Adult Nurse Practitioner considering the AF...

shapely · Aug 21, 2010

I'll post back to your thread in about 2 months. I'm a new grad FNP leaving Monday. I can tell you this now...if you are considering this, start the application now because it is a good year before you will committ and actually leave for an assignment. Anytime before that you are not committed. During the application period you will have two interviews and get to tour a medical facility and speak to staff there for more input. I decided to go for the military for the exact reasons you listed. You max out too early in the civilian world.

npduckie · Aug 21, 2010

I was hoping to get into the Jan 2011 COT class as I have a wedding during the March one and I don't want to wait til May... I am just ready for a change and I have wanted to do this for years but let other tell me what career path I should follow...I know when I looked into it after my BSN there was only like 6 bases they put you after their Nurse Transition Program... how does it work after COT for NPs with experience? (I have not sat down with the recruiter yet and I have so many questions) Do you know where you are going after COT yet?

allnurses Guide · Aug 21, 2010

I don't think the AF utilizes Adult Nurse Practitioners. Nurse Practitioner - Healthcare Careers - AirForce.com

allnurses Guide · Aug 21, 2010

I was hoping to get into the Jan 2011 COT class as I have a wedding during the March one and I don't want to wait til May... I am just ready for a change and I have wanted to do this for years but let other tell me what career path I should follow...I know when I looked into it after my BSN there was only like 6 bases they put you after their Nurse Transition Program... how does it work after COT for NPs with experience? (I have not sat down with the recruiter yet and I have so many questions) Do you know where you are going after COT yet?

1. You realize there is very real possibility if you went to COT in January you might not be able to take leave in March.

2. Experienced nurses/NPs/APNs do not go through NTP. There are usually FNP slots at most bases, but again I don't think the AF is utilizing Adult NPs right now.

npduckie · Aug 21, 2010

when i spoke with the recruiter last week she said they had slots available for me, she is just 3 hrs away and i have to get up to see her. i am hoping to go up this week... and when i looked into it before they took anps then too. from how she talked it seemed as if they utilize us in the acnp and whnp spots because i am trained in all of those areas i just don't have pediatric experience and don't see patients under the age of 13. i actually have a dual masters degree as a clinical nurse specialist and have a post master certificate as a nursing educator. i am hoping to go back and get my post masters certification as a crna or possibly my dnp or maybe bridge to fnp... but no sense in me doing most of that stuff in the civilian sector as it won't mean more money (unless i went crna) fnps actually make less than i do on average b/c i tend to do more hospitalist and specialty work.

oh and we are listed to receive board cert pay for non mds so they do have us...just not sure how i would be utilized... in civilian sector as an np i have done vascular, trauma surgery service, urology and internal med... i hopped around a little for new experiences and to climb the ladder and have been very aggressive with this i also teach nursing school part-time... have done a lot in my few years in practice and would be an asset to the af and hope they will need me...

allnurses Guide · Aug 21, 2010

when i spoke with the recruiter last week she said they had slots available for me, she is just 3 hrs away and i have to get up to see her. i am hoping to go up this week... and when i looked into it before they took anps then too. from how she talked it seemed as if they utilize us in the acnp and whnp spots because i am trained in all of those areas i just don't have pediatric experience and don't see patients under the age of 13. i actually have a dual masters degree as a clinical nurse specialist and have a post master certificate as a nursing educator. i am hoping to go back and get my post masters certification as a crna or possibly my dnp or maybe bridge to fnp... but no sense in me doing most of that stuff in the civilian sector as it won't mean more money (unless i went crna) fnps actually make less than i do on average b/c i tend to do more hospitalist and specialty work.
oh and we are listed to receive board cert pay for non mds so they do have us...just not sure how i would be utilized... in civilian sector as an np i have done vascular, trauma surgery service, urology and internal med... i hopped around a little for new experiences and to climb the ladder and have been very aggressive with this i also teach nursing school part-time... have done a lot in my few years in practice and would be an asset to the af and hope they will need me...

good to know. i have never met, at least to my knowledge, an adult np in the af. i will have to ask around and see if we have any where i am stationed now.

except for crnas, apns are pretty much at the mercy of chief nurse on where and how they are utilized. with your background and education there are a number jobs in the af you would be well suited for.

fyi: you would have to go back and do an msn again if you wanted to do crna through the af. the military only sends their ad nurses to one of two schools and there is no post-msn option for either one.

npduckie · Aug 21, 2010

So I would have to do all of my MSN over again or would they give me credit for my gen ed requirements that the NP and CRNA programs share... I actually was accepted into a CRNA School and started with my ANP and FNP counterparts, my husband lost it after my 1st semester and I was TOLD to drop out... I ended up transferring to the dual program and well within 2 yrs of graduation we separated and I am looking to do something more and see where I can get my career to take me...

allnurses Guide · Aug 21, 2010

So I would have to do all of my MSN over again or would they give me credit for my gen ed requirements that the NP and CRNA programs share... I actually was accepted into a CRNA School and started with my ANP and FNP counterparts, my husband lost it after my 1st semester and I was TOLD to drop out... I ended up transferring to the dual program and well within 2 yrs of graduation we separated and I am looking to do something more and see where I can get my career to take me...

You may be able to transfer a couple of classes (6 or 9 credits). My class at USUHS no one was able to transfer any of their classes in the CRNA program. We had a few people with their MSN already. I am not sure what the exact requirements are at the Ft Sam program, but only 4 or 5 AF students go there every year.

npduckie · Aug 21, 2010

You may be able to transfer a couple of classes (6 or 9 credits). My class at USUHS no one was able to transfer any of their classes in the CRNA program. We had a few people with their MSN already. I am not sure what the exact requirements are at the Ft Sam program, but only 4 or 5 AF students go there every year.

Thanks for the info... I am hoping to go up to Raleigh next week... I am just ready to get this process started... If I could get in for the Oct COT class I would but know I do not have enough time to get in... I have also considered Army and Navy but AF has always been known to have the better bases and treatment of their people, I have been on enough Army and AF bases to know this...

shapely · Aug 23, 2010

NPDuckie--I have heard what wtbcrna is talking about before. There was an Adult NP on this forum who went army and they didn't have a MOS for adult NP and she went in as med surg with the hopes that the chief nurse would be able to use her as a NP in one of the clinics. Prior nursing exp applies to higher rank? - Page 2- Nursing for Nurses Here is one of the many threads in which she discussed this. See number 14 post. Basically I want you to be careful and read the fine lines. The specialty pay is across all branches. Some branches may take ANP and others may not, therefore offer the speciality pay for that MOS or not. And it may be something they have offered in the past and don't currently or will be offering soon in the future. Again, I just want you to read the fine lines carefully.

As for me this was a long process. You have to be credentialed as a NP before applying to the board which was like another board in itself. It has taken me a year. I've been waiting 6 extra months just for this COT class. I wouldn't count on January. March would be a good estimate but still pushing it as far as time goes. The application time is about a year.

And I agree with WTBCRNA, if you get in the January class, there's no guarantee that you'll make that wedding. They pretty much own us. It's different. Good luck with your application. I'll keep you posted and you do the same.

npduckie · Aug 23, 2010

NPDuckie--I have heard what wtbcrna is talking about before. There was an Adult NP on this forum who went army and they didn't have a MOS for adult NP and she went in as med surg with the hopes that the chief nurse would be able to use her as a NP in one of the clinics. Prior nursing exp applies to higher rank? - Page 2- Nursing for Nurses Here is one of the many threads in which she discussed this. See number 14 post. Basically I want you to be careful and read the fine lines. The specialty pay is across all branches. Some branches may take ANP and others may not, therefore offer the speciality pay for that MOS or not. And it may be something they have offered in the past and don't currently or will be offering soon in the future. Again, I just want you to read the fine lines carefully.
As for me this was a long process. You have to be credentialed as a NP before applying to the board which was like another board in itself. It has taken me a year. I've been waiting 6 extra months just for this COT class. I wouldn't count on January. March would be a good estimate but still pushing it as far as time goes. The application time is about a year.
And I agree with WTBCRNA, if you get in the January class, there's no guarantee that you'll make that wedding. They pretty much own us. It's different. Good luck with your application. I'll keep you posted and you do the same.

Thanks... hmmmm yeah I will not go in as just an RN... I make too much to and too much experience to take a step backwards... what I find interesting is they utilize PAs in TMC and well that would be a great place for an ANP... anyways I go next week to talk to the recruiter... I am also looking Navy too. And if I can't make the wedding I have already talked to my friend and well I am not putting my career on hold for a wedding...