JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
National Nurses Week is celebrated each May. During this time we like to take the opportunity to spotlight some of the many dedicated 779th Medical Group nurses and medical technicians, who are committed to providing the highest quality medical care with kindness and compassion. Capt. Jake Thueson is assigned to the 779 MDG but works in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Thueson works with critically ill patients, including wounded warriors, veterans, and dependent family members undergoing surgeries. After discussing treatment goals with the provider team and patient, he administers medications, monitors vital signs, fluids and drains, and changes wound dressings, all along ensuring every measure is documented as part of the patient’s record. He also assists with minor procedures and responds to in-house emergencies.
Thueson is originally from Lewiston, Idaho. After high school he enrolled in a few general education classes at Lewis-Clark State College before leaving for a religious mission to Northeast Germany for two years. Upon returning to Idaho, he again enrolled at LCSC, met his future wife, got married and had they had their first of five children. He was still in doubt about a major so, with his wife’s support, decided to enlist in the United States Air Force.
“I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Aeronautics, taking classes at night, while working during the day as an aircraft mechanic on F-16 and F-117 fighters for the USAF,” said Thueson. “After repeatedly not being selected for a commission as a Maintenance Officer in the USAF, I began to question whether I had made the right choice. By that time, we had three children, and our youngest, a daughter, developed a serious infection in one of the bones in her ankle. Through the hospitalizations, surgery, and follow-up visits, I became interested in nursing, and made the decision to get a nursing degree.”
Thueson applied to LCSC and was accepted into the BSN program, while continuing his military service. Upon graduating two years later, he applied for a commission in the USAF as a Registered Nurse. He was commissioned in August 2012 and assigned to Travis AFB, as an ICU nurse. In October 2015 he deployed to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.
“While at Bagram, I cared for the sickest patients in my nursing career. I was the lowest ranking and least experienced of nine nurses and it was a great honor to be assigned to the deployment,” said Thueson.
“Interacting with my patients and their families is definitely my favorite part of nursing! Most of my patients are elderly, and have many great stories and experiences to share,” said Thueson. “I approach my patients in a very personal manner and tell them to call me by my first name. I explain that I’ll be personally taking care of them for the next 12 hours, and that I’m happy to meet them. This approach seems to put them at ease right away. It helps family members and patients relax and know that they’re in competent, caring hands.”
The biggest challenges with his job are deployments, shift work and being on-call.
“Deployments in the Nurse Corps are for six months, which is quite a sacrifice for the service members and their families. Rotating between day shifts and night shifts is very physically hard on a person’s body, as well as hard on a marriage and family life. Being on-call requires me to remain close to the hospital, so even on a weekend off or a holiday, sometimes I’m not able to leave town with my family to enjoy a vacation,” said Thueson.
Thueson stated there is really no magical formula for making it work. “We do our best to be patient and get through the challenges one day at a time. Just lots of patience and trying to remember to have perspective,” Thueson said.
Thueson describes himself as being “happy” and states that his family, religion and country are his greatest inspirations.