Vol. 27 No. 7 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ February 19, 2015

By Sharon Renee TaylorWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

A five-day review will eval-uate Walter Reed Nation-al Military Medical Center(WRNMMC) quality of healthcare, patient safety and efficien-cy of administrative proceduresstarting Monday. Every staffershould take three steps to pre-

pare for the upcoming JointCommission (JC) Survey at themedical center, according to of-ficials.

“First, know our organiza-tion’s mission, vision, goals,values, and why we’re here,”explained Gene Monroe, JointCommission program managerat WRNMMC.

“Second, we should under-stand the needs of our patientsand customers,” Monroe contin-

ued. “Third, we should be ableto speak to how we meet thoseneeds with high quality treat-ment and services delivered in apatient/customer-centered andsafe fashion.

“We’re not doing this for thenext survey; we’re doing it forour next patient, our next cus-tomer,” Monroe added.

The medical center completedits last Joint Commission as-sessment successfully in 2012,

receiving full accreditation.“The last time we did very,

very well,” Monroe said.He explained the JC surveys

health-care facilities every threeyears and no longer providesratings. The Commission nowawards full accreditation forbehavioral health and hospitalservices.

Walter Reed Bethesda’spreparations for the upcomingsurvey began the moment the

medical center completed thelast survey, according to Mon-roe. He said the medical centerstarted planning the next mocksurvey straightaway and re-mains engaged in a robust, con-tinuous cycle of assessment andimprovement at all levels of theorganization.

“It’s a [continuous] pro-cess: assess and then improve,

Joint Commission Survey Begins Monday

Facility Dog Archie Receives Promotion

Facility Dog Archie shakes the hand of Lt. Col. Jennifer Anthis, officer-in-charge, Wounded Warrior Battalion-East, during his promotionceremony to Gunnery Sgt. at the Warrior Café Feb. 13. Archie, the only Marine facility dog as well as the only German Shepherd, serv-ing as a facility K-9 ambassador in the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facility Dog Program, visits patients and staff topromote health and wellness during the day’s events. Archie was also one of four dogs given to the program from Southeastern GuideDogs. Please visit Archie’s Facebook page by the name Archie O’Connor to learn more about him.

See SURVEY page 7

2 Thursday, February 19, 2015 The Journal

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, aprivate firm in no way con-nected with the U.S. Navy,under exclusive written con-tract with Naval Support ActivityBethesda, Md. This commercialenterprise newspaper is an autho-rized publication for members of themilitary services. Contents of The Journalare not necessarily the official views of, norendorsed by, the U.S. Government, theDepartment of Defense, or the Departmentof Navy. The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts or supple-ments, does not constitute endorsement bythe Department of Defense or Comprint,Inc., of the products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publicationshall be made available for purchase, useor patronage without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliationor any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user,or patron. Editorial contentis edited, prepared and pro-vided by the Public AffairsOffice, Naval Support Activ-

ity Bethesda, Md. News copyshould be submitted to the Pub-

lic Affairs Office, Building 17, first floor,across from PSD, by noon one week pre-ceding the desired publication date. Newsitems are welcomed from all installationsources. Inquiries about news copy will beanswered by calling 301-295-1803. Com-mercial advertising should be placed withthe publisher by calling 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed bycalling 301-670-1700.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) BethesdaCommanding Officer: Capt. David A. BitontiPublic Affairs Officer: Ronald D. InmanPublic Affairs Office: 301-295-1803

Journal StaffManaging Editor MC2BrandonWilliams-ChurchWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

Staff Writers MC1 Christopher KruckeAndrew DamstedtSarah MarshallKatrina SkinnerSharon Renee Taylor

NSABethesdaFleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087

Walter Reed National Military Medical CenterOffice of Media Relations 301-295-5727NSAB Emergency Information Line 301-295-6246

NSAB OmbudsmanMichelle Herrera 240-370-5421

NSAB Chaplain’s Office 301-319-4443/4706

Sexual Assault ResponseCoordinator Hotline 301-442-2053

Visit us on Facebook:Naval Support Activity Bethesda page:https://www.facebook.com/NSABethesda

Walter Reed National Medical Center page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walter-Reed-National-Military-Medical-Center/295857217111107

Uniformed Services University of the HealthSciences page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

Black History Month ObservanceThe Bethesda Multi-CulturalCommittee will host a program in ob-servance of Black History Month todayat 11:30 a.m. in the America Building(Building 19), lobby (piano area).WalterReed Bethesda staff will perform at theprogram, which will also include food,cake and punch. For more information,contact Hospital Corpsman 2nd ClassBuddhika Abeyratne at 301-295-4265.

