Advice 4 joinin navy as medical corpsman

PMFB-RN, RN · Dec 27, 2007

i know this thread has been dead a few months but thought i would like to do a little give and take in the area of information.
give: i was a navy corpsman for a bit over 9 years. . . well, 9 years 3 months and 11 days according to my dd 214 (discharge papers) but who is ever counting? i feel comparing a corpsman to a nursing assistant can be applied to very few cases. most corpsman can do much more than cna's and lpn/lon's and some even more than rn's. hospital corpsman a-school (go here for more info: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/navyjobs/navyjobs2/blhm.htm?terms=navy+hm+rating) is only 14 weeks long and as all navy schools has an accelerated curriculum. the school will teach you to perform basic bedside care in an inpatient setting: am/pm care, medications administration, vitals signs, how to draw blood, give shots, iv's, how to write nursing notes and to familiarize the student with medical terminology. on the outpatient side you are taught an emt course that is good enough to get you an emt-b cert in the civilian sector and american heart association cpr for the health care provider.
as mentioned above in an earlier post, after completing hospital corpsman a-school you pretty much have three options 1) go to your first duty stations depending on what is available 2) go to a hospital corpsman c-school (advanced training more info go here: http://nshs.med.navy.mil/oe%20web/nmetc%20c%20school%20program%20managers.htm) 3) or go to field medical service school (technically a c-school but referred to as one infrequently more info go here: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/navynec/blhm8404.htm).
take: i have been out on the navy since november 2002 having sworn that i have given up patient care for good. however after dabbling in this and that i just can not deny my urge to get back into patient care. i am just not comfortable in the business or information technology fields. i miss the health care setting. so here go my questions:
california is a state the corpsman can challenge the lvn/lpn boards, does anyone know of any other states and their home pages for requirements?
is there any difference between a lpn and lvn?
any help given would be appreciated.:)

*** i was an army medic rather than an navy corpsman but i challenged the lvn boards in california and passed first time not problem. there is no difference between lvn and lpn. just different names for the same thing. ca & tx call them lvns and other states call them lpns.

for those who are interested in becoming an rn here is the way i became an rn and you former medics and corpsmen can do it too.

challenge the lvn boards in ca and after you have your lvn license come here to wisconsin and enter one of our technical colleges. the wi technical college s (16 of them) offer lpn to rn in one year or less. i had zero college credit to my name, just my army training and my lpn lcense and i became an rn with an associates degree in nursing and a licensed rn in only two semesters. i clept lot's of classes (with zero study time) and passed. i had a 16 credit course load for those two semesters and had no trouble.

i started school in aug 2005 and graduated in may of 2006 with an adn-rn. i now work in a level i surgical/trauma icu and make $69k/year. you medics and corpsmen can do it too. if you have any questions feel free to ask or pm me.

GeorgiaBoy61 · Jan 4, 2008

Hello all -

I am an RN, and want to serve in the military. I am exploring serving as a DCO in either the army or the navy. However, my real dream is to be a corpsmen, and go out with the grunts in FMF. My problem is that I am overage (I am in my mid-40s), well past the cutoff age of 39 for USNR corpsmen. Please understand that I have nothing against being a nurse, it is just that I am a hard-charger and want to get my feet dirty. I understand that getting an age waiver is an uphill fight, but is it possible. given that the FMF still needs corpsmen badly?

I have spoken with enlisted recruiters who say they'd love to sign me up, but cannot. There must be someone higher up in the food chain who can render a verdict on this. I know that the military runs on a mountain of paper and red tape, but I also know that there is a waiver for darn near anything if you know who to ask for help.

I have no illusions about this. However, I just read that the military is allowing amputees to stay on duty. These heroes deserve every break in the world, I agree, but by what logic can an amputee be fit for service but not a somewhat older but very fit man with all of his limbs?

A pal of mine - a retired army nurse - tells me that the age cutoff used to be 44? True or false? If true, why the change?

Anyone with input please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Thanks!

DanznRN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

Above anything else, you will have to get the age waiver no matter what being 46. the odds of becoming a corpsmen are slim ti none mind you, nothing to do with your age. Already possessing a nursing degree disqualifies you from being a corpsmen, unless you falsify that you have the degree and I don't recommend that. As far as getting your feet dirty, TRUST ME, as a nurse you get your feet plenty dirty. I spent time with the Marines, was one of 5 nurses for the whole camp, you get dirty. As a side note, being a nurse or corpsmen, the Geneva Convention prohibits you from carrying a weapon for the purposes of aggression towards the enemy. You will carry a sidearm for self-defense only. If you want to help, come in as a nurse and volunteer for deployment, you'll get dirty.

LCDR Dan

GeorgiaBoy61 · Jan 5, 2008

DanznRN:

Thanks for the reply. Right now, it looks like the USNR is the route for me - provided I get in, pass the physical, etc. I live in N. Illinois, and would drill at Great Lakes. Which Marine unit did you serve with and where?

