunteers rotate throughout the hospital. U.S. Navy photo by Tim Jensen

3 Events and Classes February 2 Applications for next Dental Assistant Training Program available 4 When I m in Charge 5 Knit Your Bit for Babies knitting class 7 Babysitter s Training 14 Blended Learning CPR/AED and First Aid 19 When I m in Charge 21 New Volunteer Orientation 24 Infant CPR Presentation and Hands-On Skills Session 25 Deadline for Dental Assistant Training Program application 28 Blended Learning CPR/AED and First Aid March 8 St. Patrick s Day Parade - come join us in the parade! 21 Zombie Apocolypse 5K - Emergency Preparedness Fair Blended Learning CPR/AED and First Aid For more information about these events and/or classes, you may give us a call at DSN or See our class schedules, advertisements, and up-todate news on our Facebook page, It s not too late to get a jump start on that new goal for 2015! If you haven t done so already, attend the New Volunteer Orientation! This is a basic requirement for becoming a volunteer with the Red Cross. Find out what volunteer opportunities are available and see how you can accomplish your volunteer goals for the new year. Saturday, February 21, :00 a.m. Red Cross office, Rm. 305 in the CRC building Register by logging into Volunteer Connection, click on My Shifts, and New Volunteer Orientation.

4 Volunteer Highlight Each quarter, the recognizes a volunteer who demonstrates a commitment to our organization, its mission and the community we serve. Congratulations to Jacqueline Keim for becoming Volunteer of the Quarter! Jacqueline has been volunteering her time at the Ikego Post office for at least a year and has accrued over 490 volunteer hours in that time. Upon receiving the nomination and award, she was asked why she chooses to volunteer and she said, I really love working with people, not just the people that work there but the people that come in to the post office. I love talking and getting to know them. The people at the post office have really made me feel like family and don't mind teaching me new things, so I can benefit from it in the future. LS1 Narvaez said that since Jacqueline started working there, she has taken ownership of the vital job she performs at the post office and has truly shown initiatve to learn and does her job well. Without her invaluable assistance, the Ikego Post Office may not have achieved an excellent on their last Postal Assessment Inspection. Jacqueline also enjoys interacting with the customers as they, too, are the community in which she a part of. A huge thank you to everyone who graciously and generously donated holiday treats to the Ikego Post Office Staff. It was was just the right pick-me-up they needed to make it through the holiday mailing season. Congratulations to Jacqueline for all your hard work! Jacqueline Keim is pictured with LS1 Narvaez, LS2 Johnston, and LS3 Medeles at the Ikego Post Office

5 Service to the Armed Forces Building 3365, Room 305 PSC 473 BOX 1038 FPO AP Tel: , Fax: Commercial: Office Hours: Monday through Friday, Web: Facebook: Toll Free # in U.S. for Emergencies