less paper work, more care. Is that true?

Specialties Government

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Hi, I am civilian nurse in the ER and I must say I always had admiration for the military lifestyle and pride they carry. Also there are other perks such as housing, insurance, respect, hierarchy, organization, etc etc.

I was browsing through the air force and saw the big slogan they put on the website: less paper work, more care. Do you feel that is true in the military? I really don't mind the patient care part that bad, but the reason I hate nursing is mainly because how we are treated by administration, all the bs and politics we have to deal with, patient satisfaction non-sense, nit-picking you about minor crap on charting, etc. I am getting really tired of that part of nursing. I don't mean to neglect my charting or regulations, but I rather focus on the care instead of worrying about charting more.

Also can you choose what department you can work at? I really don't want to work at floor as an ER nurse. How does charting and orders go at military nursing?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Military nursing isn't going to get you out of charting bs. I've worked both sides of the fence. If anything, military charting is slightly more cumbersome in my opinion. How you are treated depends on who is in charge, which of course changes every few years in the military. All in all, I'd say the patient care aspect is at least 75% the same; your patients are often younger and healthier though (depending on the type of facility).

If you come in as a fully-qualified ER nurse, then you will be working in an ER. It might not be the ER of your choice. You'll probably get one of the choices on your list, but it might not be one of your top choices; you give up control of where you work when you join.

The pay and benefits are largely better. Certainly the opportunities for advancement are better. If by respect you mean, 'you get a salute at the gate' and your patients tend more often tend to call you 'sir/ma'am,' then I would say sure. I'm not sure the 'respect' is really going to permeate your day-to-day in medical. To me, my interaction with providers is largely the same. There are jerks and bad docs just like anywhere else.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I have found very little difference in BS levels between civilian and military ER nursing. That's about all I can say on that! :D

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

As far as nursing goes it's about the same amount of charting & BS. Sometimes it can be worse because of job justification of some senior military and GS employees. There is more BS in general that you have to deal with in the military vs civilian world.

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And when it comes to VA, it's about as engulfed in paperwork as it gets!

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

HaHaHaHa! Less charting?! Can't stop laughing!

Same amount of ridiculous charting, but add to it tons more crazy repetitive training item on the computer.

Choosing where you work?! Is this a joke? Who put you up to this??

hysterical! Lol

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Choosing where you work?! Is this a joke? Who put you up to this??

hysterical! Lol

Sounds like something a recruiter would say when they had a high goal of nurse's to recruit.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Totally a marketing ploy. Lol.

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