Seven Deadly Sins Bible Study GroupThe Naval Support Activity Bethesda(NSAB) Religious Ministry Departmentwill hold a Bible study group everyWednesday through April 18 from11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m in the USOWarrior and Family Center. The Biblestudy group is designed to help thosenavigate their journey through Lent.All are encouraged to attend. For moreinformation about the group pleasecontact the NSAB Religious MinistryDepartment at either 301-319-2118,310-369-5058 or 301-318-9228.

DHA Town HallAir Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Robb,director of the Defense Health Agency(DHA), will host a town hall, “DHA –One Year in Review,” on Monday at7 a.m. in Memorial Auditorium. AllWalter Reed Bethesda staff membersare encouraged to attend.

Navy Medical Corps BallThe 144th Navy Medical Corps Ballis scheduled for March 14 from 6 to 11p.m. at the Mayflower RenaissanceHotel in Washington, D.C. Guestspeaker will be Dr. JonathanWoodson, assistant secretary of de-fense for health affairs. For more in-formation, contact Kimberly Fagenat Kimberly.e.fagen.mil@mail.mil,or visit https://sites.google.com/site/medicalcorpsball/home.

Bethesda Notebook

There are numerous publicationson the subject of leadership that canbe found in any book store, libraryor on-line. Additionally, there is aplethora of leadership courses youcan take to sharpen your skill to bea proficient leader. If your passion isto complete graduate school, you canearn a masters or doctoral degree inleadership as well.The opportunitiesto increase your knowledge in thearea of leadership are endless.Leadership can be defined in a number of

ways. It can be a position that some hold, such asyour supervisor. It can be referred to as a period oftime in which someone held a leadership position,“under her leadership, great progress was made.”Leadership could also mean a group of people,“the leadership of the command is very sup-portive of expanding educational opportunities.”Then, there is the quality of leadership aimed atthe ability to guide and direct others for success.It’s this last definition of leadership that I wouldlike to focus on.Every year the Center for Personal and Profes-

sional Development publishes the Navy LeaderPlanning Guide to provide educational opportuni-ties for Sailors to sharpen and develop their lead-ership competencies. The guide provides tools todevelop Sailors to be effective leaders in supportof the overall Navy mission.The 2015 Navy Leader Planning Guide identi-

fies 11 Principles of Navy Leadership - principlesevery leader should strive for in order to becomemore effective in their leadership role.The secondprinciple, to be “technically and tactically profi-cient,” includes seven elements. These elementsintroduce the idea of professional competency andcan be used as a guide to jump-start your role inbecoming a successful leader.1. Know what is expected of you, and

then expend time and energy on becomingproficient at those things. This comes down toknowing your job thoroughly and performing it tothe best of your ability. It implies familiarity withall aspects of your job. Not a small task, however,it does require diligence and determination.2. Form an attitude early on of seeking

to learn more than is necessary. Determina-

tion to reach your goals coupled withdedication and self-discipline are im-portant attributes for those earnestlyseeking self-improvement.3. Observe and study the ac-

tions of capable leaders. Strengthof character is built on reflecting thevalues of others worthy of emulating.4. Spend time with those peo-

ple who are recognized as tech-nically and tactically proficient.

Learn asmuch as you can from them.A greatleader strives with compassion and conviction tobe the best they can be and to search for thosewho have the skill set to get them there.5. Seek feedback from technically and

tactically competent people concern-ing your own performance. Be willing tochange. A great leader will provide feedbackon your performance to motivate you to succeed.Heed their advice.6. Seek opportunities to apply knowledge

through the exercise of command. Goodleadership is acquired only through prac-tice. Being in charge does not limit itself to thecommanding officer. There are multiple opportu-nities to ‘be in charge’ as you move up the ranks.Seek after those opportunities and when theypresent themselves, capitalize on the invaluableexperience you will gain from that opportunity.7. Prepare yourself for the job of the lead-

er at the next higher rank. You should alwaysbe in a state of growth with increasing awarenessof the moral integrity required at the next higherlevel of responsibility.Vice Adm. James Stockdale, who received the

Medal of Honor in 1976, was tested in his lead-ership role during the eight years he spent as aprisoner of war in Hanoi, Vietnam. He said, “weneed people who are … eager to handle the un-expected.” Set the example. Be the leader who ischaracterized as technically and tactically profi-cient.

