Alaysah Johnson

• Hospital Corpsman
  United States Navy, USN - Camp Lejeune, NC March 2024 to Present
• Direct Medical Assistance: assist doctors and nurses in providing medical care to patients, from routine checkups to emergency interventions.
• Vital Signs Monitoring: measure and monitor patients' vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration).
• Wound Care: clean, dress, and care for wounds, burns, and other injuries.
• Basic First Aid: administer basic first aid and assist with triaging in emergency situations.
• Administer Medications: Under supervision, they may assist in administering medications or provide prescribed treatments.
• Medical and Surgical Support: Surgical Assistance: may assist in medical and minor surgical procedures, including preparing patients, sterilizing equipment, and providing post-operative care.
• Lab Work: help collect samples (e.g., blood, urine) for analysis and assist with basic laboratory tasks.
• Medical Records and Documentation: Record Keeping: maintain patient records, documenting medical treatments, symptoms, and other essential details.
• Medical Administration: may assist in managing medical inventories, ordering supplies, and keeping track of patient charts.
• Preventive Medicine and Health Education: Health Promotion: may conduct health education programs to promote wellness, hygiene, and disease prevention.
• Immunizations: Administer vaccinations and assist in preventing infectious diseases.
• Infection Control: Ensure proper sanitation and sterilization techniques are followed to avoid hospital-acquired infections.
• Emergency Medical Services: Combat Situations: In military settings, provide critical emergency care during combat, triaging wounded soldiers, and stabilizing patients under fire.
• Evacuations: assist in patient evacuations, either from a battlefield or other dangerous environments.
• Teamwork and Leadership: Collaboration: work closely with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, ensuring smooth and efficient care delivery.
• Leadership and Training: may take on leadership roles, mentoring junior personnel and leading teams of corpsmen in various settings.
• Medical Equipment Handling: Maintenance of Equipment: ensure medical equipment is functional, properly maintained, and sterilized for use in patient care.
• Physical and Mental Health Support: Mental Health Awareness: may assist in the recognition of mental health issues and help with referrals to psychological support services.
• Physical Rehabilitation: may assist in the rehabilitation of patients recovering from surgery or physical injuries.

United States Navy, USN - Fort Belvoir, VA February 2022 to March 2024

In a hematology-oncology clinic, a General Duty Hospital Corpsman (HM) plays a supportive and essential role in assisting with the care and treatment of patients with blood disorders (hematology) and cancer (oncology).

Patient Care Support: Assisting in Procedures: assisted medical professionals in various procedures such as drawing blood, administering intravenous (IV) lines, or placing central lines for chemotherapy treatments or blood draws.

Monitor Vital Signs: continuously monitored patients’ vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels) during chemotherapy or other treatments, especially since these therapies can affect the body in significant ways.

Provide Comfort and Care: ensured that patients are comfortable during treatments, helping with pain management, and offering emotional support. Also assisted in managing symptoms such as nausea or fatigue that often accompany treatments like chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy Administration Support: Assisting in Chemotherapy Infusions: Under supervision, helped prepare chemotherapy medications and assist with administering them. This involved setting up IV lines or ensuring that the medications are delivered correctly.

Monitoring for Side Effects: monitored the patient for any immediate side effects of chemotherapy, such as allergic reactions, fever, or complications like extravasation (leakage of chemotherapy drugs outside the vein).

Patient Education: Providing Information on Treatments: helped patients understand the treatment plan, what side effects to expect, and how to manage them. Explained medication schedules, side effect management (such as anti-nausea medications), and post-treatment care instructions.

Prevention and Wellness Education: Educated patients about infection prevention, hygiene, and other important aspects of maintaining health during cancer treatments, especially since the immune system can be weakened.

Laboratory Support: Blood Draws and Specimen Collection: A significant portion of hematology involves blood testing to monitor blood counts and assess how cancer treatments are affecting the body. Often drew blood for these tests, ensuring proper collection and labeling of samples.

Sample Preparation and Handling: Assisted in preparing and transporting blood or tissue samples for lab analysis, ensuring they are correctly handled to maintain their integrity.

Assist in Bone Marrow Biopsies and Other Diagnostic Tests: Patient Assistance During Procedures: In the hematology-oncology clinic, bone marrow biopsies and aspirations may be performed to assess blood disorders or cancer. Assisted the medical team by preparing the patient, ensuring the room is sterile, and providing emotional support during these potentially uncomfortable procedures.

Patient and Family Support: Emotional Support: Cancer treatment is physically and emotionally challenging. Provided a comforting presence for patients and their families, answering basic questions and offering reassurance during difficult moments.

Care Coordination: Coordinated between the patient, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care, such as scheduling follow-up appointments or referrals for additional treatments.

Monitor and Report Changes in Patient Condition: Track Symptoms: track changes in the patient’s condition, such as signs of infection, swelling, or bleeding. Since cancer treatments can suppress the immune system, these issues are particularly critical to monitor.

Report to Healthcare Providers: Communicated any significant changes in the patient's condition to the rest of the healthcare team, ensuring timely adjustments to the treatment plan if necessary.

Support for Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Palliative Care Assistance: In cases where cancer is advanced, HMs may assist in providing palliative care, focusing on comfort and symptom relief. They may help with managing pain, nausea, and other symptoms to improve the patient's quality of life.

Support for Families: In some situations, assisted the family of terminally ill patients, offering guidance, comfort, and sometimes coordinating with social workers or chaplains for additional support.

Administrative Support: Maintain Patient Records: helped maintain and update patient records, ensuring accurate documentation of treatments, test results, and patient progress.

Inventory and Equipment Management: managed medical supplies, such as chemotherapy drugs, intravenous equipment, or lab materials, ensuring that everything is stocked and properly maintained.