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| All Combat Is Not In Afghanistan: A Nurse Practitioner's Story |
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by Kimberly Spering, MSN, FNP-BC - January 17, 2011
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 Provided by Clinician 1
I was humbled and privileged this week to meet a gentleman who has given up a lot in honor and service to our country: a staff sergeant in the Army, having previously served in the National Guard for well over a decade, he has had four separate missions to Afghanistan...all for combat missions, mind you. In each of these missions, he had separate injuries which have now caused him to be side-lined for combat. He was “cleaned-up” on-site, if you will, and sent home to Pennsylvania for evaluation. He is deemed too-injured for current active duty until his current status improves.
His list of injuries over these missions is great. However, to hear his story, the VA physician who saw him “doesn’t believe him.” He went to another site for a neurology evaluation, and after hearing about his injuries, the neurologist ordered MRIs for the patient.
This soft-spoken man brought two inch-thick packets of documents with him...including the x-ray and MRI reports, neurology consultations, etc. And yet, his VA PCP physician said he “wasn’t a specialist and couldn’t read the reports to see if he had injuries worth fixing...” so this doctor wouldn’t give a written statement saying that this young man should see an orthopedic surgeon. He was also told that he wasn’t “considered a veteran,” even though he had three prior combat tours. Discussions with the veterans’ advocate did not help, either.
As this young staff sergeant spoke to me, I was astounded. The tale he told was great...and he had written collaboration of his story. He had suffered four head injuries from bomb blasts and was catapulted out of a Humvee on separate occasions. He had a completely torn suprascapularis tendon of the left shoulder and a torn labrum of the right hip. Due to his inability to get this fixed, he had subsequently developed a “frozen shoulder.” He had PTSD from the injuries and some traumatic brain injury (TBI) by the neurologist report, along with persistent hearing loss and tinnitus from the bomb blasts.
Yet, despite all of this, the young man was not bitter. Oh, he was upset because the VA doctor blew him off. However, all he wanted...ALL he needed, for his peace of mind, was to have his shoulder and hip repaired, so he could get BACK to his unit and his team.
Interestingly, he stated, with papers to prove it, that anyone could fill out the documents stating his injuries, and have them repaired with his Tricare insurance...it did NOT have to come from a military physician.
I was amazed at his strength...and commitment to his unit...his country...to ME. We talked about how he was coping with his PTSD. He felt best when talking with his comrades, not the counselors. THEY understood what he had been through, and THEY were his best support. His wife and family helped, but they didn’t “get it.”
I tried, in the hour I spent with him, to convey my thanks to him. He was quietly appreciative. I called up an orthopedic physician assistant I worked with, telling him this man’s story, and made arrangements for them to fit him into their schedule ASAP. I drafted a letter for his Army chain-of-command, and after conferring with my collaborating physician, had him sign the letter. Sad-to-say, I didn’t want to have any hold-ups from my “nurse practitioner” signature monkeying up the works.
I admire this young man who has given up so much of himself...for me and everyone else. No matter what one thinks of the war going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s the soldiers that matter. I hope that I did a bit to help him on his path of healing.
 Kim Spering is a family nurse practitioner who currently works at Brndjar Medical Associates, P.C., a family practice in Emmaus, PA. Her past experience includes the fields of medical/surgical ICU, open heart/trauma ICU, labor and delivery, nursing education, nursing supervision, and as a nurse practitioner in both family practice and OB/GYN settings. She currently serves as a NP preceptor for her graduate school alma mater, DeSales University, as well as for local baccalaureate programs. She is passionate about patient education and helping patients understand that they are ultimately responsible for their own health. She also firmly believes that the public needs to be educated on the value of NPs and PAs in meeting the health care needs of the next decade and beyond. In her free time, Kim enjoys family vacations with her optometrist husband, Mark, and her two sons, Matthew and Connor.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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| Kim Spering (Emmaus, PA) |
on 18 Jan 2011 at 12:25 pm |
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Thank you for your kind words. I am fortunate to have a pool of dedicated professionals that I can call on for "favors" to get people in to specialists in a relatively timely fashion. I have not had feed-back yet from this young man, but he should be having a follow-up visit soon.
Unfortunately, this VA physician has been a problem in the past with other patients. We have never gotten communication from him, despite multiple requests. It is very sad that our veterans are treated in this manner. Unfortunately, there are many stories like his. We owe them much more. |
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| Ralph Mitchell PA-C, Trauma Physcian Assistant (Tacoma,WA.) |
on 18 Jan 2011 at 10:47 am |
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Ms. Spering,
As a Trauma Physician Assistant with 12 + years of Trauma experience I am outraged by your story. I would only hope that this young man would get the care that he needs and requires. I salute you for your dedication and time directed toward assisting this young vet. Shane on the medical professional that has indeed forgotten their solemn medical oath to help and heal. God bless you and that young Vet. , you our both hero's in my mind.
Ralph Mitchell PA-C
Trauma Physcian Assistant. |
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