Skip to main content

Military Health System

BACH healthcare workers and first responders vaccinated for COVID-19

Image of Soldier gives a nurse a vaccine in her left arm. Soldier gives a nurse a vaccine in her left arm

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital nurses and medics begin administering Fort Campbell’s first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine to frontline military and civilian healthcare workers after receiving the vaccine.

BACH now joins other Defense Health Agency military treatment facilities that have received the vaccine, marking the start of a phased-in vaccination program to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“It is early in the COVID-19 vaccination program, so there is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine. Our vaccination distribution prioritization will be consistent with the Department of Defense and the data-driven CDC guidance for national prioritization,” said Army Col. Patrick Birchfield, BACH hospital commander.

Under the CDC guidelines, military and civilian healthcare workers and support personnel at BACH directly involved in the hospital’s COVID response and who are at the greatest risk of contracting the virus will be vaccinated first. Vaccines authorized for emergency use are offered on a voluntary basis.

“It is critically important we offer our team members and Fort Campbell first responders vaccinations first because we need them in the fight. If our healthcare workers and first responders contract the virus or miss work due to an exposure and are required to quarantine, it reduces the number of medical and emergency professionals we have to serve our community. This is especially difficult at a time when healthcare facilities are under greater demand,” said Birchfield.

Blanchfield registered nurse Ryan Diehl, who works in the emergency center was among the first frontline healthcare workers at the hospital to receive the vaccine.

“Being in the EC we may be exposed to COVID patients or COVID-like [symptoms] patients every single day,” said Diehl. “We all go home to our families and small children so if you don’t get [vaccinated] for yourself, get it done for your family. I’m proud to have it.”

Medical personnel, wearing a mask, shows his vaccination card
Registered nurse, Ryan Diehl, a frontline healthcare worker assigned to Blanchfield Army Community Hospital’s Emergency Center, shows his COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card before adding his personal information. (Photo by Maria Christina Yager.)

Hillary Justmann, a registered nurse who cares for COVID-19 patients in Blanchfield’s intensive care unit, said she gave it some thought before ultimately deciding to take the vaccine. “I was just slightly hesitant at first but after talking to some of our physicians and doing some reading I knew it was definitely something that I needed to do. So if you are unsure, do your research, talk to medical professionals, talk to other people who have gotten [vaccinated], but I would definitely recommend it.”

As manufacturing and distribution of the approved vaccines ramps up, Blanchfield, and other medical treatment facilities across the military health system will receive additional shipments from the DOD and continue to follow its phased in distribution plan to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to those who want it.

Exact dates and numbers for when the hospital will receive more shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have not yet been determined. Soon, the hospital’s clinical services division will launch an automated telephone survey to beneficiaries enrolled at BACH with one or more high-risk factors in their medical record. The survey will help hospital officials determine how many high risk beneficiaries plan to take advantage of the vaccine.

“There are many details still being sorted out in this new process of distributing this vaccine but I’m confident that in the coming weeks and months we will see our capacity grow exponentially and we will share that information with our community,” said Birchfield.

The DOD announced it would continue to distribute vaccines in a phased-in format adding additional prioritized personnel. Ultimately, the plan is to make the vaccine available to any service member, retiree and family member, DOD civilian and certain contractors who volunteer to receive it.

In the meantime, Birchfield stressed the continued mitigation efforts which are critical to help reduce the current spike in many parts of the nation, including Tennessee which recently topped the nation with the most daily cases per 100,000 people.

“Continue to practice hand hygiene, wear a face mask or face covering when you are among people who live outside your household, continue with social distancing. We are not out of the woods yet and we must remain committed to preventing the spread of this disease that has caused so much death and suffering on our nation and the world.”

For the latest information concerning the hospital’s COVID-19 response effort, including vaccine distribution information follow BACH’s Facebook page.

You also may be interested in...

Awakening Trials, Breathing Trials, and Extubation (March 27, 2020)

Video
5/11/2020
Awakening Trials Breathing Trials and Extubation

This video covers safety screens and failure criteria for Spontaneous Awakening Trials (SATs) and Spontaneous Breathing Trials (SBTs). These together form the ABCs of daily care of ICU patients on vents (Airway and Breathing Coordination). Additionally, it covers the criteria that should be met prior to attempting extubation.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

IV Vasoactive Medication Basics for the Non Intensivist (March 19, 2020)

Video
5/11/2020
IV Vasoactive Medication Basics for the Non Intensivist

This video provides a refresher/introduction to the basics of inotropes and vasopressors that may be helpful in the context of treating COVID-19 patients. It is not intended to be all-encompassing.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

Sedation and Analgesia in the ICU during COVID-19 (March 31, 2020)

Video
5/11/2020
Sedation and Analgesia in the ICU during COVID-19

This video is intended to assist healthcare providers with the care of critically ill patients only. It is to be used as a guide ONLY for patients who have breathing tubes and are mechanically ventilated (on breathing machines). It will introduce you to sedative and analgesic medications that are used in the intensive care unit setting only. It will provide recommendations for use of sedation and analgesia in standard settings, but it will also provide recommendations for use in resource limited

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

BAMCheroes appreciation

Video
4/29/2020
BAM Cheroes appreciation

Our community has been a great source of support! Check out some of the positive feedback Brooke Army Medical Center has received for our incredible healthcare professionals.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

MHS Minute - Military Medicine: On the Front Lines of COVID-19

Video
4/24/2020
The MHS Minute, Special Edition: COVID-19

Agencies across the federal government are partnering up to combat COVID-19. Find out how the Military Health System is doing its part to support the U.S. response to this pandemic, while ensuring our Service members remain ready.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

Stay Home Slide Show

Video
4/10/2020
Stay Home Slide Show

Slide show of photos from BAMC's #stayhome campaign

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

MHS Minute Combatting COVID 19

Video
3/30/2020
The MHS Minute, Special Edition: COVID-19

Agencies across the federal government are partnering up to combat COVID-19. Find out how the Military Health System is doing its part to support the U.S. response to this pandemic, while ensuring our Service members remain ready.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine
<< < 1 2 3 4 > >> 
Showing results 46 - 52 Page 4 of 4
Refine your search
Last Updated: December 27, 2022
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery