Jacqueline Rhoads: A Nurse’s Journey in Vietnam

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Main body
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

Jacqueline Rhoads was an American born in Albion, New York City, passionate about serving her country in any capacity. She joined St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Rochester at the tender age of 21 in 1966. Her passion for joining the Army as a nurse made her keep Army recruiting posters all over her room. According to Freedman and Rhoads (1987), there was a big push for nurses to join the Army at that time; hence recruiters frequented their schools. Surprisingly, all her nine uncles were in the Army in World War II, and they joined within six months of each other. Everyone thought she was crazy; even her mother doubted her ambitions, but she was young, fearless, ambitious, and determined to work as a nurse in the Army.

Main body

Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio is where Rhoads did her basic training, and she states that she never took it seriously, a decision she came to regret later. Ironically, her principal memory of the movement was the big parties she enjoyed. She realized later that she should have been keen on what to do in case of a nuclear attack, chemical warfare, and handling weapons. Furthermore, they went out to Camp Bullis to shoot guns, but they wondered how this would help them as nurses. She fondly remembers the bamboo sticks at the training ground, smeared with excrement, and a training instructor in black pajamas with camouflage makeup on his face (Freedman & Rhoads, 1987). She did not take the training seriously until she saw these injuries while working in Vietnam.

Rhoads and her team went to Vietnam on April 26, 1970, and they arrived in the middle of a rocket attack and were immediately ordered off the plane and told to lie down on the ground. Lying down on the cement pavement at Tan Son Nhut was difficult since she wore her dress uniform, stockings, shoes, and skirt. This unfolding made her rethink her decision to become a nurse in the Army, but she had to be as strong as ever in realizing her dream of saving lives.

Rhoads’ life has changed mentally and physically since she arrived in Vietnam. As if lying on the ground was not enough, the temperatures were scorching, and there was too much noise that could easily deafen someone; she was terrified because everything came at once and unexpectedly. Honestly, she did not expect that welcome on the first day; she, therefore, doubted whether she would make it the next day.

Rhoads first assignment was in Phu Bai, where she stayed for thirty days working as an emergency room nurse. She was transferred to Quang Tri, where she worked at 18^th Surgical Hospital in a Medical Unit Self-Transportable (MUST) as an operating and emergency room nurse. Furthermore, Phu Bai is where she faced war for the first time five days after arriving in Vietnam. According to Freedman and Rhoads (1987), The nurses received twenty-five body bags on a giant Chinook helicopter capable of carrying one hundred to one hundred and fifty individuals. One of the nurses was to look into the bags and tell the cause of death, then indicate on the tag what she felt killed the person.

Rhoads explains vividly, visualizing how she was exposed to maggots for the first time. This vivid description gives the reader a clear picture of how things were on the ground. Moreover, it is meant to provide potential Army nurses with a clear picture of what to expect so that they may reconsider their decision early enough if they do not have the heart and courage to face such situations. She further narrates how she encountered the body of a young man whose face had been blown away, and larvae were all overeating where his face was supposed to be. At the same time, another body had wide-open eyes staring up at her, with a huge hole on its chest depicting a gunshot wound or a grenade abrasion. Shockingly, his heart and lungs were blown to shreds, with only the ribcage visible.

As a nurse in the Army, Rhoads was shaken the first time she opened a body bag. Fortunately for her, she was with a kind doctor who helped her through with words of encouragement. The Doctor reminded her that it was her duty and she had to do it with his help and that those were just dead bodies. In addition, the men in their group treated the ladies kindly and in a unique way regardless of whether or not they were ugly.

All nurses have that secret leadership trait of filling their patients with hope even when they are confident they will not make it. Rhoads explains the condition of Cliff, a triple amputee they once had who came in with MAST-trousers (Freedman & Rhoads, 1987). Cliff had stepped on a land mine and looked horrible. It was evident to them that Cliff would not last; he would bleed to death immediately after the bag carrying him would be deflated. Despite all these, the nurses stood by his side, encouraging him not to give up. In addition, Rhoads and her team portrayed nationalism by prioritizing American patients. Furthermore, she felt angry after treating and saving a patient’s life who had laid the mine that Cliff stepped on.

Furthermore, Rhoads had to be flexible and chip in for the doctor when the patient needed immediate medical care. She felt she was no longer young and could do things she would not dare do earlier. She received a patient, who was shot in the face, and his eyes could not be seen; furthermore, there was no support for his jaw, and his tongue was hanging. The corpsman handed her a scalpel, she was shaking, thinking she would cut his throat, but miraculously, she saved his life.

The good memories Rhoads would want to reflect on are the lifesaving moments and those they had parties together as a team. When she was about to return home, she met this patient on whom she had performed a tracheotomy; she could not believe her eyes. His face was full of scars, and you could see the outline of a jaw and chin (Freedman & Rhoads, 1987). Shockingly, he had no teeth, but his mouth and lips were intact. The person mentioned that he would never forget her for saving his life; she emotionally gave him a huge hug and wished she had more time to talk to him.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Rhoads wanted to do something for her nation, and she had her eyes fixed on nursing in the Army. She worked hard to fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse in the Army. Furthermore, she serves as a role model to young women who have dreams but the negativity in society cannot allow them to accomplish their dreams; she inspires them both as a Woman and a Nurse.

Reference

Freedman, D., & Rhoads, J. (1987). Nurses in Vietnam: The forgotten veterans. Texas Monthly Press.

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Jacqueline Rhoads: A Nurse’s Journey in Vietnam

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