[FAM600]

I'm new to these boards btw. Been looking around for a few days and i'm loving it here, lots of great info. Anyways, i'm 18 and will be starting my prereqs to get into a bsn program, thats my goal right now, but once i hopefully get my bsn, i want to become a crna. Now i discovered that you can become one through the navy, now how does that work.

Now obviously the first step is to join the navy, what then? Now if i join as a rn with a bsn will i be able to go directly into one of their crna programs or what? Whats the process? I just need a basic idea of how it works.

[HealingHands27]

Hey, congrats on working towards the BSN. I have the same aspiration as you, but the army path towards the CRNA certification is the last option for me.

If you are a good student (you would have to be if you want to be a CRNA) there is no reason why you cannot get in at a civilian school somewhere in the US.

The reason why I discourage the ARMY/NAVY is because I feel there is no reason to put your life at risk, and also you will be away from family and friends, not to mention girls.

CRNA for civilian schools is not so bad dude, 3.5 gpa at least, good score on the grad test, and some experience.

cheers.

[FAM600]

I don't think the navy is as risky as the other branches since your always on a state of the art ship. One thing that really attracts me to the navy is the adventure, it seems like a once in a lifetime thing, something that would be cool to talk about with people, i don't mind being away from family for months or even a year.

[DanznRN]

My name is LT Dan D'Aurora and I have been in the Navy since 1997, I'll try and answer your questions for you. I am an ER/ Trauma Nurse and the Navy is going to send me back for my Master's as a CNS through a program called DUINS (Duty Under INStruction), we'll get to that in a minute.

FAM600-

Once you get your BSN you will have to be a nurse for at least 3 years before you can apply to DUINS through the Navy to go to CRNA school. There is no way to go right to CRNA school from your BSN program in the Navy. Further more, I wouldn't want to you to come near me if you hadn't been a nurse at least for a year before going back to get your CRNA. I think most civilian schools will require at least a year's experience. Successful candidates in the Navy have experience in the ICU or CCU, ER counts too, basically experience in critical care. The application process for the Navy takes about ayear and you have to score well on your GRE >1000 to be competative. There are generally only 18-21 spots per year so, you have to be good.
As for safer being in the Navy, not so much. There are only 12 true billets for nurses on ships and those are on carriers and reserved for 04 or above. We do serve on Hospital ships from time to time, but those are generally humanitarian missions. As far as wartime, you will spend time at a Fleet Hospital in the field or with a Marine unit, so safety is relative, but no more dangerous than any other service.


HealingHands27-

Last time I went to work, yesterday, I was out numbered 4 girls to 1 guy, what are you talking about? Women serve in our military services just as much as men. Do you live somewhere where this doesn't happen? As far as someone wanting to join the military, everyone has their own reasons. And sure you can attend CRNA school as a civilian if you have the $100,000+ to pay for it, in our military they will pay for it plus you get your normal pay and benefits while you go. Not a bad deal at all.

Let me know if I can answer more questions and be careful discouraging people from the military, it is no where as bad as people make it out to be, I should know. I actually go out of the Navy for 11 months to see "if the grass was grenner on the other side," don't kid yourself civilian life is no different from the military. I just get paid way better.

LT Dan