AF Nursing competitive, but NTP still exists?

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Ok, so I will grad in May with my ASN and plan to transfer asap to obtain my BSN within 15 mos after. This whole time I've been reading about how competitive it is for nurses to get accepted into the AF. I am praying that I get an ICU job right after I grad with my ASN so I will have some experience by the time I get my BSN. My question is...if it's so competitive, how does the NTP still exist? I just saw an online article on Facebook about congratulating the new graduating class of NTP at Luke in Arizona. There are some people with years of experience being turned down, but obviously they are accepting brand new nurses without experience, or else the NTP wouldn't exist. Can someone set me straight on this? :confused:

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Not sure how long the AF NTP is, but I believe the Army's Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP), AKA new grad orientation, is 6 months in length. Those are probably people who started their NTP program months ago.

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The AF NTP is 8 weeks and is for nurses with less than 1 year experience. I'm just trying to figure out how everyone is saying how competitive it is, but yet they are obviously accepting new grads. Frustrating!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

8 weeks? LOL ... okay, nevermind. No clue, then. But it might have to do with things like ROTC that already reserve new grad slots ....

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Hi JerseyGirl13!

The Air Force has many different programs to gain Nurse Corp officer accessions. I am currently in the NECP (nurse enlisted commissioning program) which will make me a new RN with no nursing experience when I graduate in August 2012. Since I am active duty in this program I am guaranteed a nurse slot when I graduate, but since I have no nursing experience in my 12 years of active duty service I need to attend the NTP. The NECP can select up to 50 active duty enlisted members a year for this program (depending on qualifications for the program and funding).

The NTP is also for AFROTC nursing graduates (who are in the same boat as me - no nursing experience) and civilians who gain an accession with

I have heard that it is very hard to get selected as a civilian nurse with no prior service because the boards are very competitive, and the AF is not as undermanned in nursing as we once were. Plus the budget is a factor in how many officers will be selected each year. Since NECP students and AFROTC students have guaranteed slots into the nurse corps upon graduation, and we are new nurses this makes the NTP a must for us, and this is why the AF still needs this course.

I know that officer accessions in general are very hard to get as a civilian in all AF officer career fields these days, but I hope you keep working towards your goal and it happens for you! If you have any more questions, I can help the best I can with the resources I have. You can also ask questions in the Air Force Nurse Corp group on facebook. The group is not open to the public, but I have seen a lot of posts from people in the same situation as yourself so you can gain a lot of knowledge from what they are posting about! Hope this helps.

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The NTP is just a TDY enroute to our first duty station where we gain experience in a level 1 trauma center and in the burn units at these selected hospitals. We can be selected to go to 4 different hospitals in the country that work specifically with the AF NTP Instructors. We do an AF nurse residency program at our first duty station which is now 12 months. This is more like the Army's CNTP - new grad orientation. Hopefully this helped clear things up!!

PS - @LunahRN - I read your blogs and they were really great! I loved learning about what you have done so far as an Army Nurse!

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Thank you very much for your reply! I'm so happy that you are close to achieving your goal, good for you! Yes, I am very aware of how competitive it is and after hearing about even more cuts, I'm so worried. However, I am hoping and praying that this happens for me. If not, my world will not end and I will try for Reserves. I am prior service (sorta, lol). I went from being active duty for about a whopping 6 mos and then transferred into Inactive Reserves (long story). My hub has been active duty since '96 and I'm tired of being his wingman to his career. Came really close on 2 occasions to going back to active duty, but didn't. The recruiter told me that they have given me one year of credit for active duty and then give credit for years on Inactive Reserve. Hoping that counts for SOMETHING, although I'm not holding my breath. I have also worked at the base hospital here as a civilian contractor (LPN) and have met many military medical professionals who said they would help me with references. I know this will most likely be a long, drawn-out, and painful (hurry up and wait) process but I guess at least I'll get experience while I wait, right? Good luck to you and if you find out anything you think may be useful to me, please contact me anytime. Thanks and God bless!

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@SThomas30: how did you get involved in the NECP program? i will be starting an entry level masters of nursing program in sept 2012 and am very interested in doing military nursing. The navy told me that they couldn't offer me a scholarship bc my program will grant me both a BSN and MSN, and they can only do it for BSN programs. In my program, the BSN is granted after 15mo and I have up to a 2 year break to begin my MSN classes. Any help would be amazing and appreciated. Thanks!

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Specializes in Obstetrics.
The AF NTP is 8 weeks and is for nurses with less than 1 year experience. I'm just trying to figure out how everyone is saying how competitive it is, but yet they are obviously accepting new grads. Frustrating!

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that NTP is actually 11 weeks long in the Air Force (I am in NECP now, just starting my second semester of nursing school). You go to COT (officer training school) for six weeks, then to NTP once you graduate COT (of course after you graduate and pass the NCLEX). :) Good luck!

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According to the AF page, COT is 5 weeks and NTP is 9 weeks (at least it is at Scottsdale, Arizona).

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Specializes in None.

NTP at civilian sites (Scottsdale, Tampa, and cincinnati) are 9 weeks and military NTP (Lackland) is 11 weeks.

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was not aware of that. i wonder why lackland is longer...bigger hospital maybe? i'm prior service and have always thought about going back to lackland for nostalgia purposes (don't laugh). don't think i can take the heat that long, though. i went back there for my sister's bmt graduation and it felt the same as it did back in my day (1996).

anywho...tampa does sound nice, though. ocean waves, white sand....ok, i've been in the midwest way too long.

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