Photo By Capt. Brandon Janson | JTF MED 374 Staff Sgt. Christine Mercer, OR tech, places surgical instruments inside...... read more read more
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Co-Authored by Spc. Kayla Laslie
BAGHDAD--The Operating Room is an important component of the hospital providing surgery capabilities when needed in order to provide lifesaving surgeries. Members of the Joint Task Force Med 374 operating room staff is made up of surgeons, nurses and operating room technicians. The team’s level of experience ranges anywhere from three to 30 years.
The OR staff loves learning more about the body’s anatomy and new procedures, but above all they appreciate the opportunity to save lives. 1st Lt. Kristen Land, OR Nurse of 10 years, loves helping everyone, but said “it is extra special helping our brothers and sisters in arms from other countries. Working in a Role III hospital means we are the last stop and highest level of care in country. This also means that we see a variety of different Soldiers from many different countries,” said Land.
Sgt. Gabriella Siniscalchi, OR technician of 3 years, has been especially impacted by the diversity of patients that have come through the facility.
“The responsibility is very rewarding to me and makes me feel part of something bigger than anything I have ever done,” said Siniscalchi. “It's an honor to care for U.S. Soldiers and Coalition Forces from all over the world.”
So far, the JTF Med 374 OR team has completed nearly 20 surgeries performing a number of procedures to include:
Thoracotomy- procedure that exposes areas of the chest wall.
Appendectomy—surgical removal of appendix.
Fasciotomy--cut down procedure that relieves pressure in compartments of the leg.
Open reduction internal fixations—procedure that repositions bones in place with plates, pins and screws.
Laceration washouts- procedure that washes out of surgical and non-surgical wounds.
Colon resection—surgical procedure that takes out or redirects sections of the intestinal system.
Prophylaxis – surgical teeth cleaning of a military work dog.
The most memorable surgery experience for the team was a thoracotomy for a soldier who sustained a traumatic wound to the chest.
“I have never seen a chest tube placed before,” said Siniscalchi. “It was amazing to see how one gets put in and how I got to play a part in saving a life.”
Between saving lives and expanding their surgical knowledge the JTF Med 374 OR team is putting in the work and continues to learn and make improvements. Through these many surgeries and rotating providers every couple of months, the team remains cohesive, making firm bonds from the beginning of the deployments.
With over 31 years of experience as an OR technician, Staff Sgt. Christie Mercer, says the key to working in the OR is to “always stay calm and level-headed throughout each procedure.”
Mercer has also been an advocate for proper sterilization of medical sets to prevent infections related to the surgical procedures. Since being in theater she has made significant progress to the sections equipment inventory, and its sterilization procedures. Through her effort, this has increased the facilities capabilities in a forward operating area.
“Each procedure is a team effort,” said Land. “It requires us to use multiple teams and use a comprehensive approach.”
With the diverse skillsets each group of rotating providers brings to the Role III, the OR team must seamlessly and continuously adapt to new personalities and procedures. To adapt to these constant changes the hospital must rely on the OR nurses and technicians that serve longer tours, serving as the backbone of the department. Without this group, the transitions between providers and performing different procedures would not be nearly as smooth.
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.21.2023 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 438625 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Hometown: | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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CENTCOM
US Army Reserve
Iraq
Deployment
Fort Sheridan
US Army Central Command
807th Medical Command Deployment Support
