Army nurse residency strengthens medical currency, readiness at Fort Hood

Official Statements

• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, November 13: “Three newly commissioned Army nurses at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center completed a training program Nov. 2 that strengthens their “medical currency,” the clinical knowledge, technical skills and hands-on experience health care professionals need to deliver safe, high-quality patient care. Second Lts. Katelyn Cool, Kevin Hoang and Samara Thorell completed the Army Nurse Corps Brig. Gen. Anna Mae Hays Clinical Nurse Transition Program, a 20-week nurse residency, and will continue serving in CRDAMC’s mother-baby and medical-surgical pediatric units.”

• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, November 13: “The transition program combines more than 80 hours of classroom instruction with 700 to 800 hours of hands-on clinical training across multiple departments at CRDAMC. The training gives new nurses broad exposure to medical-surgical, postpartum and emergency care while reinforcing the knowledge, skills and professional judgment required in military treatment facilities.”

• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, November 13: “Today is a special day as we honor this class,” said Maj. Alexander Seawright, deputy director of the Clinical Nurse Transition Program. “The care and experience provided to all CRDAMC beneficiaries are enhanced by their dedication and discipline in delivering competent and safe care.” In addition to clinical rotations, CNTP participants receive instruction in medical ethics, communication and evidence-based practice. Each graduating class completes a capstone project intended to improve patient care and support a culture of continuous improvement.”

• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, November 13: “For their capstone, the graduates presented a process-improvement proposal to strengthen blood-transfusion safety through a standardized algorithm. The proposed tool would promote consistent verification, monitoring and response procedures across the care team. Hospital leadership provided feedback, and the proposal will undergo further review before potential implementation. The CRDAMC CNTP is an Army Nurse Corps program for nursing graduates with fewer than six months of acute-care experience. Upon graduation, nurses receive the Medical Surgical Nurse, or 66H, area-of-concentration identifier, enabling them to practice in military health care facilities.”

• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, November 13: “By strengthening interdisciplinary connections and maintaining clinical proficiency, programs such as CNTP support a medically ready force and reinforce CRDAMC’s ability to deliver safe, trusted and high-quality care. The next CNTP cohort is scheduled to begin early next year. Health care personnel in the Fort Hood community interested in the program may contact the department at 254-287-3489.”