Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms conducts point of dispensing exercise

Twentynine Palms -- Corpsmen of Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms and the Adult Medical Care Clinic held a point of dispensing exercise at the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School aboard the Combat Center, Dec. 6-8, 2016.

During the three-day exercise, corpsman administered the required influenza vaccine to approximately 3,000 Marines. The point of dispensing exercise simulates a large distribution of medication in a short amount of time during a simulated pandemic.

“We conduct the point of dispersion exercise every year,” said Navy Lt. Stephany Harris, environmental health officer, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms. “The training allows us to practice being able to distribute medication and vaccines in the event a pandemic were to happen. At the same time, we are able to provide as many Marines as possible at MCCES their required flu vaccine.”

The corpsman who participated in the exercise spent several hours distributing the flu vaccine to the Marines several hundred Marines a piece.

“We are really completing two of our requirements for the year with one exercise,” said Seaman James Bryantshock, hospitalman, Adult Medical Care Clinic. “The AMCC doesn’t have the ability to manage the vaccines for all the Marines in MCCES while handling other units as well. This helps us meet that requirement while receiving the training.”