1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:10,350 --> 00:00:12,461 Joining the Air Force uh has impacted 3 00:00:12,461 --> 00:00:15,109 my life and allowing me to the 4 00:00:15,109 --> 00:00:17,053 opportunity to practice my desired 5 00:00:17,053 --> 00:00:18,998 profession and provide me with the 6 00:00:18,998 --> 00:00:21,053 tools needed to succeed . So in that 7 00:00:21,053 --> 00:00:23,220 sense , like , um , I've always wanted 8 00:00:23,220 --> 00:00:25,442 to join and so the Air Force has really 9 00:00:25,709 --> 00:00:27,850 allowed me to do what I wanted in my 10 00:00:27,850 --> 00:00:29,850 lifetime , like what I wanted for a 11 00:00:29,850 --> 00:00:31,850 career and also get to do it in the 12 00:00:31,850 --> 00:00:34,270 military and get to do it with um a 13 00:00:34,270 --> 00:00:36,709 very special population of patients , 14 00:00:36,790 --> 00:00:38,901 you know , veterans and active duty , 15 00:00:38,909 --> 00:00:41,869 reservists , etc . It's an honor and to 16 00:00:41,869 --> 00:00:44,819 get to come here and work and practice 17 00:00:45,139 --> 00:00:47,430 and get this experience , um , not 18 00:00:47,430 --> 00:00:49,541 everybody gets that right off the bat 19 00:00:49,541 --> 00:00:51,708 in their career . The teamwork that we 20 00:00:51,708 --> 00:00:55,229 have in the Air Force is uh it's pretty 21 00:00:55,229 --> 00:00:58,279 incredible . Um , I know on the 22 00:00:58,279 --> 00:01:00,501 civilian side there's a lot of teamwork 23 00:01:00,501 --> 00:01:02,557 whether you're in the hospital where 24 00:01:02,557 --> 00:01:04,557 you might be , but there's a lot of 25 00:01:04,557 --> 00:01:06,668 training opportunities that I have in 26 00:01:06,668 --> 00:01:08,390 the Air Force that I might not 27 00:01:08,390 --> 00:01:10,612 necessarily get on the civilian side of 28 00:01:10,612 --> 00:01:12,779 things . Um , we have monthly training 29 00:01:12,779 --> 00:01:16,529 days to where we're covering all of the 30 00:01:16,529 --> 00:01:19,080 new updates in healthcare , whether 31 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,402 it's mass transfu . protocols or OB 32 00:01:22,402 --> 00:01:24,402 emergencies , there's just a lot of 33 00:01:24,402 --> 00:01:26,402 opportunity for training um to make 34 00:01:26,402 --> 00:01:28,513 sure we keep up our skill sets , keep 35 00:01:28,513 --> 00:01:30,569 up our teamwork in case that we were 36 00:01:30,569 --> 00:01:32,513 deployed . In my career in the Air 37 00:01:32,513 --> 00:01:34,763 Force , I was able to serve as the ACC 38 00:01:34,763 --> 00:01:37,123 um Surgeon General , uh , executive 39 00:01:37,123 --> 00:01:40,002 officer and my that was really pretty 40 00:01:40,002 --> 00:01:43,563 much like a a master class um into just . 41 00:01:43,666 --> 00:01:46,316 Learning all stuff about influence , 42 00:01:46,566 --> 00:01:49,926 operational insights , like how level 43 00:01:49,926 --> 00:01:52,566 priorities are translated down across 44 00:01:52,566 --> 00:01:54,566 the enterprise so it gave me all of 45 00:01:54,566 --> 00:01:57,005 that experience of being able to see 46 00:01:57,005 --> 00:01:59,116 like people focused solutions and how 47 00:01:59,116 --> 00:02:01,405 that is translated into policy and how 48 00:02:01,725 --> 00:02:03,856 we're able to shape that into the 49 00:02:03,856 --> 00:02:06,566 mission and readiness for their entire 50 00:02:06,566 --> 00:02:07,566 force . 