A day in the life. Military Nursing

zombie · Jan 5, 2010

Ok.. well.. I am a critical care nurse for a few years in civilian and now I am critical care nurse in army.

1. Patients are different. Obviously, your treating your co workers and the families.

2. Structure in the military is very different from civilian world. There is a rank structure. In the civilian world you have more "freedom" outside of work. The military loves you 24/7 they keep tabs on you on and off duty. And your expected to act a certain way. In the civilian world you do whatever you want to do overall.. You dont like where you are at you can leave go somewhere else.. in the military well.. you get the drift.

3. Overall your day at work is the same as civilian work. You will get assigned and expected to do other duties. As your rank goes up your duties will also. You are expected to professionally grow and in the civilian world they don't really care.

those are some things...

midinphx, BSN · Jan 6, 2010

That is a great start Zombie, thanks! I was enlisted army so I know the rank and the restriction on personal life in the military. I just am curious to know how my career life will change from civ nursing. As a civilian CCU nurse, I go in an get my patients, do some voluntary extra committee things, and just go home. Since you know Critical care in both worlds, how would you say they are different or the same?

athena55, BSN, RN · Jan 6, 2010

Was civilian for many, many years, currently active duty, Deployed down range (Iraq)

66H8A = critical care nurse working in combined intensive care unit both at duty station (Fort Bliss) and here down range

While deployed I work six days out of seven (we get one day off unless there is a MASCAL or some other emergency such as Alarm Red/Incoming. After the all clear is given all CSH personnel report STAT to the CSH for accountability)

If you want to leave the FOB or Air Base you must ask for and be granted permission to leave, and always with a Battle Buddy. You must have 24/7 accountability of your weapon and rounds. You must always practice OPSEC (whether deployed or CONUS)

The food in the DFAC is always the same. I am lucky in that I get hot chow. There are others down range both here and in Afghanistan that are eating MRE's. I also get to sleep in a CHU (compatmentalized housing unit) 2 beds, 2 metal lockers. If you are lucky there is a MWR tent, and a gym. Not much to do on your one day off so most people hang out in the CSH or at the MWR tent or work out in the gym.

I am here for 12 months, but I much rather be here than in Kuwait.

We are seeing an upsurge in the amount of burn patients we are treating, mostly due to IED's, car bombs, home accidents. SO burn injuries along with traumatic amputations, head injuries, multi-trauma stuff. We are also seeing an upsurge in the amount of stuff they throw at us (mortars and bombs) The .50 cal gunfire in the background doesn't bother me but what scares and upsets me - still - is the bloody loud voice that announces incoming and that siren. Sigh, oh and of course the loud blasts from the actual explosion.

When my 12 months are done I look forward to going back to my duty station, and in about 18 months I will PCS someplace else (if I am not deployed elsewhere)

Best of luck to you and your decision

athena

jerrylundergard · Jan 6, 2010

Are you working standard 12 hr shifts while deployed Athena? If so, do you at least get out at the end of your 12 hr shift, usually? Working 6 12hr shifts must be tough but I guess you dont have to "commute" to work.

midinphx, BSN · Jan 6, 2010

Athena you are so awsome! Thanks.

My decision is made. If they will take me, I'm going. I have a wish list, but I will be thankful for wherever they want me. My mom asked what my chance of being deployed is. I told her that I will serve until I retire and that in those 17+ years, that I guarantee I will be deployed at some point. And I welcome the oppertunity to serve those who really need me. I'm scared of being where you are now. But I want nothing more than to have the oppertunity to do it too. I hope to run into you somewhere someday. :)

Thank you for your opinions and your service!

athena55, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

Are you working standard 12 hr shifts while deployed Athena? If so, do you at least get out at the end of your 12 hr shift, usually? Working 6 12hr shifts must be tough but I guess you dont have to "commute" to work.

Yes we work 12 hour shifts. I think the pharmacy people work 8 hours but they haven't really had a day off in about 2 months! OUCH. At the end of my 12 hour shift I usually either go right to bed or go to the gym and work out a wee bit before hitting the sack. Not much to do where I am, right now except work and hang out on your one day off in the CSH.

