please help me

chuckc, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2007

You might try posting in the in the specialties forum under military & VA Nursing that is on this site. Good Luck :wink2:

TazziRN, RN · Feb 7, 2007

It depends on the state also. In CA an LVN with an active license may have to take a few pre-reqs, but not all.

nrse4evr · Feb 7, 2007

Dear boyter

Let me say first of all "Thank You for Serving!"

I am a former 91B medic from a long time ago. I can tell you that your experience as a medic, while maybe not transferable to the RN program, is invaluable in the real world of nursing. In the army you get to do so many things that you will not be allowed to do as an RN. But just knowing about procedures and possibly having witnessed or participated in them is priceless.

I was medic for 8 years during peacetime and the experiences I have cannot be reproduced in the civilian world.

I am not in the field of academia and so I don't have any advice to offer on what will transfer and what will not, but as I said your experiences are priceless. Even if you have to take all the pre req's you will not lose anything, only gain. All education is valuable in some way. it may also be possible for you to take some of the pre req's while you are still active duty if you are stateside or have access to computer classes. But I am sure that you already know that. Combining military duties and college isn't easy as I am sure you know.

Stay with your dream and make a great RN and continue serving.

Good Luck

arpeggiated · Feb 7, 2007

In California, if you've served 12 months or more of military nursing, you can apply for a CA LVN license under option 4.

This method requires no less than 12 months of active duty bedside patient care on a hospital ward, completion of the basic course of instruction in nursing while in the armed forces and proof that service has been honorable.

AfloydRN, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2007

My fiancee too was a combat medic. He chose RN school right after he got out and hasn't regretted it since. He's now planning on CRNA next year.You will have alot of pre-reqs to take. Your military time unfortunately doesn't matter to the state board of nursing. It does matter to the rest of us though.

boyter · Feb 16, 2007

yeah, I know. I just want to get this nursing going!!! I would go ahead and do the LPN program anyways, but I have 2 baby girls that need their mom, and if I am going to have to redo the LPN program again, I might as well do it once here. I love being a combat medic, and I love people. I am a great asset where ever I go!!! Its just a little more frustrating, I though going the army way would have been faster!!!

charlies · Feb 16, 2007

Have you thought abut becoming a PA? They may accept sme of your experience.

zenman · Feb 17, 2007

I am in the Army now as a Combat Medic. I am slotted for a spot for the M6 program which is the LPN. I found out through one of the guys in my unit, that he went the same route as I am taking, but when he went for his RN, he had to take the prereqs for the LPN course all over again. I just want to become an RN. I have so much medical experience now, through being an EMT on the civilian side, and NREMT through the Army, plus combat medic training, I just want to get to school to start the RN. Are there any credentials that would be suffice for the LPN from the Army LPN??

Way back in 1970, I went through ARMY medic training, 91A,B and then 91C which was the LPN/LVN program at that time. We were able to take the LVN state boards. I then challenged the California RN boards and became an RN. Worked for a few years and then went to nursing school for my BSN. It was a good "kick" to get me started. I don't know how things are now though, but I plan on looking at the ARMY site to see how the MOS has changed.