Wanting to be an Emergency Nurse Someday-Going Green Soon

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

hi, i am in the process of joining the army nurse corps reserve. i have a question regarding career flexibility.

here is my situation:

due to the economy my passion to work in emergency nursing any time soon is being thwarted at every turn. i applied out of school and was rejected because my hospital was not hiring new grads. i applied recently (6 months later) with good references and an outstanding interview and i was rejected because i was being compared to more experienced nurses (the er has hired the set number of new grads for now and does not wish to hire any more, which is why without my knowledge i went up against the experienced nurses). i figure given this economy and the lack of opportunities locally, i will not be able to transfer into any ed for possibly 5 years or more. there is no way this economy will change in two years and even if it does, there is no way nurses who wish to retire will feel secure enough to retire at that time. therefore, i cannot imagine not going up against more experienced nurses every time i apply for a transfer over the next decade!! so, i am moving on.... i plan to take the option and join the army reserves (i have been thinking about this for three years... my last rejection sealed the deal)!

here is what i know (so i do not need to be told a million times):

active duty army will take new grads into a specialty area, however, as an adn prepared rn i will not be able to go on active duty until i complete my bsn. in addition, i will also not be able to have my reserve contract place me directly into emergency nursing at this time because the reserves requires 2 years of work experience if choosing a specialty area.

here are my questions...:

1.) after 2 years of medical surgical nursing with some exposure to the ed skills, will i be able to transfer into ed within the army reserves? what does it take to be able to transfer into a specialty after working medical surgical nursing inside or outside of the army? do you know of anyone who has transferred out of medical surgical nursing within the army reserves without 2 years of civilian work experience within a specialty area?

2.) if i join the reserves and get my bsn a year later (i am set to graduate next spring), is it possible to transfer into active duty army to serve out the rest of my contract and have a transfer into the ed placed into my active duty contract without 2 years of ed experience (especially since i will no longer be considered a new grad)? again, has anyone done this???

btw, i plan to join even if i am working medical surgical nursing in the army for some time because the army is not the same as the civilian world. i will have enough leadership responsibilities to make me happy with my career choice while waiting to transfer into emergency nursing. plus, my family is supportive and i also have some prior experience. thus, although i know that the military is not perfect, there are things i like about it in many ways and i cannot wait to return.

please feel free to answer my questions and share your experiences. thanks.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

You will be able to go active after you have your BSN. You will need to apply and go thru everything again. When you do your contract at that time a seat in the M5, ER Nurse, in it so you will be able to go shortly after you go on active. It can be done since I just completed the same.

[athena55, BSN, RN]

hi, i will try to answer some of your questions:

here are my questions...:

1.) after 2 years of medical surgical nursing with some exposure to the ed skills, will i be able to transfer into ed within the army reserves? what does it take to be able to transfer into a specialty after working medical surgical nursing inside or outside of the army? do you know of anyone who has transferred out of medical surgical nursing within the army reserves without 2 years of civilian work experience within a specialty area?

when you are in the reserves you don't per se always work in a hospital setting. it all depends on your tpu (troop program unit) if you are going in as a irr (individual ready reserve) one usually doesn't go to monthly drills and you don't really belong to a tpu, you kind of keep up with your training on your own and know that at any time you could be called up and be deployed. perhaps if your tpu is connected with a csh (combat support hospital) you might get some time in a hospital. a lot depends upon your tpu's metl (mission essential task list) and their dwell time (how long it has been since that particular unit or tpu was last deployed). as an example: my tpu was a medical support unit and we did not go to hospital to train. we had our monthly drills in which we 66h's (rn's) help train the other soldiers in the unit how to start ivs, recognize heat exhaustion ......these are examples. our at (annual training) was at, for example, fort mccoy where we learned how to set up and take down a 44 bed csh....we learned tasks essential to our end mission. but i must impress upon you that usually most tpu's do not do any training in a hospital environment at all. most army reserve nurses have civilian jobs.

2.) if i join the reserves and get my bsn a year later (i am set to graduate next spring), is it possible to transfer into active duty army to serve out the rest of my contract and have a transfer into the ed placed into my active duty contract without 2 years of ed experience (especially since i will no longer be considered a new grad)? again, has anyone done this???

active duty: when you graduate and successfully pass the nclex you will be considered a new graduate and would have to work at least 6 months to 1 year on a medical surgical floor before being given the go ahead to attend the generic course selection program (gcsp). if you choose one of them you will incur a 1-year active duty service obligation (adso) {see usarec form 1205} if you have a job as a civilian and then become a commissioned officer in the army reserves nurse corps those years of civilian work will transfer over to tig (time in grade). i think most new nurses go in as either 2nd or 1st lt. i am not sure about your question regarding being able to serve out the rest of your reserve contract while ad. once you make the decision to go ad any monies you might have received as a "sign-on" bonus for becoming a commissioned officer in the usar nc would have to be given back if you failed to complete the contract as stated: example: you received $15,000 - $5,000 per year x 3 years rc, if you only do 2 years in the rc and then switch over to ac, you may have to give back that last $5,000. i have met 1 army nurse who had to do just that.

when i went from the reserves to active duty i didn't have to worry about returning any money the army gave me when i commissioned in as my recruiter forgot to submit the paper work:angryfire

my only regret is that i should have gone active duty from the get-go. the army has been very good to me. my only "goal" is to try to pcs (permanent change of station) closer to my home of record after my upcoming deployment.

since you have prior service going to oblc shouldn't be as hard for you....

good luck in your decisions!

athena

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

If you have experience, depending on the number of years, and in the reserves when you go active you can either go straight to your to AD site or to your school as long as you have gone thru OBLC. As far as accession bonus, if you are already commissioned in the reserves you will not get one when you go active. As far as pay back of accession bonus in the reserves then go active I do not know about that, I would go by what Athena since she has spoken with other officers about that. This covers all services, I talked with the Air Force and Navy and they told me the same thing. But, you still can get student loan repayment & course selection. Good luck

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

How much RN experence do you have?

[olderthandirt2]

I can tell you what USARC HSD just told me about ASI's (I am trying to KEEP my Army Reserve 8A indicator, now that I am active......they are saying it is not valid)

Regardingy clinical experienc for an ASI:

Per USARC HSD, "Our guidance states that you must have 750 hours over the past year and 1500 hours over the last two years in the adult ICU in order to obtain

the identifier.".........this is for an 8A, but I would bet it is similar for a M5.

good luck,

c.

[olderthandirt2]

My only "goal" is to try to PCS (permanent change of station) closer to my home of record after my upcoming deployment.

Hey A,

Where you going? Fun and sun? :)

c.

[athena55, BSN, RN]

Ha ha OTD:

You made me smile! Fun and Sun, wish...

Actually trying to PCS closer to the east coast....Trying for WR (Walter Reed). If I get WRAMC then I will probably buy a car so that I can go home (NYC) on my off-days and Pass days....fingers crossed...

My ultimate "wish" is that when i finally retire from AD I will relocate to Florida and try to obtain a job at the new Orlando VA that is being built....But as we all know, life sure does take some crazy twists and turns!

C, How are you doing??

athena

[olderthandirt2]

Hi Athena,

I hope you get your wish and can be closer to home ...Are you deploying soon....thought I read that somewhere (where to?).

Yikes, the commercial movers come next week!!!!! I guess I am ready! Abit apprehensive of school on June 15th

c.

[athena55, BSN, RN]

OTD:

Yup deploying in~ 90 days but a bunch of us from A Co. so I won't be too lonely. It seems like we will be first MOB-ing to Ft Bragg than off to the 28th CSH for 6-9 months..

Yikes, didn't realize you're PCS-ing so soon! Are you TDY-return? Will you be living in on-site billeting or can you live off-post? WOWOWOW....Well I tip my beret to you and hope that your, how many years? 1.5 or 2? years of learning fly by. Good on ya for being accepted :yeah:I realize its been a slightly twisty road for you, but you persevered.

Suggestion: take digital pictures of all your household items. That way if anything is missing or damaged you have visual proof. Hand carry all your important papers including your DD Form 1797, DD Form 1299 and DD Form 619 (Statement of Accessorial Services Performed) Go over your DD form 1840, 1840R (Household Goods Descriptive Inventory). You'll have up to 70 days to make a claim.

If you can't hand carry your valuables (like your CD collection, DVD collection) then put them in a box label "kitchen" for example. I have heard stories of entire DVD's being taken, especially if labeled as such (DVD's or entertainment center etc)

I hope that you will be able, from time-to-time, to take a few minutes and a few deep breaths and enjoy your time and try to drop us (your All Nurses family) a line or two!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all the support and encouragement you have shown me and others here on this forum. I mean that :redbeathe

bye for now,

athena {{think I over did the "smilies" on this post, ha ha!}}

[olderthandirt2]

Hi Athena,

OOoooow, good luck with the 28th CSH!! Keep safe--that should break up the monotony of work! :)

Thank you for the suggestions on moving and theft prevention, I will definitely heed your advice. Today the movers come by for an "initial evaluation". I am using a uhaul for all our plants/super fragile/irreplaceable (documents) stuff.

Moving with the 3 cats will be fabulous, I am really looking forward to that (have sedation--will use....for them, not me!)

school--ekk......Yep, I am trying to not think of the school demands right now (2.5 yrs) otherwise it is overwhelming (my mind is spinning about "how unbelieveably difficult it will be" and whether I can do it, oh well......one day at a time.

more later,

c.

[lifeafter40]

Take a deep breath, ODT2...they have a selection process for a reason...if you couldn't do it, you wouldn't be going

Good luck, and safe travels,

LA40