Army Reserve Nurse Corps Advice

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jan 14, 2018

Moved to the Government/Military forum

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 14, 2018

Just be sure to contact a health care recruiter. Don't bother with your local strip mall recruiter, they don't deal with officer recruiting and they don't have a clue about it. Health care recruiters are accustomed to dealing with professionals.

Loan repayment may or may not be available; commissioning is competitive, but it seems less so for the Reserves. I don't think they are taking new nurses, though. Are you an RN who is finishing a BSN, or are you still prelicensure? I think they require 6 months of nursing experience at a minimum before they will consider you. You need to be physically fit at the outset without any health issues - even past problems can exclude you. You need a competitive GPA as well (3.5 plus is best).

It is a long, long process, but if you really want to serve, it can be very rewarding. Good luck!

kmrn0913 · Jan 14, 2018

Hi! Thank you for your input! I'm graduating in May and although I've worked as a nurse's aide for almost two years, I will just be a fresh newborn RN in a few months. I currently have a 3.4 GPA at a school where a 4.0 is equivalent to a 95-100. I am physically in shape and am familiar with their fit testing. I am planning on contacting an appropriate recruiter this coming week. I just wanted to have an idea of what to ask. Thank you so much.

Neats, BSN · Jan 15, 2018

If you have not seen the recruiter yet here are some items to ensure you get the best deal out of this.

1. Ensure all is in writing in the contract, do not settle for anything less, more times than not I always heard form Reserve Nurses they got the short end of the stick, they said repeated to me over time "they would put it in the contract but it never was added"...THIS includes EVEYTHING FROM WHAT YOU WANT AS SPECALITY TO BONSES.

This is the biggest thing. Before you meet with recruiter have several questions in mind, have option 1 and 2 in your mind. You really need to know what you want otherwise you will get stuck with some thing that you will not like for a long time and may never get a chance to get new training. The military is changing and you need to be careful. Do not take their word for it, get any changes you have agreed to in writing in the contract (if it is worth repeating over again this is important). The health recruiter will take you through the steps but it is up to you to ensure you get everything in writing/in the contract. Do not sign until you have what you want in the contract.

Good Luck and Thank you for your willingness to take care of those who take care of our country.

brap740, BSN, MSN · Jan 24, 2018

If military nursing is where you want to be:

Get a job at a major health system. Top in the country. Specialize. Get certifications. And join when there is a need for your specialty.

I worked at Cleveland clinic main campus for 6 years as an ICU nurse. Was placed on an order of merit list and eventually selected for commission. It's a long road but pays off. Since you're a new grad you need to get large hospital experience.

ER, OR AND ICU Are in need now. But the army needs experienced RNs. Needs change from year to year.

You need to gain real world experience and take in leadership positions. The army is a lot different than civilian nursing. Strong leadership qualities is a must. You can do it! Stay focused and get into contact with a recruiter that is willing to steer you in the right direction.

Different branches may need your specific speciality. So inquire all branches, and see what they're offering for your experience level.

Maybe active duty new grad would be great for you, or maybe it woundnt. But an AMEDD (google it) recruiter will meet with you and go over your options and the perks of a military career.

I'm glad I got in. The comradery is awesome. Soldiers have each others back. It's not civilian nursing. And it's not for everyone.