[LZRN]

ALCON,

I want to be comissioned as a Nurse in the Navy. I am a prior enlisted Marine Ssgt, have a BS in Criminal Justice and an ADN. To be honest I am school'ed out! and no one can convince me that I need more "nursing leadership training". I have also had clinical rotations at Balboa Naval Hospital and they have very good nurses but no better than the ADN nurses I work with at a local ED. So if any of you Navy nurses are listening tell your leaders they are loosing good, educated people for no good reason!

Semper Fi!
LZ

[DanznRN]

LZ-

I sense a bit of frustration, maybe? I here what your saying, but rules are what they are. You made it to SSGT, you know what we say isn't going to make a difference. If you want a commission with your ADN go Army Reserve, they'll take you in a heartbeat. However, I do have this to say, it's not the degree that makes the nurse, it's what the nurse does that makes the nurse. I don't care if you're ADN, BSN, MSN, Diploma or what, the letters after your name don't mean squat if you can't get the job done. I know what the Navy's official policy is on this, my wife was ADN had to get her BSN before she could come active, I don't necessarily agree, but again, it is what it is.

LCDR Dan

[LZRN]

Actually a lot of frustration, but thanks for taking the time to respond. I know rules are rules but, the rational behind the rules are a bit, lets say "dated". I do understand that comissioned officers need to have at least a 4 year degree and I agree with that, so if I had just the and ADN I would not even question the policy. In my case and in many other cases folks have two degrees, often advanced degrees and are still turned away. I have talked to a few junior grade officers while doing my clinicals at Balboa and it seems as if they, in there "22yrs" of wisdom and there salty 6 months of active service, have the attitude of "If i did it you should have to regardless!" I just wonder if policy makers are really in tune with the reality of nursing and not just listening to the "old guard" trying to defend the professional integrety if nursing at all costs and with blinders on. again, thanks!
Semper Fi!
LZ

Originally Posted by DanznRN

LZ-

I sense a bit of frustration, maybe? I here what your saying, but rules are what they are. You made it to SSGT, you know what we say isn't going to make a difference. If you want a commission with your ADN go Army Reserve, they'll take you in a heartbeat. However, I do have this to say, it's not the degree that makes the nurse, it's what the nurse does that makes the nurse. I don't care if you're ADN, BSN, MSN, Diploma or what, the letters after your name don't mean squat if you can't get the job done. I know what the Navy's official policy is on this, my wife was ADN had to get her BSN before she could come active, I don't necessarily agree, but again, it is what it is.

LCDR Dan

[DanznRN]

LZ-

I hear you, "22 years of wisdom" and salty, that's too funny. Anyway, as usual the Navy is behind the regular world. I agree if you have a 4-year degree in something else and have your ADN that should meet the "leadership" requirement or whatever. The thing that they don't realize is that nurses are making all kinds of money on the outside. My wife works at a local hospital in addition to her Navy job for play money and she is getting $44/hr and this is small town WV. The shortage of nurses is getting worse and due to peak by 2010. My Dad is in hospital management and wn=ent to a seminar recently about the shortage and there was as study presented stating nurses will be making 6 digits in the next 5-10 years because without nurses healthcare shuts down. How is the Navy going to compete with that? This past year I had met the admiral of the nurse corps and she said we were 300 nurses short, I'm pretty sure it's worse than that. My wife's unit in Bethesda is short 20 nurses as it is. The Navy is going to have to do something sooner or later, "staying the course" is just not going to work.

LCDR Dan

[traumaRUs]

They could also get nurses if they would look at some of us who are "older." I'm 48, in great health, have an MSN and practice as an advanced practice RN. I have 14 years experience as an RN and 12 of that is in critical care in very big and busy hospitals. I have all the certifications an ER RN can have and I also volunteer and have 7 years pre-hospital experience.


Yet...because I am past 47 I am "too old." I'm also prior USN enlisted and because I am "old" I know how to get along with people and I remain calm under the most trying of circumstances.

From another one the government doesn't want.

[DUECSON]

LZRN, if you want to become an officer and the Navy requires more education then you already have try the ARMY Reserves. You can be an Officer with the reaerves with a ADN.

[LZRN]

No thanks to the Army at this point, I did 3 yrs in the Army guard after the Marines and it's not for me, I prefer th Navy/ Marine team environment. I will be finishing a BSN or MSN within the next year, more than likely the online program with the University of Oklahoma. It would be just as easy to finish the BSN while on active duty. I just turned 38 so I would like to get back in and retire before I'm 50.

Originally Posted by DUECSON

LZRN, if you want to become an officer and the Navy requires more education then you already have try the ARMY Reserves. You can be an Officer with the reaerves with a ADN.

[DanznRN]

TraumaRUs-

I hear what you are saying aboutbeing "too old." Consider this though, even if the Navy took you and gave you time for your experience, mind you not much regardless, you have another factor to consider. In the military, as you may remember, you have a 2-fold purpose. One as a nurse, one as an officer, they can give you credit for the nursing part, but not for the officer part. Therefore, in some cases, you would be junior to people far younger than yourself and with less nursing experience, would you be willing to listen to somone like that giving you orders? It would create a lot of problems, that is why they have set the bar at 44. In most cases, this helps eliminate problems. Take a situation we had at my last command. there was a woman who got a waiver and came in at age 44. They gave her the rank of LT for her years of nursing experience (8) and age (personal experience, didn't understand this one), something that people earn after 4-6 years in the service. Therefore, there was plenty expected of her both as a nurse and an officer, neither of which she could live up to. Needless to say, she was set up to fail from the beginning and when I left the duty station they were beginning the process to put her out of the Navy after only 3 years. I'm not saying you wouldn't do well, but even if they gave you the rank of LT for your experience, I am 33 and have 10 years nursing experience would outrank you because of my time already in, would you want to take orders or work for someone that had less years experience or was younger? Could be a bad deal, maybe not, but that is why they have the limits. Forget the physical stuff, I know some people that are older than me and still run better than my 10min. 15sec. run for the 1.5 mile, so physically I know you could do it.

LCDR Dan

[tiggertoo]

I like your response, however, I would like for you to remember to ask yourself that question in 10 years. If you are facing unemployment or living on the streets, working under someone younger or less experienced takes a back seat.

[LZRN]

I don't get your point?

Originally Posted by tiggertoo

I like your response, however, I would like for you to remember to ask yourself that question in 10 years. If you are facing unemployment or living on the streets, working under someone younger or less experienced takes a back seat.