Non-Doctor & Non-Nurse Medical Personnel

[Luis R. Ramos]

A big, bold EYE, to much better SEE you!

[Private Investigator]

What would an optician or a lab tech wear, hmmmmm?

Well the optician glasses I suppose. The lab tech? I could only assume.

Sorry, couldn't resist.   

[Luis R. Ramos]

Optician glasses with an apron and gloves?

[Майор Хаткевич]

Lasik laser pin for those pros?

[GroundHawg]

So they may have the knowledge, but not the certification. Makes sense, thanks.

A CNA has little to no overlap with a paramedic. CNA'a can take vital signs, maybe preform (but not interpret) EKG's, maybe draw blood. They're the people who take your blood pressure at the doctors office. Maybe they have some first aid training.

Just to put this into perspective as far as training goes:

CNA and EMT programs last about 6 weeks
LPN programs usually take about a year
Paramedic and RN programs usually take about two years and generally lead to an AA

[Eclipse]

So what's next?  Where does the list of professions which are irrelevant to CAP end in terms of badges?

Academics
Professors
Teachers
Cultural
Clergy
Chiropractors
Dentists
Midwives
Nurses
Occupational therapists
Optometrists
Pathologists
Pharmacists
Physical therapists
Physicians
Psychologists
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists
Surgeons
Veterinarians
Accountants
Actuaries
Agriculturists
Architects
Economists
Engineers
Interpreters
Librarians
Statisticians
Surveyors
Urban planners
Public services
Firefighters
Judges
Military officers
Police officers
Social workers
Transport
Air traffic controllers
Aircraft pilots
Sea captains
Scientists
Astronomers
Biologists
Botanists
Ecologists
Geneticists
Immunologists
Pharmacologists
Virologists
Zoologists
Chemists
Geologists
Meteorologists
Oceanographers
Physicists
Programmers
Web developers
Designers
Graphic designers
Web designers

[supertigerCH]

i think clergy usually do get a badge awarded?

(Chaplain's badge)

[Майор Хаткевич]

i think clergy usually do get awarded some bling?

(Chaplain's badge)

IF they are a Chaplain.

[DoubleSecret]

i think clergy usually do get awarded some bling?

(Chaplain's badge)

Blingless, non-chaplain clergy here.

[supertigerCH]

yes... we do understand that it's not automatic.  there is training on the organizational/military side that has to be done before someone wears a badge and is called a chaplain.


(i guess this is kind of equivalent to all the lawyers and EMTs we have walking around in CAP without the badges -- since they decide not to pursue both the positions & the badges).

[Eclipse]

(i guess this is kind of equivalent to all the lawyers and EMTs we have walking around in CAP without the badges -- since they decide not to pursue both the positions & the badges).

There is no requirement that you hold any CAP position to wear the EMT badge, only that you
have the requisite external certification, etc.

[Storm Chaser]

If the skill is not relevant to CAP, then it shouldn't have a CAP badge associated with it.

[LSThiker]

(i guess this is kind of equivalent to all the lawyers and EMTs we have walking around in CAP without the badges -- since they decide not to pursue both the positions & the badges).

There is no requirement that you hold any CAP position to wear the EMT badge, only that you
have the requisite external certification, etc.

The EMT Badge is rather nebulous as to what regulation covers it.  Unlike the Medical Officer Badge and the Nurse Officer Badge, which are explicitly controlled by CAPR 160-1, the EMT badge is not. 

If the badge is controlled by CAPR 160-1, then the person is to be in an HSO position in order to qualify for its wear (i.e. a doctor may not wear the Medical Officer Badge unless he/she is appointed as a Medical Officer).  All HSOs must have a current unrestricted license.  However, CAPM 39-1 states that for wear of the EMT badge, the person may either be current or former.   If a person is no longer a current EMT, then they cannot be appointed an HSO, but they are allowed to wear the EMT badge.  Therefore, this is in conflict with the regulations. 

To make matters worse, CAPR 160-1 states that Health Services badges and insignia are described in CAPM 39-1.  If you look at CAPM 39-1, it only lists the Medical Officer Badge and Nurse Officer Badge under Health Services Badge.  For an unknown reason, probably due to ignorance, the EMT badge is listed not as Health Services Badge, but rather Emergency Medicine Badge.  That wording is not in CAPR 160-1. 

Again, the EMT badge is in the need of clarification of whether CAPR 160-1 controls its wear.  If it does, then the line about "former" EMTs need to be removed and it is only restricted to Senior Members appointed in an HSO position.

For now, the Medical Officer and Nurse Officer badges are similar to the Chaplain and Lawyer badges.  If the person is not appointed in their respective position (Chaplain, Lawyer, or Health Services), then they are not to wear the badge.  For personnel to be assigned to the HSO positions, they must be current.

Edit:  Fixed a typo

[Eclipse]

So much background noise for roles which can't actually do anything specific to their training or education.

If the skill is not relevant to CAP, then it shouldn't have a CAP badge associated with it.

+1

[LSThiker]

So much background noise for roles which can't actually do anything specific to their training or education.

They can and do.  Just because they cannot "practice medicine", that does not mean they cannot use their education and/or training.  In fact, they are encouraged to by giving formal advice on health matters to the commander.  This is due to their training and education in the medical sciences.  Would you as a commander take the advice of a person that read on the internet about XYZ or the advice of a person that underwent formal education and schooling to know about XYZ?  So by saying that their training is irrelevant to CAP and that they cannot use it is rather disingenuous.

[Майор Хаткевич]

What CAP mission does a nurse directly impact?

[LSThiker]

What CAP mission does a nurse directly impact?

Cadet Programs

[Майор Хаткевич]

What CAP mission does a nurse directly impact?

Cadet Programs

I'm not a nurse. How?

[LSThiker]

What CAP mission does a nurse directly impact?

Cadet Programs

I'm not a nurse. How?

By acting as an advisor for the commander:

Some activity or encampment commanders may require forms to be provided in advance for planning purposes. Health service officers advise these commanders on safe participation of members after reviewing CAP 160 series forms and assist in making needed preparations at an activity to make participation as safe as possible for members. The ultimate decision for participation in any activity rests with the commander.

Promote the Air Force's health, wellness and fitness philosophy

Educate members about and encourage behaviors which result in increased safety, health and wellness including, but not limited to: Read CAPR 160-1 for this list

All of these have a direct impact on the Cadet Programs missions. 

Also, from the Encampment Guide:

What Health Services Officers can do for encampments, apart from
providing emergency care, is to lend their expertise by advising commanders and participants on health, fitness,
disease, and injury prevention topics.

[Eclipse]

Sorry, that's a lot of rhetoric and that rubber doesn't meet the road.

For starters, there very little need for commanders to be "advised", because that advice is
either going to be in the text, or he's probably looking for permission to do something he shouldn't
be doing.

No adult member in CAP with a lick of sense is going to an HSO for information on their personal health
or fitness, that's why they have personal Drs, and no HSO worth his cert is going to make recommendations
without knowing a person's history.  "Eat less / move more" doesn't require an HSO, and if you tell me
to do deep knee bends and jumping jacks without knowing about my bad knee and compressed disks,
you're putting yourself and the organization at risk.

Likewise for cadets, even moreso.  Members are not coming to CAP for legal advice, medical care, or
to have their faith healed or born.  CAP should stay out of these arenas altogether.

Beyond the general "hydrate / sleep / etc." there nothing an HSO can do that any reasonably
capable parent with first aid training can't, and if they are doing something that exceeds that level,
they are likely violating a reg or common sense some where

As a parent and a compassionate / concerned CAP leader, it brings me some personal level of security to
have medical professionals nearby should a cadet take a header, etc., but at the same time I also
know that if a CAP activity is too far outside 9-1-1, the ORM is probably getting into the "questionable" area.