The USNS MERCY's Southeast Asia Humanitarian Cruise: the perioperative experience

AORN Journal,  Nov, 2007  by Linda Troup

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DIVERSITY OF TREATMENTS. Staff members on the MERCY treated many school children who received deworming treatments and vaccinations. An Army veterinarian also performed the same services for local animal herds. Many patients received dental and optometry examinations, and eyeglasses were provided for the first time to many patients. At each site that was visited by the ship, classes were given on basic life support and other life-sustaining topics by the MERCY staff members. To further enhance public relations with the communities that were visited, hospital tours were provided for government officials and other local dignitaries.

KEY STAFF MEMBERS

Commanding Officer Capt Joseph Moore, MD, the ship's medical captain, verbalized the crew's intent to respect and appreciate diversity, not only onboard but also when interacting with local citizens who might have paradigms different from Americans. "Help me to understand you," was a phrase he encouraged staff members to apply when interacting with others. His inspirational letters and frequent motivational talks to "all hands" buoyed the crew throughout the mission. Capt Moore reminded staff members that "medicine has no boundaries." The captain was often seen visiting on the wards and nursing units, supporting those who were serving and appreciating their hard work. Capt Robert T. Wiley was the civilian ship's master at the helm, directing civilian mariners who maintained ship functions. Both captains were positive, friendly, and effective leaders. Both men were visible throughout the mission and supported the crew's hard work.

The director of surgical services, Capt Craig Powell, MD, was a dynamic vascular surgeon who headed a team of multiple surgical specialists, both civilian and military. These included an otolaryngologist, a urologist, a plastic/reconstructive surgeon, two OB/GYN surgeons, a pediatrician, seven anesthesia care providers and technologists, six perioperative nurses, and 15 surgical technologists. In the Republic of the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia, native surgical health care providers also joined the crew. Undoubtedly, this was one of the most culturally diverse crews ever to join forces to provide surgical help to indigent people.

The department head of the OR, LCDR Noelle Colletta, RN, CNOR, NC, USN, helped maintain high morale among the six US Naval officers and 33 enlisted surgical technologists who comprised the continuous perioperative team supporting the MERCY's OR. Throughout the mission, this team was periodically augmented by perioperative nurses from all of the countries that were visited, including the Republic of the Philippines and Australia. Such varied, interesting working relationships allowed for an open sharing of nursing protocols and fostered flexibility, diplomacy, and lifelong friendships.

Two chaplains were assigned to the MERCY staff, and religious services for all religious denominations including Muslim and Hindu were available for staff members, patients, and patients' escorts in the ship's chapel. On the first day of the mission, the Catholic priest, Father Fix, performed an anointing of the hands of the health care providers.