Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron practice their skills in caring for mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, 379th EMDOS medical technician, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. The Airmen are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. Nurses and medical technicians — Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors — support U.S. servicemen and women across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Capt. Natasha Sommerville, 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron nurse, practices responding to a patient’s needs in an ambulance, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. The mock patient is Senior Airman Jason Henderson, 379th EMDOS medical technician. Sommerville and Henderson are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. This year's event is themed, “delivering quality and innovation in patient care.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Capt. Natasha Sommerville, 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron nurse, practices responding to mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, 379th EMDOS medical technician, in an ambulance, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Sommerville and Henderson deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service is celebrating Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron practice their skills in caring for mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, 379th EMDOS medical technician, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. The Airmen are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. Nurses and medical technicians — Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors — support U.S. service men and women across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Capt. Natasha Sommerville, 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron nurse, and Tech. Sgt. Courtney Leahy practice checking the vitals of mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Leahy and Henderson are 379th EMDOS medical technicians. The Airmen are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service is celebrating Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. This year's event is themed, “delivering quality and innovation in patient care.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Airman 1st Class Joshua May, 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technician, inserts an IV needle into a mock patient’s vein as he practices his skills, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. May is deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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A 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technician practices inserting an IV needle into a mock patient’s vein, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. This year's event is themed, “delivering quality and innovation in patient care.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Senior Airman Sonni Hamill ensures mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, receives the necessary oxygen for survival, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Henderson and Hamill are 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technicians and are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. Nurses and medical technicians — Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors — support U.S. servicemen and women across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Tech. Sgt. Courtney Leahy watches as Airman 1st Class Joshua May practices using a defibrillator on a mock patient, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Leahy and May are 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technicians and are deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Tech. Sgt. Courtney Leahy practices checking the vitals of mock patient, Senior Airman Jason Henderson, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Leahy and Henderson are 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technicians and deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. This year's event is themed, “delivering quality and innovation in patient care.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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A 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technician practices inserting an IV needle into a mock patient’s vein, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical group. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. One of the main goals of the week is to provide an opportunity to highlight the many aspects of nursing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Senior Airman Sonni Hamill, 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron medical technician, gives the mock patient a ‘thumbs-up’ as she practices her skills, May 9, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s medical facility. Hamill is deployed here from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The Air Force Medical Service celebrates Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. Nurses and medical technicians — Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors — support U.S. service men and women across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton)

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Day on the Job: Nurse, medical technician

Published May 9, 2013
By Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The Air Force Medical Service and 379th Expeditionary Medical Group celebrate Nurse and Medical Technician week May 6 - 12. This year's event is themed, "delivering quality and innovation in patient care."

Traditionally, the week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which nursing personnel, who comprise the largest healthcare profession, are working to improve healthcare.

This week was first celebrated in 1954 and recognizes the 100th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing with her work in the Crimean War.

With impressive strides in the field, especially in the deployed environment, nurses and medical technicians -- Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors -- support U.S. service men and women across the globe.

[Editor's note: The Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs office contributed to this article.]