Navy Reserve Nurse Corps Openings?

[BundokSaint]

For the last month or so the local paper down here in NOLA has been running this ad weekly for the Navy: http://jobs.nola.com/careers/jobsearch/detail?jobId=37781258&viewType=main&networkView=main

Was wondering what scuttlebutt any of you current or former Navy nurses out there might have on this. I read in another thread that the Navy isn't granting too many waivers as their need isn't that great right now. So, what's the story with the Reserve Nurse Corps openings?

I ask because, even though I'm going to be just starting nursing school in the Fall, I'm seriously considering joining the Navy again (I have 6 years prior enlisted, and, yes, I know - Never Again Volunteer Yourself :), ) once I finish school.

[Navymm1swaw]

Deykalmevron, I am still active duty and due to retire in November. I was, when highly active on this website, a Navy Recruiter for the Navy Reserves Medical Corps. I still receive emails and look to help people out with questions they may have about the Navy as best as I can. I have not been a recruiter since 2011, so a lot of information will be generic and geared toward pointing you in the right direction on finding out current information. How may I help?

[deykalmevron]

Navymm1swaw, thank you for your reply.

Can I start the process while I am still doing classes for my BSN? I understand that depending on the need, the military can start you STAT or they can delay the process.

Also, my knee sometimes bothers me. I can probably pass MEPS physical just fine but eventually down the road I may not be able to do PT (or get a knee replacement later on in life). Will that give them reason to discharge me? I would love to do my 20 years and retire when I am 60 and get the benefits/retirement. That is the main reason for joining. Plus, I would love to serve for my country. :)

I was reading the reserves website. I see that they are need for CCU, CRNA and OR nurses. Im currently an LPN Float and am hoping to get in the OR once I get my ADN this summer. Can I work as a perioperative nurse in the Reserves? Does the military start counting experience AFTER receiving my BSN? I will get my ADN this summer and have one year to complete my BSN so I can get experience in between time.

[williams84]

I can answer the BSN question since I am putting together my package for the reserves right now. My recruiter told me that they now require at a minimum 90 days experience with your BSN before you can submit a package. I also work in the OR right now, but I won't be eligible to be an OR nurse in the Navy until I either have a year's worth of experience or my CNOR (which takes about 2 years). I wish I had more information to help you.

[deykalmevron]

I can answer the BSN question since I am putting together my package for the reserves right now. My recruiter told me that they now require at a minimum 90 days experience with your BSN before you can submit a package. I also work in the OR right now, but I won't be eligible to be an OR nurse in the Navy until I either have a year's worth of experience or my CNOR (which takes about 2 years). I wish I had more information to help you.

Hi Foxess. Thats for your insight. I had a feeling I would need some experience in. But does it only count once I get my BSN? Or does it count being an RN with an associates?

Was it hard for you to get in the OR? I float as a nurse so I see all specialties and know a lot of procedures (clinically). I've worked in the MOR a lot so I know the basic instruments for small excisions, etc.

Can you go in the navy as a nurse then once you get your experience transfer to the OR in the navy?

[williams84]

I can't officially answer if your ADN experience counts or not. I didn't find it too difficult to get into my OR. They are very open at training new grads, so if it's something your interested in, I say go for it. I do hope to change my nursing specialty once I get my CNOR in the Navy, but we'll see if they even take me for med-surg. I wish I could just specialize as an OR nurse now since I don't plan on leaving my current job for a long time, especially since they are in need of OR nurses now. I'll take what I can get, though.

[smsoftballgirl]

@foxessb1 : also putting in for reserves for recent grad bsn. Graduating in August, should have the 90 days by December/January timeframe. When I looked at the recruiting goals sheet with my recruiter, it looks like they have or had slots for med/surg and OR nurses, but no "general nurses." So my thought is, if the navy says that it takes 1 year to qualify as a med/surg or OR nurse, then until then you would be a general nurse. And if the Navy isn't taking any of those, then sounds like we're screwed until we've been working on either a med/surg or OR floor for one year. Let me know what your thoughts are on that.

[williams84]

Sounds interesting. I will check on that with my recruiter. My package should be done within the next month. I hit 90 days on May 10.

[smsoftballgirl]

Yes, please let me know what you find out about that. Congrats, you are almost there! Good luck :)

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Also, my knee sometimes bothers me. I can probably pass MEPS physical just fine but eventually down the road I may not be able to do PT (or get a knee replacement later on in life). Will that give them reason to discharge me? I would love to do my 20 years and retire when I am 60 and get the benefits/retirement. That is the main reason for joining. Plus, I would love to serve for my country. :).

Do not join for the benefits/retirement. If you're not in for the lifestyle or serving your country is an afterthought, it isn't worth it.

Do not join if you have a preexisting condition like a knee problem that you anticipate will be a problem later. That's a potentially disqualifying condition that needs to be revealed to your recruiter as your physical condition and any limitations therein will severely impact your military career, not to mention your own safety and that of your comrades were you to find yourself downrange in a tight spot.

The military isn't a means to an end (benefits/retirement/prestige). It is a 24-hour-a-day 7-days-a-week kind of job with serious authority and a great deal of responsibility. If you're bargaining for anything less, do not join.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I'm an AD AF Nurse and I think any experience you obtained as an RN counts. My friend who did OTS with me got his associates first prior to getting his BSN and they credited him with that time (granted you only get ~50% of your civilian nursing time). For the AF, you would need ~48 months of full time nursing to come in as an O-2.

[NavyNurseCorpsPM1]

deykalmevron, I am currently the Nursing Program Manager,s o I can answer most of the questions you have with regards to the Reserve side of the house (Active Duty has very different answers and criteria and I can speak on that if you have specific questions). Here goes...

1. You can start the application, but you cannot submit for credentialing until after you obtain a CONFERRED BSN at a minimum (I say it this way because some people use the MSN as their entry). There is no exception to this policy.

2. You will be required to PT and do all of the physical training that the military stipulates. When you go to RI to train there is no waiver and you will have to be able to PT during that time also. MEPS is not the final say, so keep that in mind. Also, if you are >42 you are required to do the PRT in order to receive an age waiver.

3. You can apply to work in the Reserves as a Perioperative nurse after you have the minimum required time...right now they are expecting 6 mo and up as this is a specific field. Nurses who have prior experience may be granted the go-ahead with the minimum 90 day time, but OR is a very specific niche as is critical care and CRNA...the more experience the more likely you will go to receive credentialing and be allowed to go before the board.

4. Experience as a nurse is comprehensive, but only experience after your BSN (it does not begin until 6mo after) is counted towards time in rank. On top of that it is counted as half time...EXAMPLE BSN Dec'13 WORK as BSN prepared nurse Dec'13-Present = Zero time towards rank because you are not beyond the 6mo window just yet, so you come in as an Ensign. That is perfectly okay though because you have no military experience, so you start at the beginning and learn as you grow and progress through the ranks.

5. If you do not have adequate Perioperative experience you may be credentialed under another sub-specialty, but if you accept a commission in a subspecialty the Nurse Corps Reserves expects that you will maintain at least a half time status in that sub-specialty during your initial obligation of 3 years...after that time you could ask to re-designate sub-specialties, but it would be at the needs of the Navy.

The Reserves is not used for training...the member is expected to keep up with their own training and requirements through employment so that if they had to deploy or backfill for the Active side they can do so in the most seamless way possible.

I know this is long, but I hope it helps. Please let me know if you have more questions or I did not explain something in a clear manner.

Ciao Ciao for now

LT, MSN, USN

[NavyNurseCorpsPM1]

foxessb1...has your recruiter sent your CV up for the PM to look at? If not, then my suggestion is to urge them to do so...While we prefer a longer time in the OR, and having the Periop 101 certificate is most helpful, if you have some nursing under your belt, then there is a relativity to what we look at in the experience column. Again...we consider all nursing time, but only the time after the BSN counts for the time in rank...it makes a difference.

Ciao Ciao

LT, MSN, USN