2nd degree to military nurses

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Are there any second degree nurses here that decided to join the military after nursing school or 2nd degree nursing students thinking about commisioning. If so, what were/ are some of the main reasons for doing so or wanting to do so.

Please share your expriences.

Specializes in Trauma ICU.

I have a second degree BSN and am in the process of joining the navy. I'm joining because I want to be sure I get as much training as possible and I know the military trains their nurses very well. Also to help pay back student loans!

I'm a second degree BSN student (junior) and I also served 4 1/2 years AD Air Force as a Space and Missile officer.

After talking with instructors and civilian nurses I realized you can't beat the bennies from military nursing. I also think the experience will be invaluable compared to civilian nursing.

Specializes in Anesthesia.

thanks folks for your response. May more will definitely be appreciated.

I'm a second degree as well and second the comments made so far. Pay back loans, great training, etc. The whole package far exceeds a civilian job.

Second degree and second round in the Air Force - I spent four years in the AF as an enlisted K9 cop. I lived my whole life (for the most part!) as a military dependent or on active duty and when I got out I realized I didn't know what a good thing I'd had when I'd had it.

When my inactive commitment ended on 14 April 2004 and I lost my ID card, I felt like a piece of my identity disappeared with it.

Sure, I'll be deployable again - but some of my best memories are of deployments - heck, I met my British husband (who was a DoD civilian at the time) on a deployment. He came through my search post and my dog literally didn't like him (we joke that the dog was probably a good judge of character!).

When I decided to go back to nursing school, I toyed with the military, and then one day after I'd graduated my husband and I looked around and said - you know what - we've been here five years and it's time to go somewhere else. I called the Air Force the next day, and a year later, I'm on my way back into active duty in TWENTY-SEVEN DAYS.....whoah...

Specializes in L&D, mother/baby, antepartum.

Second degree RN here as well. My first degree was in marketing. I worked in retail management and merchandising for 10 years before going back to school and getting my degree. If you met me in person you'd probably think I was an unlikely candidate for the AF, but I'm AD and I love it!

I commissioned for a variety of reasons: I like to move often; I wanted an opportunity to use my MSN in a variety of settings without having to start over each time I moved to a new place; I wanted my kids to be exposed to lots of different places; healthcare perks are nice b/c I have a step son with Type I DM; I really like that I can pass on my GI Bill benefits to my kids after 10 years of service; and if all that wasn't enough I make great money.

Specializes in ER.

1st deg, cj, 2nd bsn. Almost 12 years in the marines.

As prior enlisted. Commissioned ANC as 66H/M5 July 09, just finished OBLC enroute to lovely

ft Irwin CA right now, love'n it!

1st degree in biology - was a customer service rep for a year and a half then chose to become a nurse. Applied to the AF. Would like to serve our country and feel I would be most satisfied as a nurse caring for our armed forces etcetera. The perks are a a plus but I feel joining the military will help me to become the person I want to be.

Specializes in Anesthesia.

thanks for the wonderful response USAFhopeful. just out of curiosity why the Air force.

Actually, third degree nurse here. I have a BBA in Finance and Insurance, and a MBA in Business Adminstration. Looking back over the past two years, I am very glad that I made this decision to become a nurse. Recent graduate of Thomas Jefferson University BSN 09. Will be attending OBLC in October. Prior AF experience as well. I think that joining the military during this period of the GREAT RECESSION, was the best decision for me. There are so many benefits that I see that will set you up for success. I mean, when I look at my cohort of nurses that I graduated with, how many of them could say that they practiced nursing in Germany their first year out? I am proud to be an officer and understand the challenges that come with that office. I believe that joining the military would be an added benefit to anyone's life, if you let it. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!

Specializes in Anesthesia.

Great post spawnupe!!!

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