Advice on being a Army nurse

[syudent1010@aol.com]

I am currently a BSN student, I am graduating in Dec.07. I was just writing to get some information hopefully from any present or past people in the army nurse corp about some things. I was doing ROTC and was planning on commissioning as a ROTC cadet, however some events happened in my life and nursing school schedule didn't allow me to fullfill all of the requirements to commission as a cadet. So I am now planning on being a direct commission, I talk to a recruiter on thursday 26 April 2007. Does anyone out there have any advice for what kind of information I should ask the recruiter about or any advice in general for me. I have friends that are prior service, but none that are in the situation I am in, so they really don't know what to tell me, except to be careful and don't let the recruiter pull one over on me. I could use any advice someone is willing to give me.Thank You so much!

[DRman76]

You have probably already have met your recruiter by the time you've read this post.
What sort of advice you need to know? I am not in the military... yet. I've dealt with many recruiters in my past.
I could be wrong by assuming, but I can't see you not getting what you want in the Army if you are going to be an RN. In other words, a recruiter 'sells' you another thing to meet his recruitment quota. The Army needs Nurses for obvious reasons.

Good Luck.

[syudent1010@aol.com]

Thanks DRman76 for the advice. Yeah I already met with my recruiter. I just wanted to get some background info. I have a really good friend that is a E-7, so she told me before I go whatever I do not to sign anything right away. Next semester is my last one and I do a preceptorship during the semester. There are two pretty large army bases by me, so I am probably going to do the preceptorship at one of those hospitals. I am leaning more towards being in the ANC, but I am going to wait and start doing the paperwork for the process after I start my preceptorship. The recuiter told me that pretty much I can't do any type of training until I pass NCLEX, so I figured this would give me time to finish school and then take the NCLEX. Good luck with all of your schooling,I really appreciate all that the firefighters and EMT's do. As a person that works in a ER and the niece of a retired fire chief I know and understand the things you do and see, so Thank You

[DRman76]

Your welcome.
You are doing the right thing by not rushing into signing anything yet. It seemed that your recruiter encounter went well.
I apologize to any recruiters of the armed services by antagonizing them. A vast majority of them are good people. Unfortunately, some of them are "bad salesmen".

I do aspire to join the Navy Reserves as an RN someday. It will be awhile before I get there.
:luck:

[CLC19K30]

syudent1010
If you need some information. Send me a note. I am a Nurse Recruiter for the Army and I am an Army Nurse.
My big advice is to start gathering your paperwork now. That is always the biggest hold up.

:not: DRman76 we are not Salesmen. That implies that we are getting you to do something that you do not want to do. If you don't want to be an Army Nurse what good would it do us to sell the idea to you and then when you are in you are miserable? We are Career Counselors. And your apology is accepted.

Chris

[NavyJim58]

I am a Navy nurse and my wife is a retired Army Nurse. I remember when we had the Army nurse recruiter at our house discussing switching from the Air Force to the Army. She was not high pressure at all and in fact encouraged us to take our time in making that important decision. Laid out all the facts and we made the decision which turned out to be good for us. She actually got orders to Hawaii where I was stationed. Its not for everyone but I recommend either the Army or Navy to nurses looking for a more adventurous nursing career. :houra:

[SoldierNurse]

Originally Posted by DRman76

You have probably already have met your recruiter by the time you've read this post.
What sort of advice you need to know? I am not in the military... yet. I've dealt with many recruiters in my past.
I could be wrong by assuming, but I can't see you not getting what you want in the Army if you are going to be an RN. In other words, a recruiter 'sells' you another thing to meet his recruitment quota. The Army needs Nurses for obvious reasons.

Good Luck.

How did I miss this thread/post?