Capt. Phillip M. Sanchez, MSC, USNCommanding Officer, Navy MedicineProfessional Development Center

Commander’s Column

The Journal Thursday, February 19, 2015 3

By Sharon Renee TaylorWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Walter Reed National Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC) will offer aBattlefield Acupuncture (BFA) Class onTuesday from noon to 4 p.m. The class isopen to physicians, physician assistants,nurses, nurse practitioners and selectcorpsmen at the medical center.“Providing this course is another tool

for providers, nurses, and corpsmen topull from their tool box to treat pain, andit has shown benefit for many,” explainedAmy Osik, who coordinates the class atWRNMMC.BFA is quick, effective and can be done

almost anywhere in almost any situation,according to Osik. She said the effects ofthis particular acupuncture treatmentare almost immediate. Acupuncture canbe an easy and gentle way to treat eitheracute or chronic problems, she added. Itcan be used as a stand-alone treatmentor in conjunction with other modalities.Students in the course learn the proto-

col to follow when they administer BFAand receive instruction on placement ofthe needles in the ear that includes prac-tice on replica ears, fellow students andreal patients.“Having had the course and receiving

acupuncture myself, I have advocated

to patients the usefulness of combiningWestern and Eastern treatment modali-ties. Some of our patients want [fewer]medications and seem to be open to look-ing at alternative therapies, such as acu-puncture,” explained Navy Cmdr. LindaNash, a WRNMMC nurse who serves asa patient care coordinator and the ortho-pedic clinic manager. “The procedure isbrief but can have an immense impacton a patient’s quality of life,” she added.She took the BFA Course in October 2014with five other orthopedic colleagues.To date, 150 practitioners have com-

pleted the BFA course since it began inDecember 2013 to provide acupuncturetraining on site to Walter Reed Bethesdaproviders. The medical center also offersan eight-hour BFA Train-the-TrainerCourse for physician acupuncturists, toincrease the number of trainers for theBFA course.Dr. Steven Sharp, an integrative pain

medicine physician at WRNMMC, is oneof several acupuncturists at Walter ReedBethesda who teach the BFA Course. Hebegan performing acupuncture about 30years ago.“Many people are looking for alterna-

tives to medications and especially treat-ments with fewer side effects,” Sharpsaid. Greater is the push of the U.S.health care system for alternatives as thenumbers of people — civilian and mili-tary, dependent and/or those addicted to

pain medications — as well as the use ofother medications increase, he explained.Acupuncture and other therapies

should not be alternative but integra-tive — most effective when incorporatedinto a full pain/treatment program thatincludes traditional and complementaryforms of treatment, Sharp said. Better,faster results are obtained if acupunctureis implemented early in the treatmentcourse, rather than as a last resort whennothing else seems to work, he added.Army Lt. Col. Shannon Marie Lynch,

chief of Physical Therapy Service at Wal-ter Reed Bethesda, explained she and hercolleagues use acupuncture as an adjunctto all the other therapy they provide.Lynch took the BFA course two years

ago, and said she feels acupuncture is aneasy and safe method. She said it’s greatthat there is a wide push to make thistraining available to many different pro-viders at WRNMMC.To register for Tuesday BFA course,

contact AmyOsik by email atAmy.J.Osik.ctr@mail.mil, or Adrienne.C.Carlisle.ctr@mail.mil.Physician Acupuncturists, who would

like to register for the four-day Mili-tary Acupuncture Refresher Programat WRNMMC April 10-13 from 8:30a.m. to 1 p.m., should call Ron Madisonat 301-319-8672 or send an email toRonald.d.madison.mil@mail.mil.

Battlefield Acupuncture

Class Scheduled for Feb. 24; Therapy Used to Provide Pain Relief

Courtesy photo

Walter Reed Bethesda is offer-ing a Battlefield Acupuncture(BFA) Class on Tuesday open tophysicians, physician assistants,nurses, nurse practitioners andselect corpsmen at the medicalcenter. BFA can be used as analternative or complementarytherapy for pain relief.

NSA Bethesda: From the DeckplatesWhich Person or Event in Black History has Helped Shape Our Country to be What it is Today?

“I think Dr. Martin Luther Kingwas an influential person whopaved the way for black peopleto enjoy the freedoms that weenjoy today. He made us believethat we can achieve anythingthat we put our minds and ourhearts into, and that everythingis possible, we just have to be-lieve and work hard towards it.”

- Hospital Corpsman3rd Class Abu Mukailah,Operational Readiness

“For Rosa Parks, a black woman,to stand up to authority in herperiod of time, she changed thecourse of history. That took a lotof moxie and that was somethingall Americans should be proudof.”

-Heather Cox, USO Volunteer

“I believe many medal-winningAfrican-American athletes whocompeted in the Olympics, andeven some inspirational boxersthroughout history, influencedchildren to get into sports tobe active. They transcend gen-erations and give youngstershope that they can grow up andachieve greatness.”

-Bryan Jackson, Morale, Welfareand Recreation Fitness Center

Aquatics Manager

“What struck me about theevents of Selma, what has im-pacted us the most in this coun-try, was blacks having the abil-ity to vote. I never understoodthe importance of Selma andhow that was a pivotal point inthe lives of blacks, and the livesthat were lost in the process. Forme, there is a deep appreciationfor those people. I decided thatI will never miss the opportunityto vote because of the fight thatwas fought for those rights.”

-Kimberley Tobiere-Agnew, Fleetand Family Support Center Sexual

Assault Response Coordinator

4 Thursday, February 19, 2015 The Journal

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

With members of the WalterReed National Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC) nursingteam wearing Army uniformsof different eras from through-out the 114-year existence ofthe Army Nurse Corps (ANC),medical center staff memberscelebrated the ANC’s birthdayduring a program in the hospi-tal chapel on Feb. 2.“I’m proud of our rich history

and the contributions we havemade in shaping Army medi-cine,” said Maj. Gen. Jimmie O.Keenan, chief of the ANC, in avideotaped message showed atthe program. “The Army Nurs-ing Team – Demonstrating theCourage to Care, Connect andChange for 114 Years,” was thisyear’s theme for the celebra-tion.“We continuously represent

patients when they are at theirmost vulnerable,” Keenan con-tinued. Members of the Armynursing team “truly advocatefor our patients at all levels,”

the corps’ chief nurse added.“As Army nurses, you continueto foster an environment of ze-ro-preventable patient harm.”She explained this improvespatient safety, as well as en-sures systems and processesare in place to remove errorsand better reliability in the de-livery of care. “I am truly hum-bled by your honored serviceand dedication to caring forAmerica’s sons and daughters,”she concluded.Retired Col. Janet Southby, a

chief nurse at the former Wal-ter Reed Army Medical Cen-ter, participated in the WRBcelebration with a reading ofthe history of the ANC. “Thisis my 50th celebration of theArmy Nurse Corps birthday,”said Southby, who served in theANC for more than 30 years be-fore retiring in 1996. She wasfirst commissioned as a secondlieutenant in the ANC in 1965,and served in Vietnam.The retired colonel explained

on Feb. 2, 1901, the ANC wasestablished as a permanentcorps within the U.S. ArmyMedical Department (AMEDD),an effort spearheaded in large

part by Dr. Anita Newcomb Mc-Gee and advocates for a profes-sional nursing element withinthe Army. McGee was a physi-cian and appointed Acting As-sistant Surgeon in the UnitedStates Army on Aug. 29, 1898,and placed in charge of theArmy’s nurses under the ArmySurgeon General’s Department.She helped draft Army Reorga-nization Act of 1901 legislation,which included Section 19 call-ing for the establishment ofthe ANC. Prior to this formaland legal recognition of nurseswithin the AMEDD, individu-als had been providing care tosick and wounded Soldiers asearly as 1775 in the Continen-tal Army.Also as part of the ANC cel-

ebration, Army Capt. LauraManzo, a Walter Reed Bethesdanurse, said since its establish-ment, the corps has evolved “tomeet and exceed the challengesof a growing nursing profes-sion, improving its quality ofcare through clinical special-ization and expansion of profes-sional roles.”

WRNMMC Celebrates Army Nurse Corps’ 114th Birthday

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Army Col. Ray Antoine, director of Nursing Servic-es at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center(WRNMMC), and 2nd Lt. Delaney Ferguson, a new Armynurse, cut the cake celebrating the 114th birthday of theArmy Nurse Corps during a program at WRNMMC onFeb. 2.See BIRTHDAY page 6

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By Lt. j.g. MichaelHathaway, NavalEducation and

Training CommandPublic Affairs

Naval Education andTraining Command(NETC) announced Feb.10 that the Navy’s com-prehensive enlisted ca-reer guides, Learning andDevelopment Roadmaps(LaDR), have transitionedto a Web application thatis easily-accessed and in-stantly updatable.

