Advice from Army nurses

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Specializes in bedpan washing.

I have a question. I'm hoping to apply for the Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program next year. The program offers those accepted 24 calendar months to complete a 4 year nursing degree. All of the schools I've looked at offer their BSN program from the 2nd to the 4th year of college, with some general education requirements in the 2nd year as well. Following this typical academic program would put anyone over their time limit. With this in mind; does anyone know of any colleges or universities that have their nursing program strictly in the last two years?

Thanks

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Specializes in CCRN, CEN.

Check out Union University. UU has a 14 month degree completion BSN and a 12 month accelerated BSN. The instructors for the most part are very nurturing and professional. I am in the accelerated and know people in the 14 month cohort they love it as well. My only advise if you come to Union is be ready to work. Oh, for pre-reqs union has intense half semester classes to get pathphys and stats out of the way. I heard some even took A&P that way as well. www.uu.edu

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
I have a question. I'm hoping to apply for the Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program next year. The program offers those accepted 24 calendar months to complete a 4 year nursing degree. All of the schools I've looked at offer their BSN program from the 2nd to the 4th year of college, with some general education requirements in the 2nd year as well. Following this typical academic program would put anyone over their time limit. With this in mind; does anyone know of any colleges or universities that have their nursing program strictly in the last two years?

Thanks

Hello,

Possibly you may have overlooked some of the information. What I understand is that unless you are in the ROTC, which is a four year scholarship, I think, then you are only eligible for the Army Nurse Candidate Program which will only support you for your Junior and Senior years towards your BSN.

If you choose to do an accelerated BSN, (which of course requires that you already have a BA or BS degree in another field first to qualify) or an MSN entry program, (which also requires a minimum of a BA or BS degree plus the minimum one full time school year to complete the pre-reqs) I think this would still qualify for the Army Nurse Candidate Program, (ANCP).

I got that information from reading the AMEDD ANC website and also from talking to AMEDD recruiters.

There is 9 months left towards my completion of my MSN entry to nursing and my application for ANCP is about to go for review.

Gen

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Specializes in bedpan washing.

Gennaver,

I appreciate your efforts, but you're on the wrong track. The Enlisted Commissioning Program is for enlisted soldiers who want to complete their degee in nursing. The programs you mentioned are for civilians who hope to become army nurse corps officers.

MIKE

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Gennaver,

I appreciate your efforts, but you're on the wrong track. The Enlisted Commissioning Program is for enlisted Soldiers who want to complete their degee in nursing. The programs you mentioned are for civilians who hope to become Army Nurse Corps officers.

MIKE

Soldier, I'd like to compliment you on how well you professionally replied in your post to Gen. I regret I'm unable to offer you any suggestions since I'm a direct commission ANC officer. BTW, thank you for your military service & good luck in your quest to become an officer in the ANC.

soldier1combatmedicob3.th.gif

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Gennaver,

I appreciate your efforts, but you're on the wrong track. The Enlisted Commissioning Program is for enlisted soldiers who want to complete their degee in nursing. The programs you mentioned are for civilians who hope to become army nurse corps officers.

MIKE

Mike,

Ah, I see.

So is the time line of 24 months equivalent to 2 academic years, (of an 18 month actual timeline) or of merely 2 calandar years?

Not sure at all why the timeline waoul only allow for 2 years to complete a four year degree. Good luck.

Gen

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Specializes in bedpan washing.

Well Gen, if there's one organization that makes a habit of offering too little time to complete a task it would be the Army. Welcome to the team.

The thing that's throwing me off schedule-wise is that most degrees don't start teaching the "meat and potatoes" until the 3rd year. Nursing, for the most part, seems to be the exception. BSN programs seem to start in the 2nd, and sometimes even 1st year of college studies.

So it's not actually a four year degree the Army is letting us take time to complete, it's the last two years of college education, which for me is nursing. Applicants get a full 24 months to complete a four year degree; the expectation is that we have over time accumulated all the pre-reqs and general education requirements for the college we plan to apply to. So in reality if I really crammed my schedule ( and the college permitted it) I could just mash the 2nd year courses in with the 3rd year...but if they're pre-reqs that might not be permitted. I hope that clears it up. It is a rather odd policy.

Thanks

MIKE

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

Most of the nursing programs in Texas require pre-reqs in the 1st and 2nd years, and only nursing courses during the 3rd and 4th years. So, if you already have your A&P, histories and all that fun stuff, check into Texas colleges like UTA, TWU, SFA ...

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Specializes in bedpan washing.

Texas...and it's a warm state.

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I think I can make a comment on only the 2 year thing. Since it is designed for enlisted already on active duty it is just another way an enlisted person can get a degree. It is not specific to nursing, it is for people in general who are in their last 2 years of school and are ready to finish. In the Air Force the program used to be called "Boot Strap" (the name may have changed) The Military in general has MANY ways to get a degree it is a matter of finding the right opportunity and taking it.

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Look into the University Health Science Center, San Antonio. A very good, highly regarded nursing school that's well acquainted with military. Many Army and Air Force nurses have earned Master's Degrees in their graduate school. You can't go wrong with this school in preparing you to be an outstanding nurse. I'm not sure how competitive it is to enter.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
I have a question. I'm hoping to apply for the Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program next year. The program offers those accepted 24 calendar months to complete a 4 year nursing degree. All of the schools I've looked at offer their BSN program from the 2nd to the 4th year of college, with some general education requirements in the 2nd year as well. Following this typical academic program would put anyone over their time limit. With this in mind; does anyone know of any colleges or universities that have their nursing program strictly in the last two years?

Thanks

Hello again,

While surfing the net regarding Army Nurse I came across http://www.heidelbergeducation.com/medprograms.htm

Here is a paste from that site regarding nursing:

[paste]

AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP)

AECP provides eligible active-duty Soldiers the opportunity to:

Earn a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing (BSN)

Become Registered Nurse (RN)

Be commissioned in the Army Nurse Corps

Eligibility:

Enlisted members with a minimum of 3 years of active duty but no more than 10

Must be within 24 calendar months of obtaining a bachelor's degree in nursing

Must be accepted to at least one college (school has to have an Army ROTC program) to start

classes in the Fall semester

Student receives tuition of $3,000 per semester (cannot use GI Bill or Pell Grant) and continues to receive his/her current pay and allowances.

Upon obtaining a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing, officer must:

Take NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) exam

within 60 days of graduation

Serve for 3 years on active duty

http://www.usarec.army.mil/AECP

[endpaste]

Good luck.

Gen

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