ALL-NSMEN MEDICAL UNIT SHARPENS PROFICIENCY

To ensure that medical treatment can be provided effectively and speedily in the battlefield, the 1st Combat Support Hospital (1 CSH) - comprising wholly citizen soldiers - embarked on a two-week In-Camp Training to hone the proficiency of its personnel.

A CSH is a field hospital with operating theatres, intensive care units, wards and a blood bank to provide treatment and care for soldiers in the battlefield.

Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman visited the Operational Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) on 28 Aug to better understand their training at the Medical Simulation Training Centre.

The ICT involved about 400 medical officers, dental officers, and medics.

One of the training objectives was to ensure that the medics, most of whom do not work in the health-care industry, can perform their roles in the hospital proficiently.

"We need to re-familiarise ourselves with the medical equipment, and the procedures of helping the medical officers during a surgery," said 1st Sergeant (1SG) (NS) Quek Yee Kian, an engineering programme manager.

"The refresher course helps us. With every ICT, we get better and better every subsequent year," added the 38-year-old medic, who is 1 CSH's Acting Regimental Sergeant Major.

As for the medical officers, their training was focused on treating battlefield wounds, something which they do not usually encounter in hospitals and clinics, said Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (DR) (NS) Guo Chang Ming, Commanding Officer of 1 CSH.

"In hospitals, they are treating mostly illnesses, but in a military setting, there will be more blast, burn, and trauma injuries. They will need to do more damage control surgeries to stabilise the wounded," explained the 45-year-old, a spine surgeon at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

The NSmen will also do scenario-based exercises, working in teams to test their workflows.

When wounded soldiers are sent to the CSH, the medics will assess the type and extent of their injuries.

The medical officers will then conduct the relevant damage control procedures to stabilise the patients.

Their conditions will be monitored, and if required, surgery will be performed.

"We want them to be as efficient as possible, and as proficient as possible so that we can save more lives," explained LTC (DR) (NS) Guo.

Volunteers

Among the soldiers in 1 CSH are two female volunteers. They are nursing officers who have gone through the Medical Officer Cadet Course.

Captain (CPT) Pauline Leong, who has been volunteering with the SAF since 1994, said the ICT sessions have taught her much about treating patients in a battlefield.

"It's different from how we operate in a civilian hospital. I learnt to modify what I do in the hospital to a military setting, and make do with the 'mobile' field equipment.

"We also impart some of our knowledge to our medics." CPT Leong is an advanced practice nurse at SGH.

During his visit, Dr Maliki also held a dialogue with the NSmen on a range of issues, such as how to further improve support for citizen soldiers from employers and educational institutions.