Student Considering Air Force Nursing

Specialties Government

Published

Hello Everyone,

I am a nursing student trying to decide whether joining the Air Force is the right way for me to begin my nursing career (graduation may 2006). I have found this discussion very helpful so far, thanks!

Those of you who have been there: Is there anything you wish you had known before you decided to become an Air Force Nurse?

Thank you so much!

Sarah

I have been an Air Force nurse (Married w/2 kids) for almost two years now and still like my job. My general advise to someone thinking about joining the military is that it is a lifestyle choice. There will be things that you don't want to do but will have to do. IE: come in on your day off for meetings, go places that aren't very pleasant, or don't get to transfer to a specialty area when you want to. BUT there are advantages. I live on base in a brand new house 3bed 2 1/2 bath 5 min from work, I get paid the same even if I work 2 days a week (or 6 ) all my extra training and certs are free.

My workday

( Before I was charge nurse)

Max pt's = 4

3 if one was a pediatric or was an intrathecal ortho pt

most of the time I had my own tech

Life is good

And I live 7 miles from the Las Vegas Strip :)

If any one has specific AF nurse questions feel free to PM me.

Hi, I too am married with 2 kids. I am in the beginning stages of joining the air force. I have already experienced the waiting game. Just wondering what your process was like

Hi Mike,

I think you are entering the Air Force at the perfect age...it is how old my husband was. We met at Keesler AFB, MS and he was there for 4 years, then we went to RAF Lakenheath,England (I went 6 months ahead of him)for 4 yrs, AFIT in Chicago for almost 2 yrs, Wright Patterson AFB, OH for 2 1/2 yrs, back to Lakenheath as an NP for 3 1/2 yrs and now the AF Academy in Colorado Springs, and we have been here 6 mon. He's been in 14 years. The extra moves were to Chicago for AFIT (depends on where you choose to go to school, or they now have the Uniformed School for Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD which has an Psych NP program now...they really want NPs) He has gone to Flight School, but decided against a flying assignment for the AFIT, and numerous other training. I visited almost everywhere (before kids). We loved being stationed in England and traveled everywhere. It is definitely a perk of the military.

He deployed to Iraq with the Army and rode a blackhawk to "work" as he was assigned to austere remote bases. That deployment was difficult for me since our 3rd child was 7 months old when he left and we were in England, so family was not readily available...and I have the tendency to not ask for help. Our communication was wonderful during that deployment as well, he carried a cell phone and a laptop for charting and hospital communications, so we "saw" him almost every day, or had a phone call. He never deployed as a Psych nurse, only as an NP, but I know Psych nurses can work as clinical nurses while deployed.

This deployment is to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany...yes, it is a deployment! Again, it is with the Army and they need help, so the Air Force fills this slot. Not as austere as Iraq, but he is on call for every flight that comes in from Iraq/Afghan. Communication is still good, but the time difference makes it difficult.(8 hrs) It is much easier for me being back in the US for this deployment. We also have our 4th child who was 9 months old when he left. The key for me is to keep busy (easy with 4 kids and a new house), and most military spouses are pretty understanding of the military...you'll see that when you come in. I think the Air Force spouse is a pretty tough job at times, but would never have noticed that when I was active duty.

If you send your email, I can send it to my husband and he would be able to answer more in depth questions if you like...I have been out of the AF for 9 years now, so am not as current. Like I said, I think you are entering at a great time in your life!

Hi AFRNtoAFSpouse.I am a single, 23yr old student nurse considering joining the active duty Air Force. I will be graduating in December of this year. I have been a member of the Air Force Reserves for 5yrs as a medical technician. I am currently completing my annual training at the AF Academy. Are you and your family still stationed at the AF Academy in Colorado Springs? I am hoping you can share your experiences as an AFRN and civilian RN. Can you tell me some pros and cons of both? I am having a difficult time deciding where I would like to work once I become an RN. Should I reenlist as a commissioned reservist and wrk as a cilivian nurse or active duty commissioned nurse ? Did you complete the AF nurse transition program? As a new grad nurse, which job is more beneficial? Any response will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, PP, Nursery, Mother-Baby.

Hi Jones723,

I thought I replied to your message last week, but I don't see it....sorry!

I just want you to know that I have been out of the AF and nursing for almost 10 yrs. now! Today I started a Nursing Refresher Course just to get back in to nursing. I have an out of state license, but in order to obtain my CO license, I had to take this course. I'm looking forward to it....plus no NCLEX to worry about. Anyway, if you are at all interested in active duty military nursing I suggest you start now. If you read over many of the threads, you will see that it is really competitive. I think that it is to your benefit that you are currently serving in the Reserves as a med tech, but definitely not a guarantee that you will be selected. You have an advantage in that you can see what nurses in the military do...although, I am not sure where you were assigned at the Academy to work

I prefer military nursing to civilian nursing only because I love the camaraderie. I did not feel that when I worked at my civilian job. As a new grad, I worked for 6 months at the civilian hospital, then did the NTP program. From what I have read, the NTP program has changed alot. The cons of course are separation from family and sometimes feeling as though you cannot make future plans! Please don't hesitate to ask more questions and I will answer them the best that I can. Good luck this semester!

Hi, I have a similar question as well. I'm currently in a LVN-BSN program (2 years), I called a recruiter probably one month into the program and he told me to contact a year before graduation. Now it's actually one year to graduation and I left an email, yet I have had no reply in a couple of weeks.. what should I do?

Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

Medical officer Recruiters cover large regions and are spread pretty thin. Find that sweet spot between persistent and peskiness. lol. I would suggest that you present yourself to him/her with an attitude that you are into this 100% and that you are worth his effort. Look professional and show up with any document you may have that is relavent (birth cert, marriage license, license, any certifications). I basically checked in every week or 2 while the paperwork was in process.

Good luck.

do i have a chance to join the airforce even though i just passed nclex with no experience??

Specializes in Critical care, Research.

You are able to join AF, darts_888! contact a health professions recruiter for details! you will get training after joining!!

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
do i have a chance to join the airforce even though i just passed nclex with no experience??

I believe the AF (like the other services) requires a BSN from a school with either CCNE or NLNAC accreditation.

Hi I have a couple questions that I hope you can answer. My husband is stationed at Travis Air force Base and I am in the process of trying to get into nursing school. I have all my pre reqs and have applied to a couple schools. Many have a first come first serve application process and my last school I applied to landed me on a 2-year wait list. The chances that we will be stationed here for that long is slim:/ Would u recommend joining the air force and going to nursing school that way? Will they accept my pre reqs? Will my husband and I be stationed together? I know I have a lot of questions but I'm seriously stressing out:/

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Would u recommend joining the air force and going to nursing school that way?

If you join before you're a nurse, they won't just send you to school to become a nurse. I know it's difficult for military spouses because you're not in one place that long. Sorry! :(

Hello, i know this is an old post but it caught my eye! I am about a year and a half from graduating with my BSN and have been debating between the Air Force and the Navy Nurse Corps. I started with the Nurse Candidate Program application process with my medical recruiter about two weeks ago and I have been getting a lot of it done fairly quickly. However, after learning about the Air Force programs as well as Navy programs for current RNs I'm starting to think it might not be worth it to do NCP since the process will take some time which means my stipend for student loans will not be maximized yet I will still be giving the same amount of active duty years (4-5). So my question is, from your experiences as an Air Force nurse, do the Air Force and Navy take new grads with no prior experience? And if so what are the steps I should take to maximize my chances of receiving a commission? Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!

P.S. I'd love to PM you but can't seem to find the PM button haha

I am going to be graduating in 9 months with my BSN and am considering joining the AF. My husband is already enlisted (4 1/2 years now) so I am familiar with the lifestyle. We have two small children. My husband has PCS orders and we will be separated for 9 months while I finish school. He will be at Scott AFB and my biggest concern is not being able to be stationed together. If I worked for 6 months before joining would I have a better chance of being stationed where he is? Our family is separated enough with deployments and TDY's, I at least want us to be stationed together. I know his follow on will follow my orders, as I will outrank him, it is just initially that I am worried about.

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