If you could change anything when it comes to medications administered out in the field what would it be?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:14:14 -0400

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2015 11:28 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:28:27 -0400

I would change the fact that medics get very little medication education from the get go.
Instead if a young medic is lucky enough they'll have an intelligent NCO to teach them or a good provider.
Yea our "primary" role isn't treating the sniffles but we all know it is in fact just that. When you compare it to the amount of time we spend on trauma.

Disclaimer; I'm not advocating changing our whiskey training away from trauma. That is how it should. RTAs should be drilled until it's muscle memory. We could just add a little to it.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 26 at 2015 11:50 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:50:22 -0400

I got my left ear destroyed during a submarine patrol; the corpsman on the boat couldn't manage to give me any oral antibiotics when I developed an ear infection during this patrol.

Corpsmen, especially those trained and authorized as independent duty corpsmen, need better training in diagnosing and treating illness.

Further, based on what I saw from many disabled vets at DAV, they need better training on documenting and reporting the care they administer. I know it's really tough in the middle of a battle, whether in the field or in a FOB or COP, but still, without the documentation, doctors down the line have no way of knowing what the extent of treatment for the injuries/illness was. This also hurts these folks when they get out and try to file disability claims; especially for something like a tweaked back or a minor TBI, for which they may not seek treatment when they get back to the FOB or their home...

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2015 11:51 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:51:44 -0400

More Motrin!

Response by PO2 Corey Ferretti made Aug 26 at 2015 11:52 AM

PO2 Corey Ferretti — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:52:16 -0400

I think better education. Because receiving motion for everything was the dumbest thing I ever del with.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2015 11:55 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:55:58 -0400

More training in pharmacology. Perhaps some training with the Pharm Techs down at Ft Sam.

Response by SPC Neil Hood made Aug 26 at 2015 12:56 PM

SPC Neil Hood — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:56:46 -0400

I believe it's a matter of keeping it simple for medics on the field of combat. However, in the clinical setting they need to have a grasp on medications to properly function in a fast paced environment (In theater).

When I went to Fort Sam they basically told us we would learn medicine from PAs and Doctors through OJT.

I was fortunate enough to be put in charge of a pharmacy at a role 1 and have an NCO that was intelligent and knowledgable. We did not have any 68Js! so I became very familiar with DCAM.

Overall I think everyone has different training by the time they leave.

Have tests on Pharm worth promotion points and maybe they will start trusting Medics to push Meds on the field of combat.

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Aug 26 at 2015 1:36 PM

PO2 Mark Saffell — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 13:36:15 -0400

Im old navy. use to be take two aspirins and call me in the morning. use to give them to use in little green and white envelopes. I guess that was the cure all back then

Response by CSM Michael Chavaree made Aug 26 at 2015 2:31 PM

CSM Michael Chavaree — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 14:31:28 -0400

Medics handling medications here during training is just as important as live fire ranges are to trigger pullers. We trust medics while deployed to handle medications (to include Narcs) with very little supervision, however, when it comes to stateside training we strip them of this capability. The more comfortable a medic gets with the medications through exposure, the better they will be when the bullets start flying and the casualties pile up. A lot of casualties have been showing up to the next level of care with minimal or no pain management, I believe that is attributed to the lack of confidence the medic has with the drugs because of the little exposure they get during training.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Aug 26 at 2015 3:36 PM

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 15:36:07 -0400

Medications are a tricky issue and complex. Given the large volume of issues and the medications on the market, I can't seem to think it would be better to keep it to some basic items. I do however, believe there needs to be some sort of electronic documentation process for all those field treatments. Too many of our brothers and sisters struggle to get recognized for field injuries which don't get documented some how.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2015 11:05 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 23:05:57 -0400

Quite possibly, I'd have what the Navy calls an NEC (Navy Enlisted Classification) for Corpsmen. The way an NEC works (for those that aren't Sailors) is basically a specialized school that gives them a 4 digit code that, in essence, makes them a specialist in whatever that code correlates to. The NEC would be Pharmacist, and that is what they'd be assigned to doing. Put them in the BAS, and not with the line companies (well, maybe the company CPs, but that'd be the extent of it), and medications would be their sole job. Better than the Doc (no offense, y'all. We love you guys and gals) just hands you some Vitamin M 800's and tells you to drink water.

Response by CPO James Clarke made Aug 27 at 2015 7:42 AM

CPO James Clarke — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 07:42:19 -0400

Vitamin "M" Motrin should be monitored because of long term affects it has on your body. Its not the cure all. And any MEDs given should be FDA approved and in distribution in the public sector.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Aug 28 at 2015 6:41 PM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 18:41:41 -0400

Stop handing out Motrin as if it were a miracle drug capable of curing everything from a headache to cancer.

Response by PFC Donnie Harold Harris made Sep 1 at 2015 4:52 PM

PFC Donnie Harold Harris — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 16:52:25 -0400

Make them readily available 24/7. Without and act from congress.