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National magazine honors Pope AFB flight nurse

  • Published
A flight nurse from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here will be spotlighted in the May issue of Nursing Spectrum for winning the magazine's southeastern U.S. Nurse of the Year award.

Major Jacqueline Hayes-Hethington and other nominees were evaluated on practice, courage and compassion and recognized for nursing excellence, said Dan Spellerberg, Nursing Spectrum managing editor, Chicago, Ill.

The major competed with 15 nurses from the U.S. southeastern region, which includes metropolitan Atlanta, Ga., most North Carolina metropolitan areas, and the Rock Hill, S.C., area.

Nurse of the Year nominees are nominated by their peers and were judged by Nursing Spectrum's regional and national advisory board, who are respected members of the national nursing community, according to Mr. Spellerberg.

Lt. Col. Berlain Hatfield, AES chief nurse executive, nominated the major. He said he felt the major's feature in Nursing Spectrum would demonstrate the dedication nurses have and the sacrifices they make for their patients.

"I was shocked when I heard about the award," said Major Hayes-Hethington, who is acting as the AES flight commander of readiness until she leaves Pope this month. "I didn't expect anything for just doing my job."

In March 2003, the major deployed to Southwest Asia to take charge of a mobile aeromedical staging facility there. She was responsible for a 15-person team of flight nurses, aeromedical medical technicians, a medical administrator, an administrative assistant and one radio operator.

She prepared her team for the war in Iraq, and provided care to American and coalition soldiers involved in the war.

Major Hayes-Hethington's team was also part of a 19-day convoy that traveled across 530 miles of Iraqi desert to Baghdad International Airport.

During this convoy, the major's calm leadership maximized her team's security while being repeatedly attacked by the Iraqi Army, said Colonel Hatfield.

Major Hayes-Hethington's team cared for more than 160 casualties during the Iraqi ground war.

"In the heat of battle, she is credited with providing life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation to an American suffering from an actively bleeding gunshot wound," said Colonel Hatfield. "The presence of her team at the far forward location kept injured Americans alive till they could be safely evacuated to ... Kuwait or Germany."

The major said she is most proud of what the AES did in Iraq.

"Everything we do, we do as team," she said. "You can't get anything done by yourself."

Four months after returning home, she was sent on a 12-day deployment to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, where she served as chief nurse for the 376th Expeditionary AES in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She was responsible for 80 nurses and technicians who cared for injured or ill Americans or coalition members evacuated from far forward locations in Afghanistan.

During this deployment, Major Hayes-Hethington developed programs ensuring the nurses and technicians were trained to care for patients being transported on a C-17.

"Recognizing that some nurses and technicians were not adequately trained, Major Hayes-Hethington developed and implemented a C-17 certification program," said Colonel Hatfield. "Her efforts guaranteed mission success and 100 percent safety evacuation of patients being cared for on flight from her theater."

Major Hayes-Hethington was also the 2003 43rd AES Field Grade Officer of the Year.

"She has been a shining example for the nursing profession during 2003, has served her country in an important cause, and has helped secure its freedom for tomorrow. We are very proud to have her on our team," said Colonel Hatfield.

The issue of Nursing Spectrum will be published May 10. It can be accessed online at www.nursingspectrum.com.