Scott Airman assembles life saving medical equipment

Published Nov. 17, 2010
By Bekah Clark
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- If you ask Tech. Sgt. Joseph Nichols, he was just doing his job when he assembled two dialysis machines at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 5 that would go on to save a Soldier's life just three days later.

This effort by Sergeant Nichols, a biomedical equipment technician deployed from the 375th Medical Support Squadron to the 455th Expeditionary Medical Support Squadron, allowed for the first-ever dialysis procedure in theater during current operations.

When the injured soldier arrived at Bagram, medical teams knew he wouldn't survive without dialysis -- an IED blast had left him severely wounded and his kidneys unusable. Thanks to a previously started procurement process, dialysis machines were already scheduled to arrive when the soldier needed them.

Once the equipment arrived, Sergeant Nichols immediately got to work, unpacking and assembling the units to get them up and running. After the assembly, he read the operating guide and realized how long the task was to perform from start to finish, he said. To help streamline the steps, Sergeant Nichols created a performance verification work sheet, reducing the process from 27 pages to just four.

"That evening, a few doctors were asking about the status of the equipment and if I could perform the set up and treatment of a 'practice run' to familiarize the doctors and staff with its procedure," said Sergeant Nichols.

The practice run took place Oct. 7.

The next day, in front of an audience of commanders throughout the hospital, he assisted two doctors in the setup and treatment of the soldier whose life would eventually be saved in part due to Sergeant Nichols hard work and expertise.

"(The doctors) had noticed I made a performance sheet from the manufacturer's literature that had sped up the process and asked me to attend the therapy and read its performance setup aloud," he said. "Doing this taught the staff how to prime, setup and administer treatment to the patient."

The treatment was a success.

Doctors said the soldier would have certainly died if not for the dialysis machines and the work of Sergeant Nichols.

As a biomedical equipment technician, Sergeant Nichols doesn't typically see what his efforts to fix and calibrate equipment do for patients.

"I just know that the doctors need these equipment items to save lives," he said. "In this rare occasion, being next to the patient and instructing the staff how to use it while the patient was incapacitated certainly opened my eyes to a new perspective and understanding as to just how important a biomedical equipment technician's job really is.

"I know in the back of my mind that a doctor needs properly calibrated medical equipment to perform his or her job. But reality and importance struck me instantly when this soldier's life was within arm's reach."

Sergeant Nichols works alongside seven other biomedical equipment technicians to maintain the hospital's equipment.

As items break, the technicians work diligently to repair the equipment as quickly as possible so it can be returned for mission use.

Ultimately, "I am part of a team in this shop and it could have been any one of us helping this soldier out and helping the trauma team save this soldier's life," said Sergeant Nichols. "I am grateful to have had this rare opportunity to be a part of something special. This hospital's 38,000 yearly patients have a 99 percent survival rate if they are brought here alive. I am proud of that."

It's not just the hard work of his fellow hospital staff that keeps him motivated, he said. His family at home plays a large part, too, despite the distance between them.
"My wife, Bergen, son Tyler, and daughter, Lauren, support me through it all. Without them, my attention to detail wouldn't be what it is," he said. "They are my foundation."