Army Nursing

sl6ivy · Aug 17, 2010

Hi, I'm an active duty army nurse for the last 5 years. What are your questions? The benefits are pretty straight forward for active duty: free medical and dental, 30 days paid leave, tutition assistance, moving expenses, monthly housing and food allowance, 27$ a month for 400,000 life insurance, government holidays off (unless you work floor nursing). The military has great benefits for you and family, but it does come with some drawbacks such as having to move every couple of years to a perhaps least than desirable place or getting deployed.

BAFinleyRN · Aug 23, 2010

Besides the drawbacks is your everyday life somewhat normal, meaning work come home spend time with family? My husband and I are seriously considering military nursing. Reasons being tuition reimbursement, travel and early retirement. My husband thinks it is all going to be great...but I'm worried about our three children??? What is your pt. Load like heavy or just right, is there lots of support between your coworkers, and what about salary??? Sorry I have been looking for someone in the military to ask these questions, I'm not sure what a recruiter would tell me.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2010

Hi,
Is anyone here employed as an Army Nurse? The benefits sound very sugar coated so I wanted to do some more research on it. Would anyone be able to shed some light? Thanks.
Ken

Hmmm. Something about 120+ degree temperatures and indirect fire doesn't seem too sugar coated. Nonetheless, I wish I'd gotten into OCS when I finished college years ago. Live and learn. :rolleyes:

FST6 · Sep 22, 2010

Hmmm. Something about 120+ degree temperatures and indirect fire doesn't seem too sugar coated.

Definately agree with this. Remember, the Army will get their pound of flesh out of you in exchange for that tuition reimbursement and the other benefits. If you and your family can accept that and make personal sacrifices when needed, then Army nursing will work out for you. In addition to the benefits, there are many other continuing education opportunities available once you join up. You can also apply for the military's advanced nursing practice schools (FNP, MSN, CRNA, etc) down the road. While they come with a military service commitment, if you plan on making the Army a career then this might be what you are looking for. Good luck!

sl6ivy · Sep 22, 2010

My Army experience has been a good one thus far, but not every one can say that. It depends on where you work, whose your boss (rater), however everything is temporary! My speciality has been public health for the last 2 1/2 years and I work M-F 0730-1630 and one saturday out the year for the retiree fair. Because its only 1-2 other military in my department my boss usually ask for volunteers for anything extra rather than task the military first. By extra that means representation from our department for planning hospital events. I deployed Aug 2008-Feb09 to Mosul Iraq, and it was a great deployment because the war in Iraq is over (but people who went to Mosul a year before me didn't have the same experience). As a nurse, if you do not belong to a Combat Army Hospital (CSH) you will deploy for only 6months. I'm station in KY and deployed with a CSH from Washington. If you belong to the CSH you will train with them and prepare for deployment and if deploy the nurse will deploy for however long the CSH is there which is usually a year. I did use tution assistance and recieved a MSHS in public health. I will be soon using my post 911 GI bill to go to school for FNP while I work, however I do have the option to apply to school full time with the army. I just passed my test for Ambulatory Care nursing with ANCC, and signed on for 4 more years for 20,000 bonus each year! I'm decided to get out of public health and return to the floor as a critical care nurse. So I have a 3 month course to train specifically under critical care and then I will join my new husband in HI for 3 years. The army provides options and most people are willing to work with you. Education is encouraged for promotion. I don't have children so the deployment wasn't as hard for me like my friends who do have kids. However, skype worked pretty good where we were located! Computers are a wonderful thing :) Good luck and if there are any more questions let me know.