Rewards and challenges of nursing wounded warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany

Since the beginning of the Overseas Contingency Operation, more than 45,000 ill and wounded service members have been evacuated from the battlefield to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in western Europe. LRMC is a stopover for these service members, where they are further assessed, treated, and stabilized before they return to the United States. This process requires coordination between different military services, health care teams, and modes of transportation. These processes can be complicated given the severity of the wounded. Nurses at LRMC have learned how to streamline services, providing efficient, comprehensive care for wounded service members and their families.