TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma -- National Nurses week begins every May 6th and ends on May 12th. National Nurses week began in 1954 the year that marked the 100th Anniversary of Florence Nightingale's Mission to Crimea. In 1974 President Nixon issued a proclamation designating this week as National Nurses week. This week is celebrated within the health care community as way to recognize the contributions nurses make in health care and within the community. The Air Force Reserve will recognize nurses and the medical technicians during the UTA for their contributions to military health care and their contributions within the community.
Do you know the 507th nurses?
So do you know the nurses who work within the wing? Currently the 507th Medical Squadron has eight nurses assigned here. They perform a wide variety of duties within the unit and often have extra duties assigned that are unrelated to nursing practice. Each of them has the possibility to deploy as a nurse regardless of the duty that they are assigned here at the 507th. In order to have the designation of a nurse within the AF Reserve you must have a registered nursing license and a bachelor's degree in nursing or a health related field.
Lt. Col. Gail Livengood, is the 507th Medical Squadron Chief Nurse. She has spent the last 22 years in the military. Livengood recently retired from the Oklahoma State Health Department and is currently pursuing a master's degree in nursing education.
Lt.Col. Dawn Moore is the 507th Medical Squadron Medical Readiness Officer and EET member. She has 29 years of military service and was prior enlisted before seeking her commission. Moore has a master's degree in health care management and is currently employed at the Nebraska Western Iowa Veterans Center.
Major Michelle Wollenzin is currently the Assistant Chief Nurse, OIC for Immunizations and additional duty of CPR Instructor. She has 14 years of military service. Recently Wollenzin completed her master's degree in nursing administration and is currently employed as a Nurse Manager for Humana Military Health Care Services.
Capt Esther Mitchell is the 507th Medical Squadron Staff Development Officer, Supervisor for Surgical Technicians and she assists in physical exam process. She has a master's degree in management. Mitchell has 28 years of military service and was prior enlisted in the U.S. Navy before seeking commission. She is currently employed at the Spine Hospital in Oklahoma City as an Operating Room Nurse.
Capt. Jennifer Trevino is currently the 507th Self-Aide Buddy Care OIC, CPR coordinator/Instructor and EET member. She has 16 years of military service and was prior enlisted before seeking a Commission. Trevino is currently employed at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority as a Senior Nurse Case Manager.
Capt. Teresa Foster is in charge of the 507th Medical Squadron In-Service Education. She has 8 years of military service and is currently employed at Duncan Regional Hospital as an Intensive Care Nurse.
Capt Shirley Roberts is the Infection Control Nurse, assists in physical exam process and is the head of the EET within the medical squadron. She has 18 years of military service and was prior enlisted before seeking a commission. Roberts is currently deployed to Ramstein, Germany providing medical support to the 86th Medical Group. She is employed at the Integris Grove General Hospital in the Emergency Room.
Capt James Hataway is a Certified Nurse Anesthetist. He is the OIC of VA training our medical technicians rotate through during a UTA and is the ORM Advisor for the unit. He has a master's degree in nurse anesthetist. Hataway has 13 years military service and was prior enlisted before seeking his commission. He is currently employed at John Peter Smith Hospital, Texas as a nurse anesthetist.
There are several members of our unit who are nurses in their civilian life but are not designated the AFSC those are, Tech. Sgt Derrick Wells, RN, Staff Sgt Dan Schaefer, LPN, Master Sgt Kevin Black, RN, Staff Sgt Tiara Glover, LPN, Tech. Sgt Tesa Warren, RN, Tech. Sgt Michelle Mendoza, LPN, and Senior Master Sgt Annette Pollard, LPN.
The 507th Medical Squadron would like to recognize all of the nurses and the medical technicians who make significant contributions to our unit and our wing. Through their efforts we are able to meet our mission, goals and vision.