After 84 years of treating service members, Naval Hospital Jacksonville has been the first of many endeavors. This past year, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville became home to the very first enroute care paramedic with her very own Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC).
“I am the first person in the Navy qualified to do enroute care as a L50B (Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic), and I’m ready to help others become EMTs and possibly paramedics,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd class Kelly Jurkouich, Expeditionary Medical Facility 150-Mike and Emergency Department work center supervisor.
After a grueling five month accelerated military paramedic course held at Fayetteville Technical Community College in North Carolina, she graduated in March. In July, Jurkouich participated in the Joint Enroute Care Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, which trains service members to provide critical care while transporting patients through a combat zone. During the course, she treated a simulated casualty during a point-of-injury scenario. After returning to Jacksonville, she immediately got to work on starting an educational program for other interested Sailors with the help of Lt. Thomas Hollenbeck-Pringle, Intensive Care Unit staff nurse.

“This program is volunteer driven, not command mandated,” said Hollenbeck-Pringle. “The program is tailored to fit our unique circumstances. Additionally, there is no commitment to the program.”
With 30 participants in the pipeline thus far three Sailors assigned to the command have passed. Focus has shifted towards assisting those interested in how to prepare for the exam, which is recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, to become a L50A Emergency Medical Technician.
“We get five days to fill in the gaps with test-taking strategies and nuances Jurkouich knows, like where to park the rig,” Hollenbeck-Pringle said. “By doing this class, showing superior knowledge in emergency medicine at a basic level.” He also said it is great for people who need more clinic experience or rotated to a nonclinical setting.
“In the medical field, having certificates like this opens more doors – if you are looking for avenues that are different than you currently have, this is an excellent opportunity,” he said.
Jurkouich agreed saying that if life circumstances change, she has this certificate to fall back on. With her last two duty stations being overseas, there is a need for her new training as duty stations in Japan, Germany, Italy and Spain, the hospitals manage the ambulance service. She stresses that this training isn’t for those who are new to Navy Medicine.
“You are so busy just learning your job and rotating clinics, learning Hospital Corpsman Personal Qualifications Standards, this training is better suited towards someone in their second year here or if it’s their second duty station,” Jurkouich said. Current criteria are for those with less than two years from A school, can jump in the course, whereas those more than two years out, must complete 20 continuing education courses and take a test similar to the one offered in the Tactical Combat Casualty Course. Jurkouich adds they are overcoming large hurdles, such as establishing ride along programs with local emergency response teams and currently assigned to shift work and also educating Sailors about this opportunity.
“I show up to all NEC fairs with my poster, ready to answer all questions!”