DRman76, it is never safe to assume, and YES you are WRONG 101%. War is hell, so being an Army Nurse deployed to the Sandbox is no fun. However, I did not accept a direct commission into the Army/AMEDD/ANC to just have fun, LOL! I'm very proud to be a Soldier Nurse. Since you are not a member of the Armed Forces may I suggest you keep your unwarranted, bias, ignorant [as in not knowing] suggestions to yourself. Army Health Care recruiters seek out healthcare professionals that not only want to provide care for those in need but want to do so while serving the United States of America as a member of the Armed Forces. Those Army Healthcare recruiters that are not Army Nurse officers may not have all the answers. Yet, they are NOT going grabbing bodies to fill a quota. I'd match any Army Nurse officer to a civilian nurse with the same amount of experience ... any day.

The AMEDD provides a lot of educational opportunites, which I'd say surpasses that provided to civilian nurses by their employers. Yes, I've been both a civilian nurse & Soldier nurse. I'll be taking a helicopter to Baghdad next month to take the CCRN exam. The AMEDD has numerous programs for RNs to pursue MSN. Plus, the ANC is a great place for male nurses not to be out numbered [civilian nurses 5-6%] where males make up around 34% of the Army Nurse Corps.

The opportunity to advance as a nurse in the Army Nurse Corps far surpasses the same in the civilian nursing sector. As an officer you are expected to be a leader. Thus, as you gain rank you are expected to be a charge nurse/head nurse/ chief nurse, etc.

In the AMEDD, nurses an MDs' work side by side. Army Nurse officers are well respected by the Army Docs. In fact, an Army Nurse officer can out rank an Army Doc. None of that... I'm better than you attitude comes from the Army Docs.

Yes, I miss my wife very much while on my present deployment. However, I will be getting R&R with paid leave time, and round trip air fare paid courtesy of the DoD. Plus, most of my income while deployed is tax free.

Please, syudent1010@aol.com, if you have any questions [if, I'm not too late] feel free to send me a PM, or aol email to Carystransam@aol.com

[rex03]

I dont know where to begin because everything seems to be travelling so fast. I am considering joining the Army Reserves as a Nurse, but dont know if I even meet the requirements that I have read about. My recruiter, which I think is wise not to believe, says I do. I just dont want to get everything set in stone, go through OCS and then find out that they needed to reclass me because it was discovered that I dont meet requirements.

My background. I am former USAF AD (8 years) and have a BS in Microbiology. I am 34 years old, and looking at getting my commission in the Army in the medical field. Dont think this has anything to do with this, but I am also recieving 50% military disability compensation from my earlier committment in the USAF. My recruiter got a letter stating that I will be headed in as a nurse(66H), and I have a copy of that letter (from the hiring office). I have the commissioning board on 05Dec2007 and am going to MEPs immediately after to get all my dates (warrior training, OCS, and school).

My recruiter said that all I am required to have is 30 credits of Gen Ed, 30 credits in science, and a GPA of 2.75. Can anyone confirm this or am I having the wool pulled over my eyes? Also, what should I be looking out for?

Recruiter said Ill go to 4 weeks of warrior training (instead of the 10 week), OCS, and then either the AMEDD or other school of my choice to complete an ASN. Ill be doing my required drill time in the mean time, but being paid full time as a 2nd Lt.

Please feel free to email me if you have any additional info, but Ill check back here as well.

Thanks!

rex_fogleman@yahoo.com

[SoldierNurse]

Hello Rex,

I know we chatted via email a little while back but just checking back to see if all is well.

[the316]

Hello, I hope to get my BSN in a year, and then hopefully get commissioned into the Army Nurse Corps, (Reserves) I will be 43 at that time with No prior service.

My question is: will I be eligible to be a combat nurse? For example: become airborne or air-assault qualified. Because, as far as I know, commissioned nurses who come in this way do not go thru BCT. I would love to be able to be part of a Forward Surgical Team but I don't know if I would qualify since I will not have the normal military experience of an enlisted soldier. Also, are the same opportunities available to the Reserve nurse as the Active Duty nurse?
I'm in great shape and plan on staying that way.
thanks