Navy Nurse Questions

My spring break is coming up, and when I go home (to bethesda, md) I'm probably going to tour the Naval Hospital if my recruiter gets that set up for me. I am just worried I will ONLY hear the good parts about working there--kind of like whenever I talk to my recruiter and she talks up the Navy to me.

I know there are downsides to every job, and I just want to know what they are in advance. Maybe that tour will help me with my decision.

Hey Metaphoricalcoma and kashi1019,

I was in the same boat as you guys, I'm in the process of being comissioned in the Navy Nurse Corps (March 14, if all goes well) and like Metaphoricalcoma, I too made a pros and cons list and have a 10 year plan such as becomeing a PNP, makeing Commander, travel, and live decently, as well as various other educational goals. I was thinking about the Nurse Corps all through college and now that I graduated I reviewed my 10 year plan and honestly my tie breaker was that I did not want to live the rest of my life thinking "WHAT IF...". Not to mention the DUINS program (obtaining a masters degree, going to school full-time and getting your salary), loan repayment, GI bill, sign on bonus, medical/dental, 30 days vacation...etc. But thats just me, I have been working in health care for 8 plus years and have experienced how unappreciated nurses are in the civilian world and I need a change. In my point of view, why not try it. Yes its 3-5 years you have to commit to, but honestly if you think about it (I did research) if you want to get your loans paid off after you graduate by a civilian hospital you have to commit, on an average 2-3 years for $10,000 to be paid towards your loans and thats if you find a hospital willing to do so. Regarding being deployed, its a chance you have to take, I did research on how many nurse casualtites the military has had since the war begun, and the total is 1, an Army Nurse (details in Nursing Advance March edition, I believe) before that there has not been a nurse casualty since the V war. Also I found out that according to the Geneva convention nurses/mds are permited in war areas but have to be 10 miles away from the war zone and can not participate in combat (anyone correct me if I'm wrong). So there you go sorry for all the info and jumping around if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

For me it's a good choice because most of the programs I've seen in the civilian world only have LOAN repayment, not TUITION repayment. I don't have any loans, but the cost of NYU (it adds up to over 200,000 for the four year BSN program) is putting a financial strain on my entire family (I also have a brother in college). Since the military just gives the money for whatever purpose, it's a much better option. (For example, the government program only pays back loans).

I also have a question about the housing allowance for people who are in the military or know more about it than i do.

Does each person receive this allowance like cash (whatever is left over after paying rent or mortgage they keep) or must it only be spent on housing and whatever is left over the military keeps. For example, if I lived somewhere and didn't pay rent (if I lived with family) could I pocket the housing allowance?

Metaphoricalcoma-

If you are worried about getting only the "good" stuff, let me know when you are coming and I'd be happy to talk with you. I'll give you both the good and bad. I'm the division Officer for the Emergency Department, ask for LCDR (Lieutenant Commander) D'Aurora. If you let me know when you want to come, I'll block time off for you. Let me know.

LCDR Dan

I am about to finish my BSN in May of 2009. I've been speaking with medical recruiters for a while regarding NCP. I don't have a fear of commitment, but I do have a fear of over sea deployment. Here are my questions/clarifications:

my recruiter said you spend the 1st three years acive duty at a major hospital, does that mean you are stateside for all three years?

Is going overseas a choice or is it mandatory? for example iraq.

What are the con's of naval nursing? all I've heard are great things, is there a 'catch'?!

If any one could give me some info. I would appreciate it.

Well do not plan on being stateside for the first three years. If you do not want to deploy or be overseas then this is probably not for you. You very well may not deploy for your first three years but there is a very real possiblity that you may deploy. If this at all bothers you than a different career path in nursing is something for you to think about.
ENS Allison

Nurse 214,

FYI, yes you are given up to three choices where you want your duty station to be but ultimately where you go is according to where they need you the most. Also, when you join the military regardless which branch you choose there is always a chance you will be deployed. You have to come in with the mind set that you will be deployed and don't be suprised if you do, as ENS Allison stated if this bothers you you should choose another career path. Regarding, the good and bad things, I personally can not answer since I am in the process of being commisioned and haven't experienced it first hand as of yet but all I can say is "only you can make your experience not the experience make you"...

Nurse214-

Let's look at this from a different direction, what fears of deployment do you have? Are you afraid of being in a combat zone? Or do you just not like the idea of being away from home? For the record, haven't really met too many people in my military career who did like being away from home. Nonetheless, deployments are a given, here to stay not going anywhere. With that being said PEDsBSN-RN makes this best statement of all, you make the experience, not the other way around. My wife and I are both Navy, she's getting deployed this summer for 6 months. Now with 3 kids at home, that sounds pretty bad, but in the grand scheme of things it is what it is. We could fight it and make life heck or we accept it make the necessary arrangements and plan, plan, plan. Oh, and you asked what the "catch" is about the Navy, it'd be the 6-12 months deployments.

LCDR Dan

I come from a family that has a strong stigma towards military. To my family military=bad/death, I don't mean to offend anyone who reads this but I've been raised with a fear of military and combat zones. Plus I'm the oldest daughter, who's always been close to home. I've cut the parent/daughter umbilical cord, but my parents, esp. my mother hasn't. I've grown up in the same little town, stayed in the same little state. I'm getting my BSN may 09 and I just want out, I'm not afraid of being away from home, I want to do something good with my education and my life, I feel that by joining the military I can support my country and feel like I'm finally doing something important.
I just want as much information as I can get before I make such a huge decision.
On that note, My recruiter said I would be on active duty for 4 years, then go on inactive duty, what does inactive duty mean?

Pretty much everyone gets in-active built into their contract. Like yours will prob be 4 yrs active & 4 yrs inactive. Basically while in-active, you are a civilian but are w/in contract to possibly be brought back to active. I have yet to meet one person who was called up while on inactive in the navy. Honestly, once everyone is done w/ active they go back to being a civilian & don't worry about the in-active part. It's SUPER rare to be activated. Now, I heard it's been a different story for some ppl in the army....but that's only from news stories I've seen. Seriously, I wouldn't sweat the in-active part---just know that there is a slight possibility. Maybe you could even try to look up stats on how many navy ppl on in-active get activated. (i just let my husband read this----his contract was 5 yrs active, 3 yrs in-active & he said he's never heard of someone in the navy getting activated on in-active either).