Military Nursing

Military nurses work in all nursing specialties while serving in the military or other uniform service. Let's dive into an overview of this specialty, discuss education, outlook, salary, and resources. Specialties Government Article

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  • Editorial Team / Moderator
    Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

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Hi all, thanks for the info so far.

I'm a "civillian" nurse, been working at a busy trauma II for the last 3 years as a RN. Before this I was an EMT-I for 2 years. I have all the certs, CEN included. I'm growing tired of the BS I see on a daily basis. I want more trauma, I need it to stay in this gig. I'm a pretty normal person, I'm not some nut, I have just been lacking fulfillment in my job no matter the setting here. I've been looking at overseas / war zone nursing, maybe for a few years to level out and gain more experience. So far the only thing I have come up with is to join with the services. I'm a ADN but will complete my BSN in the next year. It sounds like some of you have been in the service for some time and know the routine or maybe some more ins and outs. Out of curiosity, is there a place for me out there? I have no family, no kids, no wife. I do not care who I treat medically, as long as I can do my best to help them. Cheers.

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I am a BSN, and I have worked in MED-oncology for 9 months. Could you give me insight to how it will actually be when/if I join?

You would be considered a new nurse with less than a year of nursing experience. The Army equates one year of civilian nursing to six months of Army time. Currently recruiters are seeking experienced nurses with at least two years of experience, but by the time you'd even be able to get a package together for a board, it'll be next year. The Army has selection boards for new accessions each November. Currently the need for new nurses is very slim, and experienced nurses only slightly less so. Your BSN GPA will be a factor, as will your overall health/fitness. Any board certifications might give you an edge.

In active duty how often would I be deployed? Am I more likely to be deployed as a med/surge nurse? How hard is it to get training in the ICU in the army?

If you are joining the military, you must view deployments as not "if," but "when." Deployments are currently 9 months. Yes, I know we all hear that things are winding down, but whatever. As long as there are soldiers deployed here, you will have a medical element here to take care of them.

Getting to the ICU course is difficult. It's very competitive and is usually not something that you will get to do for the first few years of your military career, if at all. It's all about the needs of the Army, and they Army is overstrength, even in critical care.

Deployment:

Are deployment lengths the same for active duty and reserves?

No.

How safe are the deployment sites. I know they say that medical personnel are generally safe but what has been your experience?

It's a war zone. There is no such thing as safe.

What are he risks of PTSD for nurses who are deployed? I want to serve our soldiers but I don't want to be stressed that i may die at any moment while doing so. I don't mind being deployed I just want to do so in a relatively safe area. I know in the military there are no guarantee to safety but I want to weight the risks.

If your safety is a big issue, then the Army isn't for you. Sorry to be blunt, but I'm sitting in a war zone right now, and the risks are a daily reality -- even at the larger installations. There are often daily doses of indirect fire (IDF -- mortars and rockets) and no one can guarantee your safety.

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I'm a "civillian" nurse, been working at a busy trauma II for the last 3 years as a RN. Before this I was an EMT-I for 2 years. I have all the certs, CEN included. I'm growing tired of the BS I see on a daily basis. I want more trauma, I need it to stay in this gig. I'm a pretty normal person, I'm not some nut, I have just been lacking fulfillment in my job no matter the setting here. I've been looking at overseas / war zone nursing, maybe for a few years to level out and gain more experience. So far the only thing I have come up with is to join with the services. I'm a ADN but will complete my BSN in the next year. It sounds like some of you have been in the service for some time and know the routine or maybe some more ins and outs. Out of curiosity, is there a place for me out there? I have no family, no kids, no wife. I do not care who I treat medically, as long as I can do my best to help them. Cheers.

You should contact a healthcare recruiter. While the Army's needs for nurses is at a low, you could potentially be selected to come in as an ER nurse with your experience (they want at least two years) and your CEN (considered the gold standard by the Army). However, chances of being sent to a trauma center for your first duty station aren't as good -- the Army tends to send the pre-qualified ER RNs to smaller medical activities (MEDDACs), which are like community hospitals. I work in a MEDDAC when I'm not deployed, and there is still that level of BS that you dislike (I was a civilian ER nurse for three years before I commissioned, so I know what you're talking about -- I worked at a freestanding ED as well as at a Level 2). When you deploy, there will definitely be trauma -- more than you'd like some days. When you're not deployed, it will be business as usual. However, in my brain, the BS in the military ERs is a little easier to swallow than the BS in a civilian ER. Not sure why, but again, I feel you regarding the BS.

