[ButchVA]

Hi all,

I'll soon be 45, and am about to graduate from the Radford University (Virginia) BSN program. I'm a USAF veteran (a Signals Intel Officer from 1984-88). The AF nursing recruiter is making me a *very* lucrative offer. Having had to take three years off of life for nursing school, and live on borrowed money for the whole time, things are going to be tight. The AF claims to be offering as much as $57k up front (bonus plus loan repayment), which would take a healthy bite out of what I owe. Walking in the door as a 4-year O-3 offers me a super salary, and based on thumbnail calculations, probably at least a 42% increase over what I'd be making with the job I've been offered locally on a thoracic surgical ICU. That would allow me to keep my current home (which I **REALLY** don't want to sell), as well as keeping up with the loan payments while still living a decent lifestyle. All that is good.

My concerns are these:

1. I'm really only interested in critical care (specifically ICU) nursing. My immediate goal is to get ICU experience to begin pursuing...

2. Grad school. I want to get my CRNA (I have a background as a Licensed Veterinary Technician, and have been trained in and actually done surgical anesthesia on all kinds of animals). Will I be able to steer myself easily into an appropriate critical care setting to get this experience ASAP? I know there are no guarantees of anything in the military, but if I get an assignment to (say for instance) WPAFB, is there a severe enough shortage of critical care RN's to allow me to get in pretty easily to whatever kind of unit I'm interested in? By graduation I'll have close to six months of solid ICU clinical experience, from a summer externship and a clinical practicum (medical/surgical ICU and CCU).

3. Grad school - I know it's handled through AFIT. How hard or easy is it to get a fully funded slot? I can't afford to pay for CRNA school myself anytime soon. I need to get the AF to pay for it, and to pay me my salary while I attend. I have excellent grades, am motivated, and will have no trouble jumping through all the requisite hoops to get in. I just want to know how big the hoops are, and how far they are off the ground, etc.

4. What are the odds that if I were to stay in after CRNA school (it would incur an additional 3-4 year additional commitment after graduation) that I can just be a clinician? I have zero interest in commanding anybody or anything. Been there, done that. I want to manage and command me and my patients. Do military nurses have to go to Squadron Officer School and ACSC and all that silly stuff?

5. What are the other pitfalls I'm not seeing? I know very little about military (specifically USAF) nursing. I'm fairly comfortable about the military in general.

6. What about deployments? Is the USAF deploying people to fun places like Afghanistan? I know that's part of the game, but what are the real odds? Especially for a newly minted RN with little practical experience under his belt?

Any and all information will be most gratefully appreciated as I proceed toward my decision nexus on this. Graduation is in early May, and I need to move ahead smartly if I'm going to do it. I only have less than a 12-month window to get onto active duty (age stuff) without a waiver.

Thanks all!

Butch

[traumaRUs]

Wow - O-3 for a new grad! I was offered O-3 (and negotiated to O-4) with 15 years experience, 10 of that in a level one trauma center! I agree you should be questioning things...this does sound too good to be believed.

[ButchVA]

I was an O-3 when I separated in 1988, so they have to take me back as an O-3. Sweet deal, especially considering I got exactly squat for my previous service (no VA benefits, no education benefits, nothing).

[traumaRUs]

Got it Butch - that makes sense then. I was enlisted before and got out in 1980 (I'm old!). Have played with the idea of doing some reserve time but I have family responsiblities and unsure what to do.

[medchick]

I am an AIr Force veteren who seperated in 2001. It is my experience that new grads do not usually get exposed to ICU when they first start out. The other problem is that so many facilities have downsized from hospitals to clinics. The recruiters here have been actively courting me but I got out due to orthopedic issues and did recieve benefits so it probably isn't worth it for me to go back. The choice is ultimately your. Good luck in your decision.

[ButchVA]

Thanks Medchick. Interesting, since everything you read says you need a year's ICU experience to get an AFIT grad school slot for CRNA. If they plan to make me work med-surg for two or three years before I'm allowed into an ICU, then they can keep it. I can go to work on June in a brand new ICU doing ICU medicine, and using my ICU experience. I have no interest in quasi-sick-ish people who are there to milk the system. I like caring for really ill people and actually using my nursing and thinking skills. Passing pills and emptying Foleys isn't my idea of critical care nursing.

[Gennaver]

Hi Butch,
The AF recruiter that I spoke with in December 06 and again in March has been a nurse recruiter for over 15 years.

He was ethical in that he knew I was talking with the Army and didn' t make any attempts to derail that.

He explained that there is difference between the Army and the AF in that the Army starts ALL new graduate nurses as a 2LT. All of them. The AF would still start me as a brand new graduate with the same rank but, that they would recognize or reward my entry level degree of MS much sooner than the Army would.

He explained that all new nurses, (regardless of previous military service or level of education beyond BSN) start at 01. He said that they recognize years of service in the field as half and that a Nurse who has been a nurse in civilivan life for 10 years would be recognized as 5 years.

I do not know how you will go in with advanced rank but, the bonus and benefits sound about right.

The education is very competitive and takes several years in service and recommendations to qualify. I would ask to have what your recruiter is telling you, in writing.

Gen

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by ButchVA

I was an O-3 when I separated in 1988, so they have to take me back as an O-3. Sweet deal, especially considering I got exactly squat for my previous service (no VA benefits, no education benefits, nothing).

Hi,
Do you have that in writing? That for medical they will recognize your previous service for rank?

Interesting. Well then, it sounds almost too good to be true.

Good luck!
Gen

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by ButchVA

...have no interest in quasi-sick-ish people who are there to milk the system. I like caring for really ill people and actually using my nursing and thinking skills. Passing pills and emptying Foleys isn't my idea of critical care nursing.

??

Hmmm,
Okay then, you might be mighty surprised Butch. You will be emptying foleys and doing direct hands on care of your cc patients. You will be passing medications too.

I would imagine that your fellow soldiers and their loved ones who are in an AF medical-surgical ward would no more be "milking" the system than would you or I.

Hope I see *you* coming if I am ever a patient under your care.
(sorry, I am fingerwagging you just 'cause and figure that your comment comes across as much harsher than you reallymeant it).
Gen

[wtbcrna]

Butch,

I am an Air Force critical care nurse at Keesler AFB and will be attending CRNA school at USUHS this summer. As a new grad you are still several years (atleast three) away from being able to apply to CRNA school with the AirForce, if you send me an email address I will send you last years call for canidates for AFIT it will explain all the details.
In general you have to have two years TOS before you even apply, and you need to have atleast one year critical care experience. Unless you come in with your ICU identifier, it would be next to impossible to go straight to ICU in the AirForce. The other thing to think about is mandatory retirement age and will you be able to meet that with your prior service time.
On the positive side the pay, benefits, and workload are great!

Good Luck! Let me know if you have any more questions.