Currently considering going to the navy

[Robins19, LVN]

I am a nursing student currently considering going to the navy full time in order to complete my degrees. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on nursing in the navy, and as to how it differs from civilian nursing. I would also be very interested in ways to go about completing my degree in the navy.

I do know about the better opportunities offered for the nurses sign up with a bachelors and 2 years of critical care experience.

[k.willow]

Depending on where you are in your nursing prgroam, you might be eligible for the Nurse Candidate Program. They give you a stipend and when you graduate you are commissioned as a nurse. I think you have to be within two years of graduation.

As enlisted, it depends on where you are. You can use tuition assistance while active to help pay for classes, but work always comes first. TA will only pay for a limited number of classes a semester. I know several who are working on degrees and serving.

You can also join and then start applying for programs to send you to school once you are eligible.

If you have other specific questions feel free to PM me. I am a civilian nurse, but I work at a navy hospital and have lots of people I can get info from, both nurses and enlisted.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I'm AF but I've seen a lot of these questions. If you enlist it will take you a long time to get your BSN. You can only be a nurse as an officer so that means you would be doing something else. This gives you little time to go to school, and that would not a priority for the Navy. The people I've known who use their benefits for school take a long time to do so, like 7 years. A much better way would be to get your BSN first and enter as a nurse. It sounds like what the first poster suggested would be better still, if you can qualify.