The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton directorate of nursing services held a skills-a-thon in the multi-service ward during the week of May 20, 2024.

The event, coordinated by Lt. Stephanie Mondloch, was designed to provide healthcare providers the opportunity to brush up on their medical knowledge and skills and demonstrate proficiency through hands-on application.

“Completion of the Skills-a-Thon is a requirement for all active duty and civilian nurses working here at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton as well as all active-duty corpsmen working on the inpatient wards or the emergency department,” said Cmdr. Sarah Huley, associate director of nursing services.

There were 12 stations required to be completed and the average timeframe for completion of all stations was approximately two hours. Examples of the stations are blood transfusion, restraints, crash cart, de-escalation, blood cultures, and airway management.

The 2024 iteration of the skills-a-thon included significantly more firsthand demonstration and practical application than required in previous years.

“The Nursing Skills-A-Thon this year was more in depth with hands-on skills that are commonly seen as hospitals’ common sources for nosocomial infections, and patient care areas of risk,” said Lt. Cmdr. Melissa Troncozo, associate director of branch clinics. “The instructors were engaged with our nurses, answering questions, sharing best practices, and new technology that the hospital is using.”

Times for the sessions varied each day throughout the week to allow for the customary shift work required in the health care professions.

For many of the participants, this was a great opportunity to practice skills they rarely need in their current day-to-day positions.

“Skills-a-thon is a great event geared towards enhancing patient care and patient safety … allows us to refresh our knowledge on low volume skills,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Thomas, department head of inpatient services.

“Through hands-on training and collaborative learning, our annual skills fair ensures clinical competencies and best practices are followed across the command,” said Mondloch, nurse orientation coordinator for NHCP and training coordinator for Expeditionary Medical Facility 150 Alpha. “By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in patient care we aim to guarantee that our nurses are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to provide safe, high-quality, and compassionate care to our patients.”

The event was developed and implemented in a manner to encourage collaborative learning across the staff.

“Lieutenant Stephanie Mondloch and her team of organizers created a culture of learning in this year’s events for both outpatient and inpatient nurses of Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton!” added Troncozo.

When the final session ended, a total of 182 participants had completed the training.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton holds Skills-a-Thon