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BULLSEYE Feature 5January 15, 2016

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Airman wins southern Nevada nurse of the year award

By Senior Airman Jake Carter

99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — In

2006, the United States of America was

fighting terrorism in the Middle East. With

gruesome images showing up daily on news

reports, it reminded the American people

and the world how one conflict could dev-

astate the lives of military service members

and their families.

Marisa Hester is a nurse who was one of

those people that saw how bad the war on

terror had become. At that moment, Hester

wanted to make a difference and help the

people that provided her freedom.

“I was a nurse on the outside (civilian

sector) and I wanted to come in at the time

because, we were still at war,” Hester said.

“I thought that I had a trade were I could

help my fellow mankind, because they are

out there fighting for my freedoms, so why

can’t I help them.”

Hester is now a Captain and student

mentoring and retention team nurse cadre

for the 99th Medical Group and has de-

ployed twice since she commissioned in

the Air Force, which has brought her ups

and down.

“I deployed to Iraq in 2010 and Afghani-

stan in 2012,” Hester said. “Afghanistan

was probably my most memorable. When U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jake Carter
I was deployed, I was attached to the U.S.
Army. While I was there, most of the guys Capt. Marisa Hester, 99th Medical Group intensive care unit student mentoring and retention team nurse cadre administers training to
and girls that I saw lost their limbs. I would students at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 11. As a cadre, Hester trains students in how to efficiently provide care to their respective patients.

travel around to all of the different forward that I wanted to do something different other bases and Nellis, and I take them contacted me and I had to get the paperwork
operating bases and help out wherever I from being a bedside nurse,” Hester said. down to University Medical Center and together. There are certain criteria that you
would go. We had a 98 percent survival right “She told me she had the perfect job for me we brush up their skills and we complete have to meet, like having your certifications,
while I was there which was great. We also and lone behold here I got this job for me. I their clinical competencies,” Hester said. you have to be in the clinical setting and if
had 168 patients that came through while I was super ecstatic about it.” “The students will receive two weeks of you have done any research,” Hester said.
was deployed which was really high.” training where it will be hands on with “There was some steep competition because
Once becoming an intensive care unit actual patients.” of all of the nurses that I know at the UMC
After being a bedside nurse for most of student mentoring and retention team and they’re phenomenal.”
her military career, Hester wanted to change nurse cadre, Hester took her students to the With deployments starting to taper
things up once she returned to Joint Base University Medical Center in Las Vegas, off, students skills were starting to decline Maj. Ann Petcavage, 99th MDG direc-
Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska before head- Nev.ada to receive hands on training to which lead Nellis AFB to work hand in tor of sustainment of trauma and resus-
ing off the Nellis AFB in February of 2015. prepare them for operations down range. hand with the UMC. citation skills program, who submitted
Hester’s award package, also had high
“I permanently changed stations from “My job entails that I take nurses and “Probably two or three years ago, they praise for her fellow Airman.
Elmendorf AFB and I told my chief nurse emergency medical technicians from noticed that a lot of the nurses in our medi-

cal staff, their skill sets were not where they “She is awesome and (has) a compas-

needed to be, and in order to get those cer- sionate attitude toward her fellow airmen.

tain type of skills, we had to do something She leads by example,” Petcavage said.

different then simulations,” Hester said. After completing all of the paperwork

“If students have to deploy, they are ready. and sending in letters of recommendation,

They have seen it before.” Hester was awarded the Southern Nevada

While teaching students in the nursing Nurse of the Year.

realm, Hester likes to take the time to in- “It was an honor and humbling that I

dividually get to know every Airman that received the award because there are some

will be a part of the program. great nurses out there,” Hester said. “For

“We tailor our training to the indi- nursing (community), it is a big deal. For

vidual,” Hester said. “I would email the me, what I equate it to, is that civilian nurse

students coming into the program to find of the year to me is like being the military

out what their strengths and weaknesses nurse of the year. It’s a big deal, so I was

are, have they been deployed, so I can find shocked.”

out a little bit about the individual. Then I While doing great work prior to the

would take what they tell me and use that Air Force and while serving her country,

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jake Carter to get their skills up to par. Hester is thankful for the people who have

Capt. Marisa Hester, 99th Medical Group intensive care unit student mentoring and For her actions at both the UMC and the been by her side along the way.

retention team nurse cadre, teaches how to properly use a device while administering Air Force, Hester was nominated for the “I’m thankful for the people that have

care to patients at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 11. For her actions in the Air Force and southern Nevada nurse of the year award. supported me and for those who believed

in the civilian sector, Hester was awarded the Southern Nevada Nurse of the Year. “Someonehasto nominateyou, and they in me,” Hester said.