Air Force Nursing Corps

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Hello,

I'm Sergeant Josh Hopper and I work with the Air Force Nursing Corps for Ohio and Indiana. If any of you have ever had any questions feel free to post them. One question I get alot is about our MSN scholarships. We pay 100% of