Date of Graduation

Fall 12-13-2024

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

Program

Population Health Leadership

First Advisor

Dr Ricky Norwood

Second Advisor

Dr Jo Loomis

Abstract

Improving Air Force Nursing Deployment Readiness

Abstract

Background. Air Force nurses must be prepared for deployment to support military missions on short notice. During deployments, they may be asked to practice in demanding and austere wartime environments. The required competencies for deployment include the care of multi-trauma patients, mass casualty care, and military-specific skills.

Problem. Air Force nurses are required to maintain an annual Comprehensive Medical Readiness Program (CMRP) checklist, a list of clinical skills based on their nursing specialty. Assessing and maintaining deployment readiness is an ongoing challenge. The Air Force does not currently use any nursing deployment readiness assessment tools.

Methods. This Doctor of Nursing Practice student led quality improvement project employed a self-perceived clinical and military skillset deployment readiness assessment to evaluate deployment readiness in Air Force [JL1] nurses. It was conducted using a modified Readiness Estimate and Deployability Index-Revised-Air Force Nurses (READI-R-AFN) survey tool.

Interventions. A total of ten Air Force RNs completed the baseline and post training surveys. The survey was divided into three primary categories clinical skillsets, personal military skillsets, and demographics

Results. The baseline pre training survey for clinical skills had an average score of 3.07 (Moderately Competent) and successfully identified areas of both opportunity and high competency. The post training survey identified an increased average score of clinical skills to 4.02 (Highly Competent), a significant increase of 31%.

Conclusions. The project validated the READI-R-AFN tool as an effective means to assess self-perceived deployment readiness. The READI-R-ARN was shown to be an easy to use and effective tool to assess baseline deployment readiness and ongoing training.

Key Words: Deployment, military nursing, nursing critical care

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