PORTSMOUTH, Va. (October 18, 2021) – Navy Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) held its Nursing Skills Fair, Oct. 18-22. More than 400 registered nurses, licensed nurses and Navy hospital corpsmen participated.

Consisting of online training followed by hands-on training taught by CNSs, For eight hours each day, the fair offered the nursing staff an assessment and validation of their nursing competencies in seven areas including medication safety and central line-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), along with the opportunity to practice skills in blood administration that ensure patient safety. The nursing skills event also helped fulfill learning requirements for the Joint Commission and human resources.

“The Nursing Skills Fair is an annual competency event for nurses and hospital corpsman. The event is led by the Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) and Nurse Practice Council,” said Lt. Cmdr. Anna Schlenker, a medical-surgical clinical nurse specialist and one of the lead organizers for this year’s event.

Hospitalman Dalton Gilmore, a hospital corpsman at the medical center, said the fair was a great way to brush up on skillsets he hadn’t utilized recently, while learning new tools for treating patients.

“Working in the ward, I see different situations every day,” said Gilmore. “Coming here reassured me I am providing the best care I can and also taught me some new things I didn’t even know I could do.”

Attendance also came with a tangible incentive for participants in the form of five contact hours. This, along with the enthusiasm of the facilitators, made for a productive learning environment.

"The instructors made it so that the staff were excited about this and wanted to get involved. It's fun for them. It is fun for us,” said Gilmore.

As the U.S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military hospital since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally-acclaimed, state-of-the-art medical center, along with the area's 10 branch health and TRICARE Prime Clinics, provide care for the Hampton Roads area. The medical center also supports premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsman for future roles in healing and wellness.