Deployment would likely take a while -- there are lots of nurses eager to deploy and less of a need, but it's still there, especially for ER and ICU nurses. I was in for almost two years as an ER nurse before I was assigned as an ER nurse to my current Forward Surgical Team (FST). I'm halfway through my nine-month deployment right now.

PSUMegan

7 Posts

Thank you for the information LunahRN! It was nice to see highlights of all of the branches with input from your personal experience!

I already have a BSN in Nutritional Sciences and I will be completing an accelerated RN, BSN program starting March 2014. I'm currently in contact with a medical recruiter for the Air Force. I have to wait to start my package in March when I start school. I have already started working on the PT goals, gradually so I'm not overwhelmed. I have also started obtaining medical documentation to help with the medical waiver process. I had a mild allergic reaction (hives) to sulfa medication when I was an infant and diagnosed with asthma when I was in middle school. I have an appointment with my asthma/allergy doctor for testing to show that my asthma diagnosis has improved (I run multiple times a week and ran a half marathon earlier this year with no problems & without the use of an inhaler in years.)

Do you have any other suggestions of things I could do to be prepared for when it comes time to assemble my package? I've heard the process can take awhile and I want to be as best prepared as I can be.

Thank you!

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

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

You're welcome! Make sure you keep your grades up during your BSN program - the military does consider GPA. Good job on starting your PT program now, that will also help you mitigate the stress of school. Best of luck and keep us posted!

haleymcole

4 Posts

Hello, first and foremost, I want to thank you for serving our beautiful country. Secondly, I am a high-school student and I am doing a project on military nursing. I really would like to email you and ask you some questions about your experiences. Do you think this would be possible? I would be forever thankful. Thank you so much for your time.

midinphx, BSN

854 Posts

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

(warning - incoming sarcasm)

yes, AF nurses stay nice and safe during deployments. We basically go to a prison type setting to keep us safe. But with google earth, the bad guys can see exactly where everything is - they got a nice direct rocket hit in our nice safe hospital while I was there.

As far as PTSD - if you can take care of young men and women with traumatized bodies and walk away without some emotional changes, you need some help. I'm not saying we all have clinical PTSD. but anyone who's gone has his/her own "special moments" that take us by surprise.

Travel? yes, I've been all over the world. I've seen some lovely airports.

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
(warning - incoming sarcasm)

I was just wondering what that particular incoming alarm sounds like. :D

504 medic

74 Posts

I'm not saying we all have clinical PTSD. but anyone who's gone has his/her own "special moments" that take us by surprise.

You wanna watch my head pop off...say MEDEVAC three times fast within earshot. I doubt that will ever go away.

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
You wanna watch my head pop off...say MEDEVAC three times fast within earshot. I doubt that will ever go away.

Yep. We also had key phrases that would play over the "big voice" to warn us of MASCALs or MEDEVAC missions, so those words tend to trigger motion, possibly in several directions at once. lol. But anything that is a big "boom" or sounds like the incoming alarm makes me jump. On a compound the size of a Walmart parking lot, the IDF alarm can really mean bad juju.

504 medic

74 Posts

We would occasionally be on NATO bases the size of postage stamps, and their GOD VOICE, apart from the normal garbling, had 6 different messages, depending on the threat, and all announcements were in Ukroatitalenglish...so the accents made them pretty much unintelligible. Our translation: Just grab your armor and get to the chopper! (Never use chopper...unless it's in an Arnold voice.)

hperryRN

8 Posts

Specializes in CMSN, CEN.

Need some advice from fellow Military nurses: With all the changes that have taken place and 2 back-to-back shall we say "difficult" commands I am considering switching to reserves. Ive been looking at my LES and trying to figure out what I would make as a civilian. Ive seen a lot of jobs- and Ive been offered a lot of jobs civilian side- most around the 28-30$ per hour mark- and some as high as 40$ (higher amounts are for float pools/PRN gigs). Im board certified CMSN and CEN (working also on my CCRN). Its been a LONG time since Ive worked civilian side- trying to figure out if its worth it to get out or if I should just suck it up. Anyone have any experience with switching over to reserves/civilian pay?