Available through NavyKnowledge Online (NKO)and Navy CredentialingOpportunities On-Line(Navy COOL), LaDRs area vital tool that help guideenlisted Sailors through-out their career advance-ment, and are availablefor all enlisted ratings andpaygrades.

“The LaDRs effectivelyprovide Sailors and theirleadership a guide thatdisplays in one locationall of their current andprojected enlisted train-ing and education require-ments as they advance,”said Richard Nein, NETCLaDR program analyst.“The LaDRs also includesuggested certifications,apprenticeships and edu-cational opportunities thatcan help with job perfor-mance and advancement.”

Previously, LaDRs werestatic .pdf documents re-viewed and updated an-nually, drawing from re-visions and modificationssubmitted to NETC by 13separate learning centersand three training sup-port centers throughoutthe Navy.

By using the newly-launched application, thelearning centers are ableto review and directlyupdate the LaDRs asneeded for their specificratings and the changesare reflected and avail-able to Sailors immedi-ately. LaDRs support acareer-long learning con-tinuum, helping Sailorsprepare for their role inthe fleet.

“LaDR accuracy andstandardization are nowgreatly improved,” saidTom Smith, NETC En-listed Professional Mili-tary Program coordinator.“We’ve added a samplecareer path to all LaDRs;a short document devel-oped by detailers andcommunity managersthat outlines the idealcareer for a Sailor to fol-low in their given rate, toinclude tours, education,and assignments. It’s avaluable tool for a seniorand a subordinate to havea discussion about thatperson’s career. It gives a

junior Sailor a career pathto follow.”

Master Chief NavyCounselor James Brady,Command Career Coun-selor for the aircraft car-rier USS Ronald Reagan(CVN 76), is a strongbeliever that LaDRs aretools that can significantlyhelp a Sailor’s career navi-gation.

“LaDRs play a vital rolein a Sailor’s career rightfrom the start,” explainedBrady. “We as commandcareer counselors shouldensure that every Sailorgets a detailed explana-tion of how to utilize thisvaluable tool throughouttheir time in the Navy.Not only will it makethem a better Sailor, butit will also prepare themfor the private sector, col-lege, and life itself. It ishighly stressed the LaDRbe reviewed regularly bythe Sailor and referencedby the chain of commandduring Career Develop-ment Boards.”

Air-Traffic Controller2nd Class Michelle Cole-man plans to make mas-ter chief one day.

“I like that the LaDRshows you where youneed to be for the nextpay grade,” said Coleman.“It’s a lot of valuable infor-mation, including onlinecourses, a degree plan, and

shipboard qualifications.Also, the recommendedreadings and leadershipcourses are appreciated.”

For more informationabout LaDRs, visit Navy

Knowledge Online: www.nko.navy.mil. For moreinformation about NavyCredentialing Opportuni-ties On-Line, visit www.cool.navy.mil.

For more informationabout the Naval Educa-tion and Training Com-mand, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/ and www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.

Learning and Development Roadmaps Now Instantly Updatable

African Americans have made significant con-tributions to the practice of medicine, with a tra-dition of care and innovation as physicians, scien-tists, midwives, and faith healers. The followingare some of those who have advanced the practiceof medicine.

• Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth– Former slaves who nursed Soldiers during theCivil War.

• Dr. Daniel Hale Williams – Performed theworld’s first successful heart surgery and found-ed first black-owned hospital in America.

• Dr. Charles Drew - Surgeon and medicalresearcher, inventor of the blood bank.

• Dr. Leonidas Berry - Gastroscope pioneer.• Dr. Ben Carson – Pediatric Neurosurgeon

was the first to successfully separate conjoinedtwins at the head.

• Bessie Blount Griffin – Physical therapistwho invented an amputee self-feeding device.

• Samuel Kountz – Organ transplantationpioneer, renal transplant researcher.

• Vivien Thomas –A surgical technician whodeveloped a Blue Baby Syndrome treatment inthe 1940s.

• Jane C.Wright -Pioneered the use of meth-otrexate to treat breast and skin cancer.

African Americans in Medical History

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorelei Vander Griend

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class James Carson, fromOzark, Ala., studies for the upcoming advancement exam aboardthe aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

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“As the AMEDD transforms, we willcontinue to support the warfighter mis-sion, take care of America’s sons anddaughters, and work smart to pursuea highly-functioning organization,”continued Army 2nd Lt. Delaney Fer-guson, one of the newest nurses on theWRNMMC nursing team. “Army NurseCorps members are some of the mosteducated leaders and innovators in thefield of nursing, and they will continueto use the cutting-edge of technologyto improve upon the [profession],”sheadded.

