Page 17 - QARANC Vol 18 No 1 2020

On the 24 April 2019 personnel from Joint Hospital Group South departed from HMS Excellent to Longmoor training camp to participate in a two- part exercise designed to introduce preceptors to the challenges of providing medical care to patients in a Role 2 environment in the field. The first 24 hours of the exercise was led by the practice education team and training team (namely Major Bulleid, WO2 Beech, Captain Raba and Corporal Waddilove). The initial 24 hours focused on training objectives identified in the Defence Operational Nursing Competencies (DONC) programme.
The preceptorship programme at JHG(S) has many preceptors, consisting of newly qualified and experienced nurses new to the Armed Forces, Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) and Biomedical Scientists (BMS). The practice education team conducted the exercise to demonstrate to preceptees, the importance of applying everyday tasks necessary to their role to a field environment for future exercise and prospective deployments.
Highlighted in the exercise was the importance of good personal admin for operational effectiveness and enabling medical personnel to fulfil their trade role to the utmost of their ability whilst overcoming the challenges posed by operational environments. The theory learnt was then reiterated by round- robin scenarios in the afternoon led by senior members of staff. Subsequent lessons of the day included sentry duty, security and quick reaction in relation to field hospital settings.
The second day of the exercise began at first light with morning routine; this enabled service personnel from each of the three services to share experiences and knowledge of battlefield routine that they had
Participants in Ex Dangerous Serpent 2
developed during their phase one training and prompted the use of skills used in the field. The remainder of the day saw additional personnel from JHG(S) join the preceptees to initiate a Civilian-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) exercise organised by Captain Newey. This involved patrolling as sections around Longmoor village armed with rifles and engaging with civilians to demonstrate the use of hearts and minds, whilst patrolling through civilian territory and interacting with the general population.
The scenarios simulated events that may commonly occur on operational tours, including providing HQ with reports gathered from patrols concerning water contamination, tribal conflicts, famine, domestic abuse and female genital mutilation. Further scenarios included members of the unit taking on roles within HQ and completing tasks such as providing press releases to the media by utilising a media liaison officer as well as employing eligibility matrices when treating local casualties approaching HQ.
The exercise enabled members of the unit to gain an understanding and utilise the experience of their seniors for knowledge of urban operations. Exercise Dangerous Serpent taught us about the challenges that may be faced whilst working as a healthcare
professional on an operational tour away from the comfort and accessibility of NHS hospitals including limited resources, the nature of the environment we work in, security and socio-political issues.
A highlight of the exercise for many of the preceptees, was a lesson from an emergency care nurse from the unit who informed us on the capabilities of MERT and ward-based care in a Role 2 and Role 3 environment which introduced the preceptees to prospective career opportunities for their future within the Armed Forces. We feel that exercise Dangerous Serpent 2 was beneficial to personnel from all three services across all three professions and was successful in its objective of exposing preceptees to the challenges of providing medical care whilst on operational tour.
2 Lieutenant G Elliott and Corporal A Dilley
Time for a break!
The Gazette QARANC Association 15
Exercise Dangerous Serpent 2
Debriefing
Loading a casualty in a very tight space
Preceptees observing clinical scenario