By the way, I am aware of the prohibition on medical personnel being armed d/t the Geneva Conventions. However, if deployed to a hot zone, you can bet I'll be packing as much heat as I can. I'll take my chances with the GC; last I checked al-Qaeda and our other enemies weren't honoring them or any other rules of warfare. Not that a Beretta 9mm would be worth much in a jam against an AK-47, RPGs, etc. anyway...

I would like to volunteer for deployment once I am in, but my understanding is that I am inelgible until I have served enough hours of drill as a reservist. I'm putting the cart before the horse, though; first let me get in, right?

What BSN-level nursing specialties are most in demand right now for the navy?

Thanks for your help and service -

GaBoy61

Above anything else, you will have to get the age waiver no matter what being 46. the odds of becoming a corpsmen are slim ti none mind you, nothing to do with your age. Already possessing a nursing degree disqualifies you from being a corpsmen, unless you falsify that you have the degree and I don't recommend that. As far as getting your feet dirty, TRUST ME, as a nurse you get your feet plenty dirty. I spent time with the Marines, was one of 5 nurses for the whole camp, you get dirty. As a side note, being a nurse or corpsmen, the Geneva Convention prohibits you from carrying a weapon for the purposes of aggression towards the enemy. You will carry a sidearm for self-defense only. If you want to help, come in as a nurse and volunteer for deployment, you'll get dirty.
LCDR Dan

DanznRN, RN · Jan 5, 2008

GaBoy61-

Funny, I used to live in Lindenhurst, near the Gurnee Mall. I was stationed at Great Lakes from 2000-2003 in the ICU/ PACU. As for the Marines, that was the 2nd FSSG out of Camp LeJeuene. Although I understand and agree with your views regarding the GC and Al-Qaeda, rules are rules and we are still playing by them. In my opinion that's one of the reasons we are still there, we're playing by the rules and no one else is. So regardless of what you want to "pack," you'll get your Navy issue .45 or 9mm, personal weapons are prohibited. And although you're willing to "take you chances with the GC," I can guarantee your superiors will not. In the military your a small fish in a big pond. Good luck to you and let me know if I can be of assistance in the Great Lakes area, still have a few friends around.

Nursing specialties that are in demand are focused on the critical care areas, ER/ Trauma/ ICU, have that background and you're in good shape.

LCDR Dan

supafly · Apr 6, 2008

Already possessing a nursing degree disqualifies you from being a corpsmen, unless you falsify that you have the degree and I don't recommend that.

I'm currently in nursing school and thinking about joining The Reserves as an HM. I would finish the nursing degree(s) before my Reserve commitment was up.

Any idea on whether that would disqualify me from continuing as an HM since I would have finished a nursing degree after enlisting? Also would you happen to know the chances of deploying as a Reserve HM?

Nice guys at the local recruiting office (really), but I don't trust much of what they say, especially the supervisor. (Shocking, I know).

brothre200 · Sep 2, 2008

am joining the navy as a medical corpman am shipping out on sept 04 , after the corpsman programme which is five years, will i qualify to apply to a medical school. i want to be doctor. Or should i go reserve and go to a four year college full time and apply to a med school. Someone with experience please anwer me. thanks

midwesternboy · Sep 2, 2008

If you want to enter med school, you will need a 4 year degree. However, some programs have 2+4, which is 2 years of college and then you transfer directly into 4 yrs of med school. I know tulane univ. and one of the KC universities offer this kind of program.

If you are going the hospital corpsman route, look into the Navy PA (physician assistant) program. PA's can do many of the same things as doctors. The Navy will pay for your schooling, plus your salary, plus you enter in as an officer when you are done.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

-recent BSN

brothre200 · Sep 2, 2008

westernboy, how about going reserve so i can go to college full time? Is it acceptable to transfer from active duty to reserve. And if it acceptable how do i start, who do i talk to? I hope u have been in the military before or u are still in it? thanks.

Animal3 · Sep 2, 2008

Hi NewSailor!

Congrats on selecting such a great rating! I got out in 2007 so some things may have changed but, many c-schools are not available right out of corps school and be careful of the ones that are, usually they are the ones that no one wants to do, undermanned. If you go to this thread it will explain all of your choices, http://www.corpsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19342. Congrats Again!

Corpsman3

:usnvy:

midwesternboy · Sep 2, 2008

brothre200,

I'm in the final stages of my nursing corps application. However, I have read through many of these threads over the past year, while I was attending nursing school. Plus I've spoken with various healthcare recruiters and nurses in the military. Your best bet is to speak with a medical health care recruiter from both the active and reserve sides (since they are separate). That way you can get all of the up-to-date info. Sorry I can't be of more assistance. Good luck!

-recent BSN

brothre200 · Sep 3, 2008

thanks midwestern and corpsman 3 for you suggestion. I really apreciate it. God richly bless you. I wish you guys success in whatever u do.