51 00:02:11,850 --> 00:02:15,050 It gave me the opportunity to advance 52 00:02:15,050 --> 00:02:18,089 from being an enlisted member to a 53 00:02:18,089 --> 00:02:20,089 commission officer and professional 54 00:02:20,089 --> 00:02:22,330 nurse and without having to worry about 55 00:02:22,330 --> 00:02:24,729 the stress of how I was going to be 56 00:02:24,729 --> 00:02:27,410 able to pay for my tuition because all 57 00:02:27,410 --> 00:02:30,089 of that was handled . By the Air Force 58 00:02:30,339 --> 00:02:32,506 and I was able to do that without even 59 00:02:32,506 --> 00:02:34,672 having to have a break in service , so 60 00:02:34,672 --> 00:02:36,895 I was able to continue with my military 61 00:02:36,895 --> 00:02:39,539 career and get my education at the same 62 00:02:39,539 --> 00:02:41,699 time so it was , it was really uh 63 00:02:41,699 --> 00:02:43,940 profound . There was a time before the 64 00:02:43,940 --> 00:02:46,860 HPSP when I was in school that uh the 65 00:02:46,860 --> 00:02:48,699 budget was tight and my wife was 66 00:02:48,699 --> 00:02:50,643 working really hard to make sure I 67 00:02:50,643 --> 00:02:53,020 could chase my dreams um of being a 68 00:02:53,020 --> 00:02:56,729 CRNA . And the HPSB once I was 69 00:02:56,729 --> 00:02:59,929 awarded it , um , it helped financially 70 00:02:59,929 --> 00:03:02,050 for us , um , but it also gave me the 71 00:03:02,050 --> 00:03:04,309 opportunity to serve my country , um , 72 00:03:04,369 --> 00:03:06,425 which is something I've been chasing 73 00:03:06,425 --> 00:03:09,690 for a long time , um , but it's , it's . 74 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,160 It was so beneficial while I was in 75 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,104 school . It took all the financial 76 00:03:14,104 --> 00:03:16,216 burden out of things and I could just 77 00:03:16,216 --> 00:03:18,382 study , go to school and try to be the 78 00:03:18,382 --> 00:03:20,716 best provider I could be once I got out . 79 00:03:20,716 --> 00:03:22,604 HPSP , it allowed me to pursue my 80 00:03:22,604 --> 00:03:24,827 school of choice for nurse anesthesia , 81 00:03:24,827 --> 00:03:26,771 and then it ended up also being my 82 00:03:26,771 --> 00:03:28,993 support system , uh , during school . I 83 00:03:28,993 --> 00:03:31,216 wasn't really expecting that , but um I 84 00:03:31,216 --> 00:03:33,382 had a very great uh medical . School , 85 00:03:33,434 --> 00:03:35,545 uh , recruiter , a master sergeant by 86 00:03:35,545 --> 00:03:38,315 the name of Balderrama , and she was 87 00:03:38,315 --> 00:03:40,714 like any questions I had even when I 88 00:03:40,714 --> 00:03:42,914 was in school about military or like 89 00:03:42,914 --> 00:03:44,914 certain things that had to get done 90 00:03:44,914 --> 00:03:47,315 that I didn't really understand for it 91 00:03:47,315 --> 00:03:49,426 she was always there to help me . She 92 00:03:49,426 --> 00:03:51,537 came through my whole journey with me 93 00:03:51,537 --> 00:03:53,634 and so HPSV , uh , it was a support 94 00:03:53,634 --> 00:03:55,690 system I never knew I was gonna have 95 00:03:55,690 --> 00:03:56,690 also . 96 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,130 I had a , a patient's family member 97 00:04:03,130 --> 00:04:05,352 that kind of pulled me aside and looked 98 00:04:05,352 --> 00:04:07,408 me in the eye before we roll back to 99 00:04:07,408 --> 00:04:09,463 surgery and said , hey , I , I trust 100 00:04:09,463 --> 00:04:11,630 you to take care of my father . And as 101 00:04:11,630 --> 00:04:13,797 an anesthesia provider , you obviously 102 00:04:13,797 --> 00:04:15,908 want to do everything you can to keep 103 00:04:15,908 --> 00:04:19,059 that patient safe , um . And do good 104 00:04:19,059 --> 00:04:21,859 work , but when we came back out after 105 00:04:21,859 --> 00:04:23,940 a successful surgery and the patient 106 00:04:23,940 --> 00:04:25,920 wasn't hurting and they were 107 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,140 comfortable , that family member came 108 00:04:28,140 --> 00:04:30,307 back up to me and said thank you . And 109 00:04:30,307 --> 00:04:32,420 it's those kind of moments that that 110 00:04:32,420 --> 00:04:36,040 are so meaningful um as an anesthesia 111 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,440 provider . And just makes you want to 112 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,480 continue to do a good job . I