U.S. Army Reserve Nurses Arrive on Guam, Augment Patient Care at GMH

Photo By Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs Office | TAMUNING, Guam (Sept. 30, 2021) - More than a dozen U.S. Army reserve nurses began orientation at the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA) on Sept. 30, as part of their Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assignment on Guam to augment patient care at the island's only public hospital. The assignment was made possible at the request of the Governor of Guam, through FEMA and the Department of Defense (DoD). The multidisciplinary nurses will be assigned to GMHA for 30 days, and are lodging in an off-base hotel. All nurses are vaccinated and were COVID-19 tested upon arrival. (Photo courtesy of GMHA Public Information Office)  

GUAM

09.30.2021

Story by Catherine Cruz-Norton 

Joint Region Marianas

ASAN, Guam (Sept. 30, 2021) -U.S. Army Reserve nurses arrived on Guam from Sept. 27-29 to augment the available nursing staff at Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH).

Multidisciplinary nurses will work alongside GMH nurses and medical staff to support critical patient care in areas such as the Emergency Room (ER) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

"The supplemental nursing team is the result of the Government of Guam requesting assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who then turned to the Department of Defense for support," said JRM Commander Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson. "In the spirit of One Guam, we have been working closely with our GovGuam and Federal partners since the beginning of this pandemic, and we're pleased to be able to continue providing support during a critical time in patient care at GMH," said Nicholson.

While some of the nurses will assist with the increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients, others will be assigned to care for non-COVID related patients as required.

"GMH nurses and staff have been working tirelessly, around-the-clock during this COVID-19 surge. We're committed to showing up every day for the good of our island and we're so thankful to have such strong, supportive and resilient relationships with our federal partners to help us during these trying times. Along with our incredible GMH team, we'll now have additional committed DoD nurses, who will boost our forces in the battle against COVID-19. We are one team, one fight!" said Lillian Perez-Posadas, GMHA CEO.

U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) in close coordination with JRM assembled the nursing team from areas to include Fort Sam Houston in Texas, Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, and Fort Shafter in Hawaii. They are scheduled to continue providing medical support until the end of October when the duration of the FEMA mission assignment for the team's medical support will be complete.

Members of the team traveling to Guam are fully vaccinated and were tested for COVID-19 upon arrival. The nurses are residing in off-base lodging for the duration of their stay.

• Date Taken: 09.30.2021
• Date Posted: 09.30.2021 01:08
• Story ID: 406376
• Location: GU