d. The nursing service in a TOE hospital is normally subdivided into a
centralized materiel service section and sections/teams for intensive care, intermediate
care, and minimal care wards.
e. The clinical health care team consists of the personnel who work together in
the direct care and treat of patients. It includes the physician, the clinical head nurse,
clinical staff nurses, ward master, and other military and/or civilian paraprofessionals.
f. Army nursing care differs from that found in civilian hospitals in that the
patients are predominantly accommodated in wards rather than in private or semiprivate
rooms, these patients need leadership and discipline as well as patient care. The
health care professionals and paraprofessionals who care for them normally have more
freedom of action than their civilian counterparts and have leadership and disciplinary
responsibilities unique to the military.
Section VI. THE ARMY MEDICAL SPECIALIST CORPS
The Army SP consists of a dietitian section, a physical therapy (PT) section, and
an occupational therapy (OT) section. The members of this corps are commissioned
officers who are qualified as a hospital dietitian (AOC 65A). The SP also includes
commissioned officers participating in the Army SP professional education program for
the purposes of becoming qualified in one of these three specialties. The SP branch
insignia consists of a black "S" superimposed on a gold caduceus (figure 3-1).
3-46. UTILIZATION OF ARMY MEDICAL SPECIALIST CORPS OFFICERS
Army Medical Specialist Corps officers are to be devoted (to the maximum extent
possible) to actions and procedures for which they are specially trained. Army Medical
Specialist Corps officers may be detailed as members of courts-martial boards or
nonprofessional boards or committees when SP officers or other food service, physical
therapy, or occupational therapy personnel are involved in the proceedings. Army
Medical Specialist Corps officers working regularly established administrative hours
may perform as Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD) or Staff Duty Officer (SDO).
Officers whose regular duties involve shift scheduling will be utilized for AOD and SDO
only in exceptional circumstances. Performance of other additional duties will be
restricted to those in which dietetic, physical therapy, or occupational therapy education,
training, and experience are essential.
3-47. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
a. Dietitians were first employed in military situations in Europe during the
Crimean War in 1855. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, qualified dietitians
first worked for the Army, In that year, the American Red Cross acting as the hiring
agency, employed a few civilian "dietists" for duty In some of the Army hospitals.
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