think 113 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,679 mainly it was being able to have the 114 00:04:42,679 --> 00:04:45,040 privilege of leading , mentoring and 115 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,959 watching um my team members grow into 116 00:04:48,959 --> 00:04:51,600 confident , capable leaders . So I 117 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,711 think that that is more experience to 118 00:04:53,711 --> 00:04:55,600 me . It's , it's really not about 119 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:57,767 personal accolades , it's really about 120 00:04:57,767 --> 00:04:59,933 how you are . Able to grow and develop 121 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,390 leaders in the military and what they 122 00:05:02,390 --> 00:05:04,670 are able and capable to be able to do . 123 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,440 Rewarding to be a small part of a small 124 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,359 community of military members and 125 00:05:09,359 --> 00:05:11,581 healthcare and utilize the skills I was 126 00:05:11,581 --> 00:05:13,748 trained with to impact their lives for 127 00:05:13,748 --> 00:05:15,803 the better . Um , I always love when 128 00:05:15,803 --> 00:05:17,970 patients tell me that their anesthesia 129 00:05:17,970 --> 00:05:20,026 was great and that that they're pain 130 00:05:20,026 --> 00:05:22,026 free , um , providing patients that 131 00:05:22,026 --> 00:05:24,137 high quality healthcare experience is 132 00:05:24,137 --> 00:05:24,029 important to me as a nurse and ethicist . 133 00:05:29,149 --> 00:05:31,230 Believe in yourself . You have to 134 00:05:31,230 --> 00:05:33,341 believe in yourself because sometimes 135 00:05:33,341 --> 00:05:35,563 there will be times where you feel like 136 00:05:35,563 --> 00:05:37,730 nobody else believes in you . And so , 137 00:05:37,730 --> 00:05:40,109 believe in yourself , um , stays 138 00:05:40,109 --> 00:05:42,829 persistent and never give up . You have 139 00:05:42,829 --> 00:05:44,989 to be dedicated , resilient , and you 140 00:05:44,989 --> 00:05:47,230 just have to have the willingness to 141 00:05:47,230 --> 00:05:49,640 embrace the growth through every 142 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,170 adversity , so . My advice would be to 143 00:05:53,170 --> 00:05:55,170 pick something you want to do . You 144 00:05:55,170 --> 00:05:57,392 know , it's easier to , if you , if you 145 00:05:57,392 --> 00:05:59,059 have something you wanna do , 146 00:05:59,059 --> 00:06:01,226 especially in nursing , you know , you 147 00:06:01,226 --> 00:06:03,392 wanna be an RN , you wanna be an LVN , 148 00:06:03,392 --> 00:06:02,890 you wanna , you know , whatever you 149 00:06:02,890 --> 00:06:05,730 wanna do , you pick that and create a 150 00:06:05,730 --> 00:06:07,929 detailed plan on how you wanna achieve 151 00:06:07,929 --> 00:06:10,239 it . Go . Talk with people that have 152 00:06:10,239 --> 00:06:12,406 been through that program , you know , 153 00:06:12,406 --> 00:06:14,406 I , I have people that come to me , 154 00:06:14,406 --> 00:06:16,628 that ICRNs are looking forward to going 155 00:06:16,628 --> 00:06:18,959 to CR&A school and so they come and 156 00:06:18,959 --> 00:06:21,070 they shadow me . shadowing is a great 157 00:06:21,070 --> 00:06:23,237 thing . If you , if you're in remotely 158 00:06:23,237 --> 00:06:25,237 interest to shadow , check it out . 159 00:06:25,237 --> 00:06:27,459 Nursing is a great career . I love what 160 00:06:27,459 --> 00:06:30,489 I do . We get to , to . Get patients 161 00:06:30,489 --> 00:06:32,489 through a lot of scary moments when 162 00:06:32,489 --> 00:06:34,940 being in the hospital is . It can be 163 00:06:34,940 --> 00:06:37,859 scary , and you get to be a voice of 164 00:06:37,859 --> 00:06:39,899 hope and comfort , and I highly 165 00:06:39,899 --> 00:06:40,410 recommend it .