Highest rank Nurse(any branch)

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

Right now the Surgeon General of the Army is a Nurse Corp officer making her a Lt. General(O3). The Chief Nurse of the Army is a Major General(O2).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Nov 27, 2012

Jeckrn outranks me. :-) Tee hee!

runnergirl86, BSN, MSN · Nov 27, 2012

I think nursespouse meant who in this chatroom is the highest rank. :) I'm a lowly LTJG.

nursespouse · Nov 27, 2012

Yeah i was really looking for a feild grade from these forums. Basically just to pick their brains about turnover, and added benefits of staying.

nursespouse · Nov 27, 2012

I mean I have a few feild grade buddies but they are all artillery, and everyone of them thought nurses do a couple weeks of military indoctination akin to chaplains or jag, so suffice to say they are clueless on the questions I got lol

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 18, 2013

I'm a Major in the active duty Air Force. I work as an ICU nurse and will be starting a civilian nurse anesthesia program in Jan 2014 and will separating from active duty in November and will transition to the reserves in December.

nursespouse · Jan 19, 2013

I'm a Major in the active duty Air Force. I work as an ICU nurse and will be starting a civilian nurse anesthesia program in Jan 2014 and will separating from active duty in November and will transition to the reserves in December.

Thanks for the reply Sir/Ma'am, Basically a couple questions if you have the time.

1. What are a couple main reasons you are deciding to end your active duty status?

2. Did the 4.5 year obligation after military CRNA school prompt you to seek a civilian course.

3. If the military could change one thing to keep you on active duty, what would it be?

4. I see you are an ICU nurse, as a Major do you get alot of bedside time, or at that point are you forced to the logistical side of the house?

I am sure there are a ton more questions I am forgetting when I first wrote this post, but So So busy today and wanted to get these out there just in case you check back with the boards in the mean time.

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Feb 8, 2013

Thanks for the reply Sir/Ma'am, Basically a couple questions if you have the time.
1. What are a couple main reasons you are deciding to end your active duty status?
2. Did the 4.5 year obligation after military CRNA school prompt you to seek a civilian course.
3. If the military could change one thing to keep you on active duty, what would it be?
4. I see you are an ICU nurse, as a Major do you get alot of bedside time, or at that point are you forced to the logistical side of the house?
I am sure there are a ton more questions I am forgetting when I first wrote this post, but So So busy today and wanted to get these out there just in case you check back with the boards in the mean time.

1. I chose a civilian program that offered a post-masters certificate in nurse anesthesia. I didn't want to re-take all the same MSN core again at the military program since I have already taken them in my MSN program. Also, the military CRNA program have students taking about 18 credit hr/semester, which is insane. I found a program that suited me well and allows me to take only 2-3 classes/quarter after I complete the basic science courses, which are offered online.

2. The obligation wasn't a problem for me. I wanted to be sure I could find a program that had a low attrition rate and a high pass rate on their board exam. My CRNA program also offers 2 fellowships for students to sub-specialize if they choose (pediatric anesthesia or pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesia).

3. Nothing. I am looking forward to being a civilian and having control over my life and schedule. I will be joining the Reserves but still trying to decide if I want to do traditional or the Inactive Ready Reserves.

4. I get a lot of bedside time. Once yo make Major in the nurse corps, you then have the option of remaining at the bedside or you can do the administrative track if you want to be a commander or manager. I like being at the bedside. In my unit, there are about 4 of us Majors and only 2 of us work the bedside and the others have a difficult time transitioning back to the bedside when we are short staffed. I chise the nursing profession to take care of patients, not to become a manager or an administrator.

When I finish CRNA school, I have already made up my mind, I will not be returning to active duty afterward. I will more than likely just stay a traditional reservist and drill on the weekends.

nursespouse · Feb 8, 2013

1. I chose a civilian program that offered a post-masters certificate in nurse anesthesia. I didn't want to re-take all the same MSN core again at the military program since I have already taken them in my MSN program. Also, the military CRNA program have students taking about 18 credit hr/semester, which is insane. I found a program that suited me well and allows me to take only 2-3 classes/quarter after I complete the basic science courses, which are offered online.
2. The obligation wasn't a problem for me. I wanted to be sure I could find a program that had a low attrition rate and a high pass rate on their board exam. My CRNA program also offers 2 fellowships for students to sub-specialize if they choose (pediatric anesthesia or pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesia).
3. Nothing. I am looking forward to being a civilian and having control over my life and schedule. I will be joining the Reserves but still trying to decide if I want to do traditional or the Inactive Ready Reserves.
4. I get a lot of bedside time. Once yo make Major in the nurse corps, you then have the option of remaining at the bedside or you can do the administrative track if you want to be a commander or manager. I like being at the bedside. In my unit, there are about 4 of us Majors and only 2 of us work the bedside and the others have a difficult time transitioning back to the bedside when we are short staffed. I chise the nursing profession to take care of patients, not to become a manager or an administrator.
When I finish CRNA school, I have already made up my mind, I will not be returning to active duty afterward. I will more than likely just stay a traditional reservist and drill on the weekends.

Thanks for taking the time to answer those questions. Also glad to see at major you can kinda choose your path. I think my wife likes the logistical side and the patient care side of it. So i think she will have a heck of a decision if she decides to stay in that long and is lucky enough to get to major/

gilversplace · Mar 18, 2016

i know this is an old post. just wondering were u able to fullfill traditional reserves in the military while doing your crna? thanks. and are u on crna reserves now?

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 18, 2016

I did inactive reserves while in anesthesia school. I'm done with school as of next week. Took a job in New York City. Will be taking boards in May. I'll probably stay in NYC for 3 or 4 years and then I'm am hoping to go to either Germany or South Korea as a civilian and work for the military.