hello wondering if anyone could give me some insight. I have been accepted in the Navy Nurse Candidate program but not quite sure. How is navy nursing? I feel like nothing is in writing! All I sign is a piece of paper relating to my sign on bonus. They say I will have input in where my first duty will be but won't find that out untill I sign yes. Should I be demanding more and what in writing? My other dilemma is I ahve to tell the navy before the middle of October mean while I have a wonderful boyfriend, soon to be fiancee who is English and has just started a new job in England.. just wondering if I'm really going to regret no joining the navy? Nursing in England is less pay though. Thanks so much

I am a Navy Nurse and have been so for going on 14 years. I was brought in under the Bachelor Degree Completion Program which proceeded the Nurse Candidate Program. I was asked to give input as to where my top three choices for a duty station would be. That is such a hard question when you are new out of school, and for me...I hadn't really been anywhere the bases were! There were many factors in my decision...size of the hospital and distance from my family being two of them. I made the decision that I wanted a duty station on the East coast to at least be in the same time zone with mom and dad. But I also wanted to go to a large teaching facility, as I understood that it would afford me a much better experience as a new grad. Of my top three, I was able to go to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA. It was a great first tour, and I saw a variety of clinical pathology. I worked on a Pediatric Medicine floor, got certified in Chemotherapy Administration, and was sent to ACLS and PALS courses. I enjoyed working with the Peds Oncologist, as well as doing rounds with the medical students. I felt that we taught the med students as much as the attendings did! And I learned ALOT! I did that for two years, then transfered to an Adult Oncology/Chemotherapy Ward. I was also deployed on a hospital ship where I worked ICU. When I moved from that hospital to an overseas assignment, I knew that they could place me anywhere and I would be just fine...my nursing skills were that honed. I ended up working the whole gammet of Maternal-Child while overseas...trained in Level II and III NICU. And I especially loved L&D. When I returned to the states after that tour, I worked a brief stint on a Maternal-Child Unit, then became a Charge Nurse on a Medical-Surgical (including Pediatrics) ward with a Same Day Surgery Unit. Wow! Now I was really seeing it all... I had a desire to get into ER nursing so I worked PRN at a local hospital and became a CEN. From there, the Navy sent me to get my Masters degree (full-time and it was my only job!). I've since graduated with my Masters and am now doing what is considered a utilization tour.

Your decision regarding your personal life and your career is a big one. You will have to make compromises where ever you work when you have to consider family life. It isn't an impossible situation, but you do have to always remain flexible.

One of my greatest mentors in the Nurse Corps is an Admiral. She is married with children. It is possible to do all that you desire, but perhaps not in the timeframe that you desire. Flexibility is the key, and "Blooming where you are planted." In other words, always make the best of where ever you are.

navynursetobe, please tell me how long was the process before you knew you were accepted into the Nurse Candidate Program? I've started my application for the program.

DUECSON,

I did the NCP program. It takes several months to get accpeted into the program. It actually feels like forever, while the paperwork is going through. Lets see...I completed my paperwork in Feb 05 then when to MEPS in March. Then I didn't get my papers signed until June. I then didn't recieve my money until Aug. But...after all that stress of being accepted I like it, and still feel like it was my best choice for entering the Navy.

ENS PM

DUECSON,

I did the NCP program. It takes several months to get accpeted into the program. It actually feels like forever, while the paperwork is going through. Lets see...I completed my paperwork in Feb 05 then when to MEPS in March. Then I didn't get my papers signed until June. I then didn't recieve my money until Aug. But...after all that stress of being accepted I like it, and still feel like it was my best choice for entering the Navy.

ENS PM

In order to start the paperwork for the NCP, do you have to have the acceptance letter to the actual program? I will most likely be starting the actually nursing program Spring 08 but have yet to get my acceptance letter. How does the process work for the NCP.

I was also wondering if anyone knew a Navy Nurse stationed at San Diego to possibly give me a tour one day.

Any information is great, thanks!

I don't recall the excate order of how I did my paper work that was about 2 yrs ago.

I work at Naval Medical Center San Diego. I would be glad to give you a tour.

ENS PM

I'm in th4e process of writing my satement of motivation, what is most important for this statement? what are they looking for?

What is a utilization tour?

Not sure what context you're using for utilization tour. i've been in for 10+ years and the only utilization tour I know of is the tour you do following DUINS (grad school). If you get DUINS the Navy has sent you to school to get a certain degree. Once you graduate you do what is called a utilization tour where they are obligated to use you in a role that utiloizes your new degree. keep in mind that the Navy, and other services, have a broad defeinition of what you can do with a certain degree. I'm in DUINS for ER/ Trauma CNS/ ACNP, you figure I would go to the ER when I graduate. Well, it appears that i will head to an ICU at this point, they consider them similar in the Navy, I don't. But hey, got the Master's paid for, what do I care. Do know of any other utilization tour besides this.

LCDR(s) Dan