Guest speaker at the program, Col.Ray Antoine, said following a hitch inthe Marines, he was inspired to becomean Army nurse after seeing a photo-graph of Gen. Colin Powell in uniformon the cover of a national magazine,and an inside article about Brig. Gen.Clara Adams-Enders, 18th chief of theANC, in the same issue nearly 30 yearsago.

Antoine, director of Nursing Servicesat WRNMMC explained although thecelebration of the ANC birthday is anappropriate time to pause and reflect onthe history of the corps, it is also a timeto look forward. “[Throughout the na-tion’s history], Army nurses have pro-vided responsive, innovative, evidence-based care while setting the standardfor nursing practices.”

He added the current foundation forArmy nursing is in the Patient Caring

Touch System (PCTS), which includesenhanced communication, capabil-ity building, evidence-based practices,healthy work environments and patientadvocacy. PCTS is designed to reduceclinical variance in order to improve thequality of care provided to patients andtheir families.

“The ANC adapts to the needs of atransformational Army, expanding andconsolidating roles in support of thehealth-care requirements of our na-tion,” Antoine continued. “Army nursesactively support the Performance Triad,serving as a critical partner with ourbeneficiaries to directly impact their‘Lifespaces’ by collaborating with themto improve their individual activity, nu-trition and sleep habits.”

The colonel added the ANC will con-tinue to posture itself to meet the futureneeds of the force, working in more jointhealth-care systems and ready and ableto respond when called upon.

Concluding the ceremony, retiredCol. Roy Harris, an Army nurse formore than 30 years, said, “Those of uswho have served, who are serving, andwho will serve, create legacies fromgeneration to generation; each pro-foundly unique unto itself with focuson our professional identity as nurseswho serve in uniform, and committedto our patients and sense of duty to ourcountry.”

Harris challenged ANC members tochallenge themselves to perform “be-yond what you think you can do, andcontribute to those in your professionof nursing and your country in profoundways to make a difference.”

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Current members of the Walter Reed Bethesda nursing team wearperiod uniforms from throughout the 114-year existence of theArmy Nurse Corps (ANC) during the medical center’s celebrationof the 114th birthday of the ANC on Feb. 2 in the hospital chapel.

BIRTHDAYContinued from pg. 4

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then reassess and refine or sustain.That’s basically it,” WRNMMC’s JC pro-gram manager said, adding that often-times one aspect of care can be assessedmultiple times in one day.

Staff and leaders engaged in a seriesof meetings and planning along withstaff training. “Doctors, nurses, frontlinestaff — we walked around and talked tostaff and patients,” Monroe said. “It’s thewhole hospital, it’s everyone.”

Monroe utilized e-mails to WalterReed Bethesda staffers, as early as De-cember 2014, with “Joint CommissionTips-of-the Day.”

“The purpose of the e-mails is just an-other way of communicating what’s need-ed to help everyone in the hospital stayready,” he said. “It’s a quick way to put outinformation on Joint Commission expec-tations that we know can be challenging.”

Six key people will perform the week-long survey: a physician, two nurses, anexpert in ambulatory care, an expert ataddiction services, as well as a life safetycode specialist.

“It’s at least 23 surveyor days,” Mon-

roe explained. “It goes over five days:four people here for five days, which is 20[surveyor days], and the life-safety codespecialist here for two days, and one sur-veyor here for one to two days

In an e-mail to staff last week,WRNMMCDirector Army Brig. Gen. Jef-frey B. Clark, welcomed the survey teamas partners to help as well as ensure anexceptional patient experience for everypatient, every time. “We will take advan-tage of this opportunity to learn and toimprove the care we provide America’sHeroes,” he said.

Quality is the cornerstone of the pa-tient experience, Clark continued.

The medical center director concludedwith encouragement. “I am very proud oftheWalter Reed Bethesda Family— showthe [survey] team how good we are!”

The Joint Commission is a U.S.-basednon-profit organization that surveysmore than 19,000 health-care organiza-tions and programs in the United Statesfor possible accreditation. According toits website, the JC’s mission is “to con-tinuously improve health care for thepublic, in collaboration with other stake-holders, by evaluating health care orga-nizations and inspiring them to excel inproviding safe and effective care of thehighest quality and value.”

SURVEYContinued from pg. 1

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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