Military Nursing Questions Answered

Specialties Government

Published

Hello. I have seen many questions posted about the recruiting, the military, and future military experiences, I wanted to start a Q & A forum where you can ask questions related to the military from someone who is in the military.

- I am NOT a recruiter. I am fellow nurse who wants to inform others so they will be more informed than I was when I joined.

- I have been in the U.S. Navy for almost 3 years now. I have worked in the ICU for the same amount of time. I have also deployed as a Navy Nurse overseas. I am currently pursuing a masters in anesthesia degree.

- I will do my best to answer all questions. I will not lie to you about the military. If the subject is sensitive and possible jeopordize my career I will not answer you publicly about the issue but in a private email response.

Thanks and good luck.

CynRN11,

Wow, I started this process a year ago to date. I got shifted around and my starting recruiter wasn't very proactive i should say and then he left and went somewhere else. My initial startup got left hanging in the wings. So, needless to say i didn't know about the first board and having stuff ready before then. I was finally told oh, they have boards every month!! Hence, why i didn't meet the first board. So did you get put in as a med/surg nurse or designated as an OR nurse when all said and done? Did you get your first duty station?

May i ask where your recruiter was? Or would you rather PM with that info? I would appreciate it. I am 38 and feel like time is ticking away......

What made you choose Navy and are you planning to retire out? tell me your persepective as far as your decision making. I'm of course being told they are steadily cutting positions and such and this year FY 13 could be worse. Like i said I'm planning to take a position in critical care soon, as i have interviewed. yes, it can be frustrating but this is what i get i suppose for waiting so long in my career to finally to do it. Who would have thought they would be flooded with nurses. Should have seen it coming i guess.

I really appreciate your insight. Keep it coming. Thanks so much.

MB

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Send me a PM. I can't initiate one yet as I don't have enough posts, but I can answer you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care Emergency Military Nursing.

MBR 74, Wow that was quite a post. I can't really comment on how many nurses they are currently taking. That knowledge would reside mostly with the Recruiters and BUMED. My advice would be to take the ICU job and then apply for a position with the Navy. Your chances of getting what you want go up significantly if you are already a practicing nurse with experience. As for the CCRN and ECCO course. Great if you can get them. However to get your CCRN you have to be a critical care nurse for at least 6 months before you can sit for the exam. As for the ECCO course, skip it you will have to do it in the Navy. Let me know if this helps, you had so much there I'm sure that I missed something.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey navyman7,

Thanks for the reply. I know i had quite a bit of info and probably repetitive. Yeah, that was my plan to take the ICU job. Yes, I have been practicing for 14 or so years. Yeah, one of the recruiters told me if i had the ECCO course that i really didn't need the CCRN although it would be good. Yeah i knew you had to be a CC nurse for that long however, i have been working in CC doing critical treatments but the board doesn't consider that actual CC bedside I guess but at any rate. But i still functioned in the CC role. I dont want to divulge too much on here. So, I can easily get to sit for the CCRN. I have books to study by, do you have any info on how much of a challenge it is?

I was told there is a skills checklist for the CC nurse that gets checked off and credentialed. So, i would just have to get someone to sign off on that and sounds like i wouldn't really need the ECCO course anyway as long as work documents that I have been doing the skills, right?

Are you allowed or comfy saying where you are stationed? You can PM if you feel like it. I really appreciate your help as well as the help from all others. I'm sure i will have further questions.

MB

Up Vote Up Vote ×

actualy you have to be a nurse for about a year. You have to have a certain amount of hours working in an ICU. Please go to the AACN website navygirl, and get the information correct. You are posting falsehoods.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care Emergency Military Nursing.

Snathers, Im sorry if I mistakenly wrote something that wasn't as accurate as it could be regarding a certification exam. I am not here to answer in depth questions about every nursing topic. This is a military nursing forum, not aacn. I am just providing guidance. In the end its up to each person to further investigate everything that's written in these forums since everything changes, especially in the military.

BTW you could have just stated what the exact requirements were instead of being negative. It's 1750 hours in direct bedside care of acutely and/or critically ill patients hours required, or 145 12hr shifts. Which could be 4.8 months if you are in the military since there is the possibilty of working 145 shifts straight. While deployed I racked up 2880 hours of nursing so you could get this done in about 6 months.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care Emergency Military Nursing.

MBRN 74, I am not sure what the recruiters requirements are these days so I can't say whether having ECCO done will help or not. I know that many of our new nurses both military and civilians have had to take the ECCO course despite having years of experience. But in the end, it can't hurt having your ECCO done and CCRN in hand. It just adds to a more impressive resume.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi navyman7,

thanks for all the help you post on here. It takes time and a lot of thought with the many questions put forth. I really appreciate your diligent efforts. I spoke with a recruiter who says that the ECCO is not so important necessarily as the experience or the CCRN.

You are doing a great job. The support at least in and of itself is phenomenal. Ultimately , a recruiter just said that depending on the amount of ICU experience regardlesss they may put one in under med/surg designator anyway. I get so many different answers. I will just keep plugging away and hope for the best. It sure wasn't like this a few years ago or more. Yes, shoulda, coulda, woulda.....:)

Thanks again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey,

I thought the navy's cut off age is 42 as is for all the other branches???

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes, you have to be commissioned by the time you are 42. Is someone telling you something different? If varies for the various fields, but healthcare and a few others have the higher age limits.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey Oaktown,

thanks for answering. Naaahh....i just saw something on here about 38 and i wanted to clarify because I was told 42 as well.

Thank you. Yes and it was for nurse corps that i was answering about. Thanks again. Are you in the Nurse Corps?

MB

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know Reserves are different (and lower) so maybe that was where the 38 came from. I am in the Nurse Candidate Program. Well, waiting to sign and take my oath. Another year and I will be getting ready to commission!

Good luck with your packet!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment