Welcome from the N-PAC
Readiness & Response Committee

The Readiness and Response Committee is an Ad-Hoc subcommittee of the Nursing Professional Advisory Committee (NPAC). This subcommittee was created to advise the NPAC on readiness and deployment issues that affect USPHS nurses and to assist USPHS nurses in meeting basic readiness standards.

Goals for 2007

  • To serve as a resource for increasing awareness about basic readiness standards
  • To strive towards 100% readiness for nursing category
  • To increase basic readiness of nurses by at least 5% by end of FY07
  • Explore new nursing roles needed for deployment

Chairperson: CDR Mary Rossi-Coajou

Co-Chairperson: LCDR George Gentile

Members of the Readiness and Response Subcommittee
2007

CAPT Yvonne Anthony CAPT Amy Collins CAPT Stephanie Middleton
CAPT Rosa Myers CAPT Lynn Slepski CAPT Cindy Wilson
CDR Kevin Bartlett CDR Sheri Downing-Futrell CDR Lori Hanton
CDR Susan Orsega CDR Patricia Pettis CDR Mary Rossi-Coajou
CDR Terri Wade LCDR Patrick Denis LCDR Stephanie Bardack
LCDR Alicia Bradford LCDR Nicole Chamberlain LCDR Susie Dill
LCDR Jill Eich LCDR George Gentile LCDR Tammy Gragg
LCDR Brian Griffin    

Workgroups for 2007

  1. Basic Readiness Standards — Team Leader: CDR Hanton
  2. Exploring Nursing Roles — Team Leader: CAPT Collins
  3. Website Development — Team Leader: LCDR Chamberlain
  4. Tales from the Field — Team Leader: CAPT Middleton
  5. Education — Team Leader: CAPT Collins

What’s New?

Tales from the Field: Personal deployment stories are wanted for the Nursing Professional Advisory Council (NPAC) website! See attachment for details on how to submit articles.

Competencies for clinical deployment roles for nurses

* Note: Per Extension of Manual Circular 377, only 80 hours of clinical nursing are now required annually for currency in these roles, not 112.

Non-clinical deployment roles

  • Safety Officer
  • Administrative/Finance
  • PIO / Communication Officer
  • Liason
  • Planning
  • Operations
  • Logistics
  • IT
  • Response Team Leader
  • Food Safety
  • Risk Communication

Clinical Billet Addendum: Maintaining Clinical Skills 

A billet addendum should be submitted when an officer in an administrative billet is providing clinical services on an ongoing basis during work hours. It is important to provide sufficient information, in the event a claim is filed against the United States and/or officer, the OGC and the Department of Justice can determine whether the officer was functioning within the scope of his/her duties. A billet addendum is not needed if the officer is in a clinical billet

The billet addendum should include:

  • details about what the officer is authorized to do
  • name of agency/program/unit
  • the type of clinical services being provided
  • the amount of time to be spent in that activity
  • the scope of privileges granted

In addition, an officer should must submit a Request for Approval of Outside Activity form (HHS-520) to their immediate supervisor.

*Billet addendums provide no protection for activities while working in the private sector (non-federal facility) unless directed to do so by your supervisor as part of your regular duties. Working in the private sector requires that an officer purchase liability insurance.

Useful Resources and Web Links

Mentors : http://phs-nurse.org/MentoringProgram.htm

Readiness Policy and Standards:

Office of Force Readiness (OFRD):

General Emergency Preparedness:

Tips for Deployment:

Clinical Opportunities:

Required Medical Documentation:

For questions regarding OFRD please contact LCDR Patrick Denis, OFRD Staff Program Management Officer, OFRD, Office of Emergency Response, DHHS.