Allowing Corpsman to Become Nurses

Specialties Government

Published

Watching the Presidential debate tonight and a statement by Obama made my head turn. He was relating a story when a corpsman was stating that he has treated wounded soldiers but when he became a civilian he could not use his training or experience to count towards becoming a nurse (unknown which kind). The corpsman was upset that he had to start his education/training from the beginning.

Obama stated that the requirements to be a nurse (assumed licensure/NCLEX requirements) should be changed to allow corpsman to become nurses (did not state which kind).

Any thoughts?

Thats awesome! My army medic brother i was a USMC recon doc so our e5 n below did the 18 d short course others did the full course with army ranger sf navy seals well you know! Its hard to explain to people our here you know how to place chest tubes n emergency crics!! I guess theres no way unless they experience our training and deploy!! Yeah right!

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Specializes in CVICU.

Where in Wisconsin could you receive credit for military training? I went to WITC and received jack $%^! for my presently nine years of service as an aerospace medicine technician in the ANG. It took four semesters plus prerequisites to complete my ADN a year ago.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Thats awesome! My army medic brother i was a USMC recon doc so our e5 n below did the 18 d short course others did the full course with army ranger sf navy seals well you know! Its hard to explain to people our here you know how to place chest tubes n emergency crics!! I guess theres no way unless they experience our training and deploy!! Yeah right!

Well you may be happy to know that if you become and RN and get a few years of good ICU experience transport services (ground and air critical care ambulances) will value your experience.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Where in Wisconsin could you receive credit for military training? I went to WITC and received jack $%^! for my presently nine years of service as an aerospace medicine technician in the ANG. It took four semesters plus prerequisites to complete my ADN a year ago.

I challenged the LPN NCLEX then did LPN to RN in two semesters. No pre-reqs. CLEP'ed the classes I didn't have like sociology, english, physchology, etc. I didn't have to take A&P at all after they reviewed my army transcripts. Only science class I had to take was microbiology and I took it with the first semester (program's 3rd semester) nursing classes. Ended up being 36 credits total (18 each semester) I had to take (plus CLEP). I failed the CLEP for english and developmental psychology. So I took third semester nursing courses + Micro and fourth semester nursing classes plus english and developmental psych (took them online through the technical college = VERY easy).

I got out of the army July 7th, was sitting in class August 26th, and graduated as an ADN RN the following May. Got a job right out of school in a 9 month critical care nurse residency, followed by really top notch ICU experience in a trauma center. That was followed by various jobs in ER, MICU, PICU and finaly transport (ground and air critical care ambulance). That lead to my current job as full time rapid response nurse. Great job and make BANK (about $115K/year, not counting OT)! Plus they are paying for my MSN.

I went to Southwest Technical College in Fennimore WI. I called every technical college in Wisconsin, and dozens more in other states before throwing my stuff in my truck and driving across country from my home town of San Diego to go to nursing school at SWTC in Wisconsin.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I looked into challenging the LVN boards when I got out (as a corpsman), but because my experience wasn't in a hospital setting, I wasn't able to do so. What's frustrating is that THAT is your only option, basically. I was able to apply for (and was offered) CNA positions, and was able to challenge that requirement going into my BSN program, but that was about it. I had to certified in phlebotomy, even though I'd had THOUSANDS of sticks, particularly after doing screenings in health promotions (cholesterol and FBS) on 100 people in an hour or so. It was frustrating even in nursing school (though I understood) having to REALLY hold back on what I was able to do, and even now that I've graduated, my scope of practice is more limited than it was as a corpsman. Many of the things I did like minor surgeries, sutures, ordering labs and the like I won't be able to do without my master's.

I definitely had an advantage with skills and some areas of nursing when I got into school, but I definitely wasn't NCLEX-RN or even new grad RN-ready. I agree with those who have said that PAs are not nurses. I wish IDCs could still get their PA (doesn't make sense that they can't, since that's how PAs got started). One thing I really had to work on was changing my thinking. Your thought process as a corpsman is very different than nursing process and the nursing approach.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I looked into challenging the LVN boards when I got out (as a corpsman), but because my experience wasn't in a hospital setting, I wasn't able to do so. What's frustrating is that THAT is your only option, basically.

I was lucky. After 4 years of humping it with the infantry I got to work in a hospital. I knew I wanted to challenge the LPN so I took the requirments to my commander and asked it could be arranged that I work in all the setting required. She was very understanding and arranged for me to work in different areas.

I was able to apply for (and was offered) CNA positions, and was able to challenge that requirement going into my BSN program, but that was about it. I had to certified in phlebotomy, even though I'd had THOUSANDS of sticks,

I am curious if you shopped around with different nursing schools? I found a wide variety of what they would accept.

now that I've graduated, my scope of practice is more limited than it was as a corpsman. Many of the things I did like minor surgeries, sutures, ordering labs and the like I won't be able to do without my master's.

There are a few jobs in nursing that would give you similar autonomy like you had as a corpsman. My job as RRT for example allows me to order any sort of diagnostic test from an EKG to an chest CT to R/O PE. I can administer a wide variety of medications on standing orders and protocols. For example when the post CABG patient goes into rapid a-fib with RVR I can order the EKG and BMP. I can administer Lopressor IV and even amioderone drip all on my judgement and based off a protocol. No physician is ever involved. For respiratory cases I can do everything from give them a little O2 or an albuterol neb to intubate them. I am in the curious position of not only being able to order tests, labs, etc, but also preforme them myself. i can draw my own ABGs, get my own EKGs, etc. That is why my hospital has found that time between when a problem is noticed and when it is effectivly dealt with has been cut dramaticaly with the RRT RNs vs a resident ordering things, then waiting around for the lab people to come and draw.

