United States Public Health Service Nurses: Deployment in Global Crisis

Abstract

Nurses serving in the uniformed forces are often first responders to medical crises throughout the world. The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is an elite team of full-time, well-trained, highly qualified public health professionals who respond to public health crises at home and abroad. This article briefly describes responsibilities and roles of nurses during deployments; offers an exemplar of deployment to West Africa for Ebola response; and reviews the outcomes of the response effort. The author then offers reflections about her deployment experiences.