Health Service Officer (HSO)

[rjfoxx]

Any other HSO's (Health Service Officers) out there?  The HSO is the non-physician, non-nurse unit medical officer (CAPR 160-1).  I am the only one in Delaware and the squadron and wing have no idea how to use me.  CAPR 160-1 gives some examples of duties.  If you are an HSO; let me know how you are being used.  Contact me either by PM or e-mail.  Thanks

[Flying Pig]

Im not an HSO, but as a Sq. Commander of a 60 member unit, Ive found that if nobody knows how to use you, then implement yourself according to the regs.   Which is what it sounds like you are doing.
I could not tell you what an HSO does.  So, I would hand you the book and say "get'er done and let me know if you need anything."

When new members come in, I point to the mail boxes with all of the positions on it and say "Pick one.  CAP doesnt happen on its own." 

You know what.....Im going to put that on a plaque behind my desk.

CAP DOESNT HAPPEN ON ITS OWN

[Eclipse]

I am the only one in Delaware and the squadron and wing have no idea how to use me.

With no insult intended, the reason for that is that there is no specific need for HSO's or MO's within the current limitations of CAP's program.

Sorry, that's just the way it is.

[Thom]

I am the only one in Delaware and the squadron and wing have no idea how to use me.

With no insult intended, the reason for that is that there is no specific need for HSO's or MO's within the current limitations of CAP's program.

Sorry, that's just the way it is.

Yeah, it seems more likely that we would say: "Oh, you are the HSO or MO, so we'll keep an extra eye on you to make sure you DON'T use any of that Medical Training you have."

Sounds about right...

Thom Hamilton

[CadetProgramGuy]

I am.

I use the position to ensure that all CAPF 60's are current, line up First Aid Training, CPR/AED and visits to the local FD to look at Medical crap.

But mostly CAPF 60's......

[davidsinn]

I am.

I use the position to ensure that all CAPF 60's are current, line up First Aid Training, CPR/AED and visits to the local FD to look at Medical crap.

But mostly CAPF 60's......

Sounds like what my admin officer does....

[John Bryan]

PREVENTION!!!!!!

I am a squadron nurse officer and in my unit we have a health services sections. We have a Medical Officer (Chiropractor), a nurse officer (me), 2 HSO (EMT & Clinical Mental Health Professional), & 3 Asst HSO (Cadets - 2 First Responders & an EMT). In the past we have had a Physicians and a Podiatrist.

We all do/did the same thing. A lot of education.....we work close with the safety officer to help in teaching about things like sleep deprivation, lifting injuries, heat and cold weather injuries, foot care, etc, etc, etc....any safety topic with a health relation we help or teach.

We work with DDR to educate members alcohol use, smoking , use of drugs, effects of prescription and OTC meds on how you function (again kind of a safety thing too)

We teach first aid and CPR, prevention of  infections (such as blood borne or even did a class on flu prevention), etc etc etc.

I would recommend Medical Officers, Nurse Officers, and HSO's try to be active in as much prevention and education as possible. I have said before how sad it is to see so few health care folks working DDR.

The Clinical Mental Health Professional and I also have worked CISM. In fact he joined because of CISM needing MHP.

There you have it...my 3 cents 

[rjfoxx]

My original post doesn't matter anymore; as of 3 August 2009 NHQ has eliminated the Medical Officer, Nurse Officer and about 20 other positions. See eServices for details. My position as HSO has already been removed from my eServices file like it never existed.

[arajca]

Take a look (or have your commander do so) in the Duty Position application. Some positions were realigned. Looking at the Duty Position report, the Health Services Officer is under the command section at the wing level. I don't know if it still available at the unit level, but I think it is, after all, the same report shows Deputy Commander for Cadets and Deputy Commander for Seniors at the wing level.

[BrianH76]

I looked under the Duty Assignment module in eServices.  Health Services Officer is a duty position under the Command function.  But it looks like our HSO no longer has that duty position assigned.  They deleted "Medical Officer" which is a duty position according to CAPR 20-1.

Of course, CAPR 160-1 lists Medical Officer, Nurse Officer, and Health Services Officer as duty positions.  Our regs don't line up well in this regard.

[RiverAux]

Supposedly they were trying to get rid of non-standard positions that were being used out in the field. 

[PaulR]

So is anything replacing that "career field"?  Safety Officer is still available, right? 

[Eclipse]

I am the only one in Delaware and the squadron and wing have no idea how to use me.

With no insult intended, the reason for that is that there is no specific need for HSO's or MO's within the current limitations of CAP's program.

Sorry, that's just the way it is.

I am looking forward to filling the Medical billet(among a few others) at my new unit.  From what I have heard, my primary role as an HS-NCO will be instructional.  I am fine with that .

Its not your primary role, it'd be your only roll, and assuming the titles stay in place in the new 20-1, its still HSO, not HS-NCO (your grade not withstanding).

This seems like a lot of angst and concern (here and on CS) over staff positions which are nothing more than titles, and which basically prohibit the member from actually using their respective education and skill.

Imagine a Logistics officer barred from tracking property or a Comm Officer not allowed to touch a radio.

As I've said elsewhere, I'm hoping this is round one of eliminating the titles and slots until such time as CAP gets less bi-polar about how it treats medical professionals.

And before shorts are bunched...

This doesn't mean the members who are also medical professionals can't contribute mightily in CAP, just that they can't do anything beyond what a cadet with basic first aid can do and expect to be indemnified.  This isn't about the oft-quoted "Armageddon scenario where you do what it takes, yell Hail Hippocrates! and let the chips fall where they may, as you trach a guy with a pen...", this is about plans, programs, and normal operations. For those cases, MO's and HSO's have no role or place.

Lately there's been a lot of talk about limiting advanced grade to members performing in the role that would grant it.  How can we grant advanced grade to MO's and HSO's when in some wings they can't even provide first aid training?

If I'm tromping around wind-flattened Mississippi do I want an EMT on my team for both my team's health and to potentially help the public? Oh, yeah. 

Is it fair for me to bring these people on board with a "wink, wink" about liability? No.

For those of you who are pilots, think for a moment, if you were recruited to fly, and then told you could be a mission pilot but not actually fly, and that if you fly a CAP plane, the corporation won't protect you.
This is literally the same situation.

[John Bryan]

My original post doesn't matter anymore; as of 3 August 2009 NHQ has eliminated the Medical Officer, Nurse Officer and about 20 other positions. See eServices for details. My position as HSO has already been removed from my eServices file like it never existed.

I would not worry. They did not eliminate the position, only removed it from eservices. As long as CAPR 20-1 and CAPR 160-1 are not delated or changed then the positions are still there.

This is just an eservices thing not a policy change. They delated National Board Member from eservices too but I bet we still have a board. 

[Eclipse]

HSO can now be found under the Command section.

[Short Field]

As long as CAPR 20-1 and CAPR 160-1 are not delated or changed then the positions are still there.

The deleted positions were not IAW 20-1.

[John Bryan]

As long as CAPR 20-1 and CAPR 160-1 are not delated or changed then the positions are still there.

The deleted positions were not IAW 20-1.

Correct.....CAPR 20-1 (29 May 00) only refers to "Medical Officer"....but when you read CAPR 160-1 (6 May 02) it defines the CAP Health Service Program and spells out Medical Officer, Nurse Officer, and Health Services Officer.  CAPR 35-5 (21 Aug 08) give details on promotions for Health Service Personel.

My point was / is that the CAP Health Service Program and the positions of Medical Officer, Nurse Officer, and Health Services Officer were not deleted from CAP. They may no longer be in eservices but they are in regulation and are still CAP positions.