My old job as critical care transport RN also provided a lot of autonomy. My advise is to get yourself some very high qualiety ICU experience and put yourself in a position to move up into some of the better jobs. Believe me your corpsman experience will be appreciated at this level.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
I was lucky. After 4 years of humping it with the infantry I got to work in a hospital. I knew I wanted to challenge the LPN so I took the requirments to my commander and asked it could be arranged that I work in all the setting required. She was very understanding and arranged for me to work in different areas.

I am curious if you shopped around with different nursing schools? I found a wide variety of what they would accept.

There are a few jobs in nursing that would give you similar autonomy like you had as a corpsman. My job as RRT for example allows me to order any sort of diagnostic test from an EKG to an chest CT to R/O PE. I can administer a wide variety of medications on standing orders and protocols. For example when the post CABG patient goes into rapid a-fib with RVR I can order the EKG and BMP. I can administer Lopressor IV and even amioderone drip all on my judgement and based off a protocol. No physician is ever involved. For respiratory cases I can do everything from give them a little O2 or an albuterol neb to intubate them. I am in the curious position of not only being able to order tests, labs, etc, but also preforme them myself. i can draw my own ABGs, get my own EKGs, etc. That is why my hospital has found that time between when a problem is noticed and when it is effectivly dealt with has been cut dramaticaly with the RRT RNs vs a resident ordering things, then waiting around for the lab people to come and draw.

My old job as critical care transport RN also provided a lot of autonomy. My advise is to get yourself some very high qualiety ICU experience and put yourself in a position to move up into some of the better jobs. Believe me your corpsman experience will be appreciated at this level.

I applied to 10 nursing schools, but because I went through the VA, I stuck with state schools. The one I attended was 2 years (for BSN) and required CNA. It was also the most feasible, as we were able to live on my in-laws' property rent-free (which also meant free child care PRN).

The phlebotomy had nothing to do with nursing- it was when I was looking for work as a phlebotomist years ago. I couldn't work as a phleb until I was actually certified, even though I'd had thousands of sticks.

I'm going into women's health (no interest in ICU, just not my thing), so when I'm working as a midwife, I'll have more of the autonomy I seek. Once I get into L&D, I can do spec exams again, which not all nurses know how to do, but I've done hundreds of; L&D nurses tend to have a lot of autonomy. I'm starting out in postpartum, and will be cross-training in L&D, so I'm on the right track for my goals, at least.

Luckily, my program was very supportive of those of us with prior experience (we also had a former Army combat medic and a couple of EMTs), and as we demonstrated our abilities, were given more freedom, I think, than those without experience. They also allowed us to work with other students giving direction, rather than having to start from scratch (for example, IVs), which was nice.

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Specializes in OR 35 years; crosstrained ER/ICU/PACU.

Excellent points. My (now) ex-husband, whom I met after getting back to NY in a civilian hospital after 3 years in Fort Hood, was also a Navy/Marine corpsman in Vietnam. He was wounded as he was taking care of the other wounded soldiers, after 13 months in country. He, too was spat upon & called babykiller, among others. He put all of his energy into Nursing School, trying to put the nightmarish, hellish things he saw & dealt with in Man behind him. That generation of vets quietly suffered, attempted to get back to a somewhat normal life, & become successful in family & career. I'm glad there is a way to transition from corpsman to RN, it's fitting that you utilize your skills to help humanity. Thanks for your service. Oh, & welcome home, brother!

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elkpark- I am looking for a little guidance. In California there was a guideline for corpsman to challenge the NCLEX, but since I moved to OK I cannot find a website to offer the same guideline. Is there an application that may explain the process, that you know of or can you point me into the right direction? Thank you.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

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elkpark- I am looking for a little guidance. In California there was a guideline for corpsman to challenge the NCLEX, but since I moved to OK I cannot find a website to offer the same guideline. Is there an application that may explain the process, that you know of or can you point me into the right direction? Thank you.

you can challenge the nclex-PN for an LVN license only accepted in CA and perhaps one other state as the majority of US BoN only accept nursing school graduates for licensing by examination or endorsement. You can find all the information on the CA BVNPT website

BVNPT - Vocational Nurse Licensure Application Forms

Recent military training falls under method 4

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elkpark- I am looking for a little guidance. In California there was a guideline for corpsman to challenge the NCLEX, but since I moved to OK I cannot find a website to offer the same guideline. Is there an application that may explain the process, that you know of or can you point me into the right direction? Thank you.

I saw the guidelines on the OK BON website in the past (whenever I posted before on this topic), but I don't see any now. It may be that OK changed its rules on this.

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Specializes in hospice.

Gateway Community College in Phoenix recently started what they believe to be the first and only program of its kind in the country: a five month military medic to LPN course. It builds on the knowledge and experience these medics already have and gets them ready to take the NCLEX-PN. After that, they're equivalent to any other LPN in Arizona, and once they get the prereqs/coreqs done, can apply for advanced placement into 3rd block of the RN program.

Veterans/LPN Bridge | GateWay Community College

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