Air Force Nurse Rank????

Published

Can anyone tell me what rank nurses start off as in the Air Force. http://www.airforce.com mentions "Nurses in the Air Force enter as officers with the same rank as physicians, leading to a more team-oriented environment." That's great, but what is that rank? I am up for an AFROTC Nursing Scholarship and am trying to consider salary - military v. civilian. I am aware that military will be considerably less, but am trying to find out exactly just how much. Thanks.

Very true..and the staffing is GREAT...because there's no sick leave....so nurses aren't calling in all of the time.

What about the NAVY? If you have a BSN, MPH and 3 years experience? Can you enter higher than an ensign? Lt. maybe?

I'm more than willing to do my part and my time, but it would feel wierd being lumped in with folks ten years younger than me (I'm 32).

I've actually been told that military nurses do okay financially, with a lot less hassle than you deal with in civilian facilities.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Another question? Can a military nurses moonlight? Say you are stationed in a big city with a lot of hospitals? Can you work a few shifts a month PRN?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Can anyone tell me what rank nurses start off as in the Air Force. http://www.airforce.com mentions "Nurses in the Air Force enter as officers with the same rank as physicians, leading to a more team-oriented environment." That's great, but what is that rank? I am up for an AFROTC Nursing Scholarship and am trying to consider salary - military v. civilian. I am aware that military will be considerably less, but am trying to find out exactly just how much. Thanks.

My good friend is AFROTC on scholarship as well and she just found out she will commission as Captain. Her starting salary will be considerably MORE than civilian - for our area anyway.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What about the NAVY? If you have a BSN, MPH and 3 years experience? Can you enter higher than an ensign? Lt. maybe?

I'm more than willing to do my part and my time, but it would feel wierd being lumped in with folks ten years younger than me (I'm 32).

I've actually been told that military nurses do okay financially, with a lot less hassle than you deal with in civilian facilities.

Constructive credit is given in the Navy. If you don't come in as an O-2(LTJG), you would come in as an O-1(ENS) but get promoted to O-2 in a shorter time span.

And yes, we do fine financially, with annual pay raises:D . I cannot compare the hassle in civilian facilities because I have never worked in one as an RN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hello Everyone.. I'm an AF nurse...came in straight out of nursing school. I'm a 2nd lieutenant (0-1).....every AF nurse starts out there...To be honest..I've never seen physicians come in as Lieutenants....all the dr's I've seen have been Capt and up...not sure if that is just at my base (since this is my first duty station) or not...Hope this helps....anymore questions...let me know!

I was in the Air National Guard and came in as a 2nd lieutenant and that was with several years experience and an MS in Hospital Administration. I resigned my commission as a captain. And every doctor I ever knew came in as a captain.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Another question? Can a military nurses moonlight? Say you are stationed in a big city with a lot of hospitals? Can you work a few shifts a month PRN?

Military nurses are allowed to moonlight at local medical facilities. Just ensure your second job does not interfere or prevent you from performing your military duties.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yep...but you have to get it approved first....A bunch of nurses I know are moonlighting these days....

Another question? Can a military nurses moonlight? Say you are stationed in a big city with a lot of hospitals? Can you work a few shifts a month PRN?
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Military nurses are allowed to moonlight at local medical facilities. Just ensure your second job does not interfere or prevent you from performing your military duties.

Thanks, guys.

I am really thinking hard about the service.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm more than willing to do my part and my time, but it would feel wierd being lumped in with folks ten years younger than me (I'm 32).

I've actually been told that military nurses do okay financially, with a lot less hassle than you deal with in civilian facilities.

If you manage to enter as a captain, the most junior fellow captain you will encounter will probably be around 26. That's assuming the person went from high school straight into college and then straight into the officer corps... captains that enlisted first or went to graduate schooling will probably be older.

I wouldn't worry about being a couple of years older. I know several servicemembers who chose military medicine as a second career after starting out in other branches of service, and so are just getting their degrees and certifications in their late twenties or early-to-mid-thirties.

An Army nurse I was talking to also mentioned that you put up with less BS as a military nurse as opposed to civilian nursing. As an officer, you automatically outrank the majority of soldiers in the Army.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Okay, basically it all depends on your education. my rotc instructor was a nurse in the air force for 22 years and because she didn't have prior education she retired as a MSgt.(E-7 in enlisted) If you go to a military academy or finish collage with an undergraduate degree, then you can apply for a commision in the air force. But when it comes to being promoted its the same as anyone else in the air force. If you go to OTS(officer Training School) Then you'll start out as a 2nd Lt.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
Okay, basically it all depends on your education. my rotc instructor was a nurse in the air force for 22 years and because she didn't have prior education she retired as a MSgt.(E-7 in enlisted) If you go to a military academy or finish collage with an undergraduate degree, then you can apply for a commision in the air force. But when it comes to being promoted its the same as anyone else in the air force. If you go to OTS(officer Training School) Then you'll start out as a 2nd Lt.

Okay, you do realize this is thread from 2005?

Your ROTC instructor was more than likely either a med tech and/or LVN/LPN. So, either way they were not eligible for commisison as a nurse in the AF. Just slightly less than half of all RN officers in the AF are prior enlisted. In other words (and I don't know if this is the way you meant it to sound) but being an officer is not a closed club, if it wasn't for prior enlisted almost half of the officer corps wouldn't be here. Being an enlisted/staying enlisted is a choice....get your BSN and you are pretty much eligible to become a nurse corps officer if you are currently enlisted.

Being promoted is not the same for everyone in the AF.

1. Officer and Enlisted promotion systems are totally different.

2. Enlisted have to test for promotion, there evaluation system is different, and they have to complete CDCs.

3. Not everyone starts out as a 2Lt especially in the medical field. As a nurse in the AF, the AF will let you come up to Major and as a physician usually up to a LTC (in one instance one physician came in as a Full bird Col).

4. Basically there are three commissioning routes in the AF: The Academy, ROTC, and OTS (Commissioned officer Training/COT if you are Lawyer, Clergy, or in the medical field. OTS and COT are two totally different schools).

5. Each corps in the medical fields promote at different rates and basically have different aspects for eligibility for promotion. Physicians pretty much have set time line to LTC and it is fairly noncompetitive for COL. MSC officers are also fairly set in their promotion timelines to LTC. Nurses in the AF on the other hand have the lowest promotions rates in the AF and only have set promotions thru Capt.

I am not trying to pick on you, but your post was very confusing/innaccurate.

Capt E., USAF, NC

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So, Basically the highest a nurse can go in ranking is an O-3? and how to earn you promotions in the air force as a nurse

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion