Should I try for the NCP while in school or try for DA after a couple years?

[Sailor'sGirl]

I want to join the Army(or maybe Navy) Nurse Corps. But I hear when you join they don't even let you deploy for a couple years and even then the best chance you have of deploying is to be ICU nurse. I'm going into my final twelve months as a nusing student and am in the process of applying to the ANCP(I'm almost finished). My recruiter says I have a competitive kit. But the hospital I'm doing my clinicals at I have a really good chance of getting into ICU. I know a lot of people who work there including the person in charge of hiring and she says she expects two or three nurses to be leaving within the next 15 months and if I don't screw up my last year and the nuses who are supposed to leave do go then the position is mine. Would I have a better chance of getting into the Navy ICU if I stay civilian for five years and work ICU?

[Mslecia20]

I want to join the Army(or maybe Navy) Nurse Corps. But I hear when you join they don't even let you deploy for a couple years and even then the best chance you have of deploying is to be ICU nurse. I'm going into my final twelve months as a nusing student and am in the process of applying to the ANCP(I'm almost finished). My recruiter says I have a competitive kit. But the hospital I'm doing my clinicals at I have a really good chance of getting into ICU. I know a lot of people who work there including the person in charge of hiring and she says she expects two or three nurses to be leaving within the next 15 months and if I don't screw up my last year and the nuses who are supposed to leave do go then the position is mine. Would I have a better chance of getting into the Navy ICU if I stay civilian for five years and work ICU?

you did a packet for Ancp? who is your recruiter because everyone I know was told there was no Ancp mission for fiscal years 2013 or 2014

[navyman7]

Check out some of the similar posts under: Military Nursing Questions Answered. There are many similar posts there that might shed some light on your question.

In short I would take the ICU job, get your CCRN, then apply via DA. You will be much more competitive later on, plus you will get so much more $$$ when you come in via the DA route than the NCP. Plus you can always sign up for the ISP and get more money once your intial commitment is done, granted you have your CCRN. (All this applies only to the Navy as far as I know, and in regards to ICU nursing.)