Page 9 - QARANC Vol 16 No 2 2018

Exercise COLD WARRIOR
Over the weekend of the 13 October 2017, two student nursing cohorts attended Ex COLD WARRIOR at AMSTC. The weekend consisted of a range of military and medical skills.
After attending lectures on Friday 13 October, we made our way up to York in the evening and were given a brief for the exercise. This consisted of an overview on our location, the current situation, the medical plan, clinical timeline and the medical rules of engagement.
After breakfast the next day we were split into groups within our cohorts and first participated in military skills sessions which were taught by members of the Mercian Regiment. Lessons included ‘Why things are seen’ which involved a recap on the 7S’s which we then put into practice. Our Navy counterparts, not having adequate clothing concealment, went all out on effort to avoid detection from the enemy. Further lessons involved section attack and patrol formations, target indication, response to effective enemy fire by applying RTR (return fire, take cover and return effective fire), and room clearance.
After lunch the groups switched round and we spent the afternoon in the mock Field Hospital. Here we did a round robin which included some practical sessions such as taking a manual blood pressure and basic life support. Theory based lessons involved pathology presented by a biomedical scientist. We were taught about the different sample types and what the results would indicate. Another lesson involved wound care where we had to identify the different types of wounds, mode of transport for infection, followed by a practical on the aseptic non-touch technique. After our evening meal, we went back to the
Rolling in the mud and a bit of leopard crawling to round off the weekend!
exercise area and were given lessons on blood transfusion, equipment care and fluid charts. We then split into mixed cohort groups and were put through our paces in a medical competition. Tasks included: identifying hazards in the A&E department, and escaping the laboratory by answering questions about blood and samples. This allowed us to put into practice what we had learnt throughout the day.
The second phase of the evening involved some night navigation supported by the Mercian Regiment. We navigated to bearings given to us, only after answering military knowledge questions correctly. The last phase involved responding to a mass casualty situation which was responding to the aftermath. Here we were expected to use our medical knowledge, decision- making skills and teamwork to utilise medical resources available.
On our final day, Sunday 15 October, the CO paid a visit and spoke with the students about how the university
course was going, and feedback regarding the exercise. Like with all military events there was a group photo followed by a ‘silly’ one as well to keep the morale up before the last event which was Battle PT.
Being military we all thrive on a bit of competition and in groups we competed against each other for the sheer pride of winning! PTI Sergeant Martin would shout out a letter and using our flexible bodies we had to create the letter in the mostimaginativewayinordertogether approval for the top spot. Of course, it wouldn’t be Battle PT without a bit of sprinting, rolling in mud and leopard crawling in order to get to the marked area to create the letter. Afterwards we had a debrief from the OC then made our way back to hit the showers and go to Hamstead Campus ready for lectures the following day.
Private Dunbar
Private Gibb
Defence School of Healthcare Education
Learning clinical skills in the mock Field Hospital at York
THE GAZETTE QARANC 7