DOD Health Care:
Issues Involving Military Nurse Specialists
HRD-89-20: Published: Mar 29, 1989. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 1989.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
In response to a congressional request, GAO examined the Department of Defense's (DOD) policies concerning military nurse anesthetists, midwives, and practitioners, focusing on military policies on nursing practice and supervision.
GAO found that: (1) generally, DOD physicians were responsible for care provided to patients in military medical facilities; (2) DOD did not permit nonphysicians to perform medical functions independent of physicians; (3) DOD issued a quality-assurance directive requiring physicians to supervise nurse specialists, consistent with traditional procedures in military hospitals; (4) military services lacked a formal process for receiving input from nurse specialists; and (5) DOD required higher-ranking nurse specialists to assume supervisory or management responsibilities in their specialties. GAO also found that various nursing associations: (1) expressed concern that nurse specialists could not be promoted to higher ranks and continued to perform clinical duties; and (2) believed that physician supervision of nurse specialists should be based on written medical guidelines and individual education, training, and demonstrated skills.
Jan 14, 2021
![defense icon, source: [West Covina, California] Progressive Management, 2008](https://www.gao.gov/images/rip/defense.jpg "defense icon, source: [West Covina, California] Progressive Management, 2008")
Columbia Class Submarine:
Delivery Hinges on Timely and Quality Materials from an Atrophied Supplier BaseGAO-21-257: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021.-
Department of Defense:
Actions Needed to Improve Accounting of Intradepartmental TransactionsGAO-21-84: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021.
Jan 12, 2021
-
DOD Critical Technologies:
Plans for Communicating, Assessing, and Overseeing Protection Efforts Should Be CompletedGAO-21-158: Published: Jan 12, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 2021.
Dec 10, 2020
-
Climate Resilience:
DOD Coordinates with Communities, but Needs to Assess the Performance of Related Grant ProgramsGAO-21-46: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020. -
Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations:
DOD Needs to Address Governance and Oversight Issues to Help Ensure SuperiorityGAO-21-64: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020.
Dec 2, 2020
-
Navy and Marine Corps:
Services Continue Efforts to Rebuild Readiness, but Recovery Will Take Years and Sustained Management AttentionGAO-21-225T: Published: Dec 2, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 2, 2020.
Nov 20, 2020
-
GAO Audits Involving DOD:
Status of Efforts to Schedule and Hold Timely Entrance ConferencesGAO-21-185R: Published: Nov 20, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 20, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
-
Defense Acquisitions:
Joint Cyber Warfighting Architecture Would Benefit from Defined Goals and GovernanceGAO-21-68: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020. -
Defense Intelligence:
Comprehensive Plan Needed to Improve Stakeholder Engagement in the Development of New Military Intelligence SystemGAO-21-57: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020. -
Defense Production Act:
Opportunities Exist to Increase Transparency and Identify Future Actions to Mitigate Medical Supply Chain Issues:GAO-21-108: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here
Explore our Key Issues on National Defense
- Countering Overseas Threats
- Department of Energy's Contract Management for the National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Environmental Management - High Risk Issue
- DOD Approach to Business Transformation - High Risk Issue
- DOD Contract Management - High Risk Issue
- DOD Supply Chain Management - High Risk Issue
- DOD Support Infrastructure Management - High Risk Issue
- DOD Weapon Systems Acquisition - High Risk Issue
- Ensuring the Effective Protection of Technologies Critical to U.S. National Security Interests - High Risk Issue
- Government-wide Personnel Security Clearance Process – High-Risk Issue
- Military Force Sizing and Organization
- NASA Acquisitions - High Risk Issue
- Nuclear Nonproliferation
- Nuclear Waste Disposal
- Nuclear Weapons and Forces Sustainment and Modernization
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems
- U.S. Arctic Interests
- U.S. - China Relations
- Water Quality and Protection
Explore our other Key Issues here
