Navy Nurses Corps- Nursing Student

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Hello all,

I'm still in nursing school, graduate in December of 2013 with my BSN and am seriously (have been for a while) considering the Navy Nurses corps after graduation. I've spoken to a recruiter two years ago who was more interested in me applying to the Nurses Candidates Program. I opted out because at the time I was playing D1 water polo and couldn't take the additional stress. I'm done with polo now though, focusing on school and still playing around with the idea of applying for NCP my last year... however my questions are assuming I don't apply for NCP and go to join after graduation.

-What exactly do they look at when determining if they'll accept you or not? (GPA, experience?)

- is there a minimum graduating GPA required to be accepted? (all I've found was that they want you to be a US citizen, graduate from an accredited program and pass your boards.. but i feel like there's more to it then just that)

- Should you apply before or after you take the NCLEX?

- Will they accept new grads straight out of school?

- do you get to choose your specialty or do they throw you where they need you?

- if you get denied, can you reapply or is it a one time deal?

My dad was in the navy, but doesn't know enough to definitively tell me about the med corps, Recruiters aren't always clear, I've asked the Nursing alumni association at my school if there was a navy nurse or any military nurse I could talk to (none apparently), and i'm from Arizona (not a lot of navy anything there) so I've never come across any to speak with. I see all the military posts and know that there are navy nurses who go on these forums.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! ANY information/replies/advice etc. would be greatly appreciated!

Hey,

oh ok gotcha. I will go to your blog. Thanks! Go Green:)

Specializes in My first yr. as a LVN!.

This is an email from my email box from a nursing officer hope this helps ...

Thank you for your interest in the Nurse Candidate Program (NCP)! The Nurse

Candidate Program is designed for full time students at a brick and mortar

school (on-line curriculums do not qualify) within 24 months of completing

their BSN degree. It offers a $10,000 entry bonus that is paid in two

$5,000 installments, one at the start of the program and the second 6 months

later. In addition, you receive $1,000 per month given as $500 twice per

month. There are no other financial incentives for this program. It does

not cover tuition, fees, books or equipment. The maximum participation in

the program is 24 months. While in the program, you are officially in an

Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) status. You do not drill, and cannot be

deployed. For up to 12 months of benefit, you are obligated to the Navy to

serve 4 years on active duty and 4 in the Individual Ready Reserve. For 13

– 24 months of benefit, you are obligated to the Navy to serve 5 years on

active duty and 3 years in the IRR. Once you graduate and pass your NCLEX

examination, you are commissioned and attend Officer Development School in

Newport, Rhode Island for 5 weeks and from there you move on to your first

duty station. New nurses are often assigned to one of our medical centers

in Bethesda, MD; Portsmouth, VA; or San Diego, CA, but you could also be

assigned to one of our larger community hospitals. You work with an

assignments officer, which the Navy calls a "Detailer," to obtain your

assignment once on active duty. We do not often send new nurses to our

overseas hospitals.

To be eligible for the NCP, you must be a US citizen, be at least 18 years

old and able to complete 20 years of commissioned service before the age of

62 (so you must graduate from your BSN degree program and be on active duty

by the age of 42), be enrolled or accepted into a full time ( not on-line)

accredited (by NLNAC or CCNE accrediting bodies) BSN program, be within 24

months of completing your BSN, have a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale,

be a full time student in 2 semesters or three quarters a year, and must

pass the physical requirements (female standards available at:

http://www.navy-prt.com/femalestandard/femalestandard.html); male standards:

http://www.navy-prt.com/malestandard/malestandard.html). Here is the site

for NLNAC accreditation: http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm .

Here is the site for CCNE:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/rptAccreditedPrograms_New.asp?sort=sta

te .

Here is the information on our Website regarding the Nurse Candidate

Program:

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accessions/Pages/NurseCandidateProg

ram_Prospective.aspx

Just wanted to clarify what my recruiter told me, trauma and critical care are not needed in the Navy right now. He told me to stick with med-surge. Psych is good as well, however; you must have experience and they are not taking as many psych nurses. Not sure if this is what others have been told, but I am currently seeking Med-surge for now because of this.

My recruiter tells me that med surg is at 100% capacity right now. He said the Navy isnt looking for med surg, they are looking for critical care and trauma nurses, including periop and operative. I'm not sure where your recruiter is getting his/her information CaitsMommy, but Critical Care has ALWAYS been a need in military nursing.

Specializes in Critical Care Emergency Military Nursing.

People, please remember to take EVERYTHING from the recruiter with a grain of salt. I can tell you first hand that our med/surg floors are understaffed as well as the critical care areas. Your assignment in the hospital depends on many things. Apply regardless of where they say that they need nurses. Every hospital is going to be different in there needs. Your placement will ultimately depend on where the new nurse coordinator puts you, which can be negotiable depending on your long term goals.

People, please remember to take EVERYTHING from the recruiter with a grain of salt. I can tell you first hand that our med/surg floors are understaffed as well as the critical care areas. Your assignment in the hospital depends on many things. Apply regardless of where they say that they need nurses. Every hospital is going to be different in there needs. Your placement will ultimately depend on where the new nurse coordinator puts you, which can be negotiable depending on your long term goals.

Thank you, i am glad you clarified that. I have accepted a med-surg position and would hope that the basis of what I learn on the floor will help me in whatever role I assume when I apply and hopefully get accepted into active duty.

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