Military Nursing in "Operation Return to Brazil": aeromedical evacuation in the coronavirus pandemic

Rev Bras Enferm. 2020:73 Suppl 2:e20200297. doi: 10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0297. Epub 2020 Jul 13.
[Article in Portuguese, English]

Abstract

Objective: to describe the experience of military nursing in "Operation Return to Brazil" in an aeromedical evacuation.

Method: this is an experience report of the nursing staff in the Aeromedical Evacuation of potentially-contaminated Brazilians who were in Wuhan, China, after the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Results: the report was constructed from nursing care performed in three stages: pre-flight, screening, and flight. Pre-flight care would include aircraft configuration and material prediction. In screening, the staff was concerned with being properly attired. In the health assessment of returnees, in-flight, attention was focused on Personal Protective Equipment handling to minimize the risk of contamination by prolonged contact with potentially-contaminated passengers. Final considerations: nursing was committed to planning all the actions of this mission, which was one of the longest, strenuous and unprecedented in the history of aeromedical transport in Brazil.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Ambulances / organization & administration*
  • Air Ambulances / statistics & numerical data
  • Betacoronavirus
  • Brazil
  • COVID-19
  • China
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Military Nursing / organization & administration*
  • Military Nursing / statistics & numerical data
  • Military Personnel / statistics & numerical data*
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / psychology*
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Pandemics / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • SARS-CoV-2