January 2023
Megan
Pandey
,
RN
Branch Medical Clinic Hansen
Naval Hospital Okinawa
Okinawa
Japan

 

 

 

This clinic is always bustling but RN Pandey always performs her job with a smile and without haste.
RN Pandey was originally hired to BMC Hansen as a GS9, a nurse that performed only nurse-driven protocols, she screened/triaged patients, created TCONs, and assisted providers with medication administration, wound care, etc. during minor procedures and other basic nursing functions. She worked that position for several months but transitioned into an interim role as the GS11/ Clinic Manager role for the clinic back in April 2022. Since then we haven't been able to post her old position because she hasn't got fully hired for her new role due to delays in hiring related to the DHA transition. So for the last 6 months, she has been wearing a dual hat.

She has been running back and forth between her new and old roles. She has been performing patient care and functioning as the clinic manager. As clinic manager, she has been scheduling provider coverage for a primary care setting Marine Centered Medical Homeport (MCMH) that supports III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Marines and Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC) Marines. Daily she coordinates provider coverage with over 14 units/ battalions that represent over 12 thousand active duty Marines and Sailors. That is very challenging due to providers deploying, going TAD, etc., and our blue-side providers supporting other clinics.

This clinic is always bustling but RN Pandey always performs her job with a smile and without haste. She loves what she does and she loves the military culture being a prior Navy veteran. Furthermore, she coordinates via USNHO our ancillary services including audiology, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, ophthalmology, and immunizations. Due to manning shortages, this coordination can be time-consuming as well. She is also our primary customer service representative. RN Pandey is a hard worker, and a people person, she is always on the move, always doing something, and even brings a lot of that work home after-hours as well.

She creates our BMC Hansen weekly newsletters and leads our daily clinic huddles. She has even volunteered to be Co-Chair for the Okinawa Nurses Association. She has a "can do" mentality. In my opinion, she is a great example of what an ideal employee or manager should be like. Works with little to no supervision. Great nursing expertise and she completes tasks on time. She is very proficient at her job and duties. She has great character and builds rapport with all of the providers and staff she works with. You can see she genuinely cares about her job and the patients she interacts with. She works mini-miracles every day and I'm proud to have her as our lead civilian nurse. Plus she has been the glue keeping the place working efficiently during the busy PCS season.

I and the department head arrived past mid-July. The previous DH and DIVO either PCS or moved onto another position before the arrival of the current leadership. During that period of transition and for a few weeks afterward until we got our footing she was ensuring the operations of the clinic kept on without hiccups.