[ilovenursing2009]

Hello,

Being a military spouse we move about every three years (if we are lucky, it is usually less then that). I have not graduated nursing school yet and was wondering what type of problems (if any) being a military spouse will cause me while trying to develop a career as a nurse.

Thank you for your help!

[psalm]

Hello! Your main challenge will be to have a duty assignment long enuff to do clinicals in a nursing program! Once that is completed, you shouldn't have a problem being hired. If a hospital is reluctant to hire you due to your husband's millitary status, you can always work agency, nursing home, or try the military hospital...or sue the pants off said hospital that won't hire due to your military status for discrimination, eh?

I was active duty myself and then became a navy wife. So if you have any ques, feel free to PM me.

[ilovenursing2009]

Thanks! I know, this is my 5th college trying to get nursing school done. We got lucky this time and are due to rotate the same year I graduate.

[traumaRUs]

Much depends on your spouse's duty station. My hubby was in the Air Force for 23 years. I was overseas continuously from 1978 to 1990 in multiple countries. When I found out that we would be coming back to the states (Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs), I applied, took all the tests, got my schedule, absolutely everything! And then guess what? We show up in Colorado and they say "oh your assignment was changed - you're going to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas!!! I was so angry! Anyway...went to Las Vegas in 1990 expecting to be there for awhile (at least three years)....managed to get right into pre-reqs and then did my LPN. We got our assignment to Indianapolis then, it took a year to sell the house and then when I got to Indy in 1992 there was a three year waiting list! Ugh...so I bit the dust and enrolled in a private (read $$$$) college where there was no waiting list, doubled classes and graduated with my ADN In 1994. We moved to IL in 1996! I did my BSN and MSN online and then did a post-MSN CNS at my hospital-affilated college of nursing.

Not to scare you but my story is typical for military spouses. If I was to do it again, I would try to convince my husband to extend quickly once I was able to start school. It is not easy. I didn't become an LPN until I was 34 and an RN at 36. I do feel that I will be working until I'm 70!

Do you have specific questions?

[ilovenursing2009]

Well, I guess I am concerned that I wont be able to specialize because I wont have enough time to do it. Or, that I will have to start at the bottom of the totem pole with every new job I get. I would like to further my education as much as I can. I know that I don't want to stop at ADN. How was getting your BSN and MSN online? Was that difficult to complete. I always find online classes harder. What is CNS? I am not farmiliar with that...critical care nurse?

[traumaRUs]

I have moved quite a bit since getting my RN license and was always paid for my years of experience. I was an ICU nurse in Indianapolis and then here in IL, I did level one truama center ER for 10 years.

A CNS is a clinical nurse specialist. I'm an advanced practice nurse, similar to a nurse practitioner. In IL, we (NP, CNS, certfied nurse midwife (CNM) and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) are all lumped together under the advanced practice (APN) umbrella. I see patients, assess them, prescribe meds, order and interpret tests, etc..

Hope that helps.

As to getting my BSN and MSN online - you have to be focused on your goal. However, my kids were still at home and I was a shift worker and couldn't go to traditional school. This worked very well for me.

[diapason05]

Me!!! I am a newlywed Navy wife and I am just starting at a private school in Hawaii. I didn't know my husband could extend.. I just asked him about it. That makes me feel better since I was nervous about finishing school. We have about 3.5 more years here and IF im lucky, i should graduate right before we're set to leave. We may get orders to stay here, though, so who knows. If we get orders for that, I will be attempting to get my Nurse Practitioner MSN done before we finally leave the island. I have about 25 credits toward my nursing pre-reqs so far. I will probably be working hard in school year-round. I hope I can get into a lot of summer classes every year!

[ilovenursing2009]

My husband extended so that we could stay here for three years. Thank goodness!!! I could not handle another transfer. I have had to start over too many times. Going to school here has been a challenge since they are so strict about transfer students and other colleges credits. But, I got into the program by petitioning the school. I will graduate just before we leave. Exciting that you are going for your MSN; I hope to do that someday. Aloha!

[rnmomtobe2010]

Trauma, you have given me a brilliant idea. I will share with you later. Thank You!!

[huffy79]

I am a Navy wife and we're stationed in San Diego. We lucked out though, we've been here since 2003 and we're staying here until he gets out in 2011. I think my hardest thing to deal with is trying to get daycare for my daughter so I have less to stress about and then the financial aid part. Other than that, my husband is on shore duty (finally!) so he rarely goes anywhere, if he does it's no more than 2 weeks at a time. I wish everyone the best!