Headed to Lackland!!!!

ugaRN · May 9, 2008

Hey guys! I am a RN-BSN who graduated last July (cant believe its almost been a year) and I work in Pediatrics. I have been going back and forth for months on joining (navy is also something I have been considering for the past month) and I am not totally against going to Adults if thats what I have to do but I would like to go into ICU either way to get the experience (flight nursing still really excites me when I think about it

I was wondering if you guys were told WHICH bases had the larger facilities (ICU's)? I have been trying to get that answer for some time now.... not that thats all that matters but at this point a good portion of my decision is based on location (had to come to it somehow)

I will have basically a year experience or a little more by the time I would be joining so do you think I will do NTP?? (not against it cause I am all about learning more - and over again since we all know we lose a portion of what we were taught in school if we dont use it)

I will be anxious to hear all your opinions once you get through COT and begin as well so please dont disappear after.

Congrats to all who have recently joined and thanks so all in advance for you opnions/responses!!

JDCitizen · Jun 16, 2008

im stationed here at lackland in the er. i went through cot in august. definitely lots of education opportunities here, always some class or training that is being offered.

have any suggestions for cot? getting ready for first assignment? from what i have been reading, here and on other sites, lackland must be one of the tip top air force medical sites to be at.............

PRicanRN · Jun 16, 2008

So you are on your way to COT and then lackland? It changes so much so often but I know make sure to bring enough things to take you through the first 2-3 days as you will not be provided with anything yet and won't have a chance to pick anything up till later that week. I brought nothing but the clothes on my back because I was told it would be provided for you and I ended having to borrow things for the first few days. I felt pretty stupid. They have computers in every room there so really no need for a laptop unless you want to. If you haven't started exercising I suggest you do, its not terrible but if you are not in at least decent shape you will be more prone to some injuries as quite a few of my class were pretty sedentary before COT and ended up with injuries. Lackland is the biggest air force hospital and definitely a good place to go for experience. Are you a new nurse or have experience?

JDCitizen · Jun 16, 2008

so you are on your way to cot and then lackland? it changes so much so often but i know make sure to bring enough things to take you through the first 2-3 days as you will not be provided with anything yet and won't have a chance to pick anything up till later that week. i brought nothing but the clothes on my back because i was told it would be provided for you and i ended having to borrow things for the first few days. i felt pretty stupid. they have computers in every room there so really no need for a laptop unless you want to. if you haven't started exercising i suggest you do, its not terrible but if you are not in at least decent shape you will be more prone to some injuries as quite a few of my class were pretty sedentary before cot and ended up with injuries. lackland is the biggest air force hospital and definitely a good place to go for experience. are you a new nurse or have experience?

oh i have multiple years of experience. i am getting up in the years at 45 :smokin: i am a family nurse practitioner. i have already discussed with mr. recruiter further training/education, i want to go back to my roots and get back into trauma but i also want more training in cardiac. i had a taste of both over the years and a stint working in a hospitalist group really put a fire under my butt. right now in the civilian world the training and getting paid opportunities just are not there.

right now i am waiting on the sg to hopefully, hopefully give me a medical waiver. :banghead: if everything clears i plan on cot in october and lackland will be on the top of my dream sheet (the base just keeps coming up in too many conversations to ignore). if the air force sg doesn't grant the waiver it's off to try green.

the funny part with the air force right after i received my dq a contractor contacted me about a job at the same base. humor at its best! :clown:

so do you like or love it or still figuring it out? the two days i was allowed on base here in ga everyone i ran into was great. my physical was a two way street; they asked questions and i asked questions. even the doctors i spoke to were more than game to chit-chat with me. might have been just a great day for them all but i had a lot of my questions answered. it's just something impressive about professionalism, politeness and courtesy all at one time. yes i know politeness and courtesy mean about the same thing but then not exactly...

superman07 · May 12, 2011

Hi all! I just graduated in December and passed my boards in Feb. I was the only one chosen from Hawaii. I am scheduled for Oct. 17, 2011 at Maxwell Air Force base in Alabama, and then Nurse Transition Program is from Nov. 28-Feb. 15 in Cincinnati, Ohio. We will be stationed in Lackland Air Force base, TX working in the Med-surg.

It is confusing, I thought NTP is only 9 weeks. Why does it seem much longer? I know that this is an old thread, but by now, you all should have had a lot of experience and I was wondering if there are any helpful things I should know about COT, NTP and Lackland. I am trying to get things planned, and my wife is also concerned about our children and having to leave school in the middle of the year and transfer to another school, housing, etc. Anyone got any links, resources, etc.? Things you've learned and would have done differently or better? Thank you very much!