Scott Air Force Base to celebrate nurse, medical technician’s week Published May 4, 2016 By Donna Stewart 375th Medical Group SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill -- The 375th Medical Group will celebrate National Nurses Week/Nurse-Medical Technician Week, next week, to recognize the nurses and medical technicians for their tremendous contributions and invaluable service toward providing quality care for our military members and their families. The 375th MDG will kick off the week with a potluck breakfast May 9, followed by Nurse-Tech Heritage Day, Aerospace Evacuation Day with C-130 demonstrations, an ice cream social, and will culminate with a barbeque May 13. National Nurses Week, which is May 6-12 every year, began as a celebration of the legacy of nurse, Florence Nightingale, who was famous for treating soldiers during the Crimean war and establishing nursing as a profession. This special observance not only celebrates nurses and medical technicians and their various roles within the Air Force medical community, it also helps to increase awareness for nursing as a possible career option for others. "Celebrating National Nurses week gives us an opportunity to show our nurses and medical technicians that they are appreciated for all of the hard work they do every day," said Col. Colleen Frohling, 375th MDG chief nurse. The official theme for the 2016 appreciation week, as selected by the American Nurses Association, is "Culture of Safety--it starts with you." The ANA defines culture of safety as "one in which core values and behaviors emphasize safety over competing goals." Characteristics of a positive safety culture may include such things as mutual trust when discussing safety concerns and solutions, clarifying use of appropriate resources, and a learning environment where health care professionals are able to proactively determine program weaknesses and learn from errors. The 375th Medical Group nurses and medical technicians render contributions toward improving health care quality and creating a culture of safety, for not only our patients but for themselves as well, on a daily basis. They provide their expertise in areas of family medicine, flight medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, mental health, internal medicine, same-day surgery, referral management, disease management, utilization management, and case management. As the celebration of National Nurse-Medical Technician week begins, Team Scott members are invited to join the 375th Medical Group in thanking all of the nurses and medical technicians for their dedication and commitment to providing quality health care to the entire Scott AFB community.