And you are right in that I really don't have far to walk to get into the CSH on the double, if need be.

Midinphx: When you are in the Military you get volun-TOLD to be on this committe or to work on that project. You can't really call in sick - you must go to sick call and then, if need be, you are restricted to quarters.

You will lose certain "freedoms" that you enjoy while a civilian such as if you have 4 days off in a row you just can't pick up and go someplace. The Army "owns" you so you are accountable to them. Everything is according to the "needs of the Army" which includes certain schooling and deployments.

My only regret is that I didn't go straight into the Active side of the house right away.

I am very satisified and happy with my decision to go Active. Always keep in the back of your mind that the Army is a small world. I have met people that I knew way back when I was in the Reserves (in Kiwait of all places!) so the Armed Forces is one place where you wouldn't want to "burn any bridges"

And I will state once more, for the record: I am very happy and proud of my decision to go Army Nurse Corps!

athena

Iraq

jerrylundergard · Jan 7, 2010

Athena, your awesome!

Even though those pharmacy people are working every day its only 8 hrs. At the end of the week it would be 7x8 = 56hrs. Compared to the nurse working 6 12s which is 72. That doesnt seem to fair. I hope they are working the docs hard too and its not just the nurses that put in 72 hr weeks. Your right though, not much else to do. Do they atleast have like a pistol/rifle range on the base were you can target practice or do anything cool on your day off? I see they have internet so I wouldnt run out of ways to waste my time on that day off anyway.

One other question Athena, does the army have this threat of write ups all the time. I work in a private hospital and nearly every morning our DON comes in and threatens the entire staff that there will be write ups for tiddly winks stuff like not dating IV lines and such. MRSA screens not properly entered into the computer got one nurse a write up even though it was a transfer from the ICU and the ICU nurse put in the swab wrong but the blame fell on the recieving nurse cause she didnt follow up on/catch it. So the constant threat of write ups is rather annoying even though, knock on wood, I havent been the direct target, yet. Just curious if thats how the administration rolls in the Army. Im rather new to nursing with only 6 mos. exp so the write up threats are annoying to say the least.

Thanks Athena, and good luck over there!

athena55, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2010

Hi Jerry:

Write-ups. Hmm, well while CONUS you really have to **** someone off to have a counseling statement done on you.

Deployed: I am guessing some people have too much time on their hands....An Officer I know didn't get an award (that she was put in for) because she wore flip-flops to the shower instead of closed-toe shoes. You can get binged for not wearing your eyepro or reflective belt.

I know that General Order # 1 applies regardless if you are OCONUS or CONUS but sometimes the little stuff makes you shake your head in wonder (smile)

You ask about stuff to do on your one DO (day off). No pistol/rifle range to go to. One can volunteer at the USO/MWR. Tons of DVDs to borrow, thousands of books to read. Access to computers (but they are DoD Computers so many, MANY web sites are blocked and as always, BIG BROTHER/SISTER is watching). Oh if you are lucky enough to obtain a television you can always watch AFN (Armed Forces Network). I don't have a television at home/duty station so this is a treat for me - watching television even if it is "government controlled"

As with anything in the Armed Forces, it is what you make of it.

Well, gonna go to the gym. Have a DAPFT (diagnostic) coming up!

Stay Safe!

athena/Iraq

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 11, 2010

Oh if you are lucky enough to obtain a television you can always watch AFN (Armed Forces Network). I don't have a television at home/duty station so this is a treat for me - watching television even if it is "government controlled"

I have been forever changed (warped!) by growing up watching AFN. The commercials were the best part! I'm sure they probably use a lot of the same ones, even today. Too funny.

midinphx, BSN · Jan 11, 2010

AFN! lol. I remember my first day in Germany. Everyone was crowded into our crumby day room around an old tv avidly watching a military newscaster. I thought something really bad must have happened while I was on the bus to get there, or why would they all be so focused?! Well, back then, that was all we got!

I even remember the first comercial I got to see when I first returned stateside 2.5 years later (It was a Doritos commercial!). For those who don't know, there are no real commercials on AFN.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2010

AFN cracks me up. Really.