AF Mental Health Nursing - Educate me!

[awhite90]

Hello everyone-

I am in the process of applying to be a Mental Health Nurse in the AF (I have two years expereince in substance abuse/psych - specializing in forensics). My interviews are coming up within the next month and then if all goes well, I will have to pass all the medical stuff within the next two months in order to get to COT in Jan or March. Any tips for my interviews or things I should be asking my recruiter that I may not know?

My recruiter is going to start asking me for my "dream list" and specialzing in mental health you have very limited options. Any advice on where I should try to be stationed? I really would perfer inpatient psych facilities, not really into clinics although a mon-fri job would be nice. hahah.

These are my options:

*JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK

*JBSA - SAMMC / JBSA Lackland / Sheppard AFB - all in TX but they are my last choices since I visit there often for my family.

* Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany (probably be my top choice for the most experience?)

* Nellis AFB, NV

* Travis AFB, CA

* JB Andrews, MD

* US Air Force Academy, CO

My recruiter is great but some extra help and advice from someone who has been through it would be beneficial. Anything helps!

Thanks!!

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

You really have to do deep research on these, because the term 'hospital' can be misleading; some hospitals have a few dozen inpatient beds and others have 500+. Just because a base says it's a hospital doesn't mean it has high acuity patients either. Joint Base SA/SAMMC is going to have the true inpatient psych you're looking for. I know for a fact that Elmendorf (for example) won't compare; it's an ultra-small unit that isn't even open yet (still under construction).

You can change your sheet after you meet with the chief nurse. I would recommend that you get their advice on this.

[cniles]

I'm only beginning the process of researching schools and completing my prerequisites, so I couldn't answer as to the work aspect, but as far as location, we have been stationed near Landstuhl for 3 years and then 7 years in Colorado Springs (near the Air Force Academy). We liked it in Germany, but we loved Colorado. Colorado would probably gain you a good bit of experience as you have a high concentration of military installations, many of which have a frequent deployment rate and hence a lot of mental health cases. My husband's unit forever had soldiers being admitted for mental health.

My husband is just getting ready to retire and my advice would be to shoot for Germany (even though I just told you how great Colorado is!). It is a great experience and if you have the opportunity, go! Good luck!

[awhite90]

Thank you jfratian and cniles!

My number 1 is Germany, and Colorado and JBSA are going to be on my list too. I mean not like I have many choices anyways. haha. Interview is scheduled for next week! Nervous, but ready :)