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Discussion

Advice needed

I'm a relatively new RN of 6 months and a current AFANG member with prior service on active duty as enlisted. I've recently put my paperwork in for the Navy Nurse Candidate Program and think I have a good chance of being accepted this year but I have some concerns.

I've been working very busily on a med surg floor as my 'real world' experience and I have to be honest, I really hate it. I dread going to work because I never know what to expect and it's really hard on me, so many crazy people and so many acute problems. If I feel this way about civilian nursing - is it going to be the same in the military?

I've talked to my recruiter who makes it sound like it will be much better but I just don't know - been really stressed out over this lately. I'm making my spouse nuts! Help!

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    • Featured Replies

    Is it you do not like the work or you do not like where you work? Military nursing is like civilian nursing in that there are some locations which are great to work and others that are not.

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    • Author

    I know it's the place that I work, but I wonder if a little part of it is the actual work itself - money isn't everything but then again I feel no satisfaction either.

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    • Experts

    Nursing is nursing and military nursing is very similar to civilian nursing with the added thorns in one's side that only the military can provide. I would think long and hard about going into military nursing if you are as dissatisfied with the field as you say you are. Your problems will only be exagerrated and you won't have the option to just walk away without harm to your career. It is not easy to leave the military when one is disgruntled.

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    • Author

    I guess i'm hoping for military nursing to be a bit better than in the civilian world based upon the patient population. It's hard seeing the same drug abusers come in all the time along with all of the other types who make your life a living hell and of which can be so ungrateful, violent, and off-the-wall in general that it sucks the life out of you.

    Putting some serious thought into it, I really do enjoy treating and stabilizing people, so I do enjoy those parts of what we do - I guess i'm just hoping that working in the military every day isn't like playing the 'Crazy Lottery' as in 'what will I get today: punched, kicked, spit at, or called every name under the sun?'. I just really don't want to be a part of that anymore, I want to take care of people with REAL health problems who WANT to get better, and i'm hoping to find that there.

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    Deftonez...have you ever thought about trying a different type of nursing? Maybe med/surg isn't for you. I think alot of people have been in the position of getting spat on, cussed at, pooped on, etc,...and it sucks! But every so often, we get patients who want to get better and try really hard, and you actually feel like you're making a difference! You sound like someone that would do well in oncology!

    I agree with everyone here, military nursing is alot like civilian nursing as far as the patients. You not only get the military folks that are usually pretty healthy, but you get their dependents, who aren't! So you still have the "lottery" of cases. I'm not sure about the other services, but in the Air Force you have to go in as med/surg or OB, unless you have an identifier (which you get with experience from the civilian world). After being in for a while, there are other options for nurses. We have nurse educators, case managers, and there's always the leadership route. There's also nurses in the clinics.

    I guess bottom line is...whether you decide on commissioning or continuing in the civilian world, look into your options. You may have to suffer for a little while before you find a job that's perfect for you, but it is out there! I'm in ICU now and don't think I'll ever want to go back to med/surg, but ICU isn't for everyone either! Hang in there and good luck with you decision!!

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    • Experts

    You will often find that military members use the medical system to attempt to slack off on their duties. While they may not be as undesirable to be around as your present clients, they do come with their own set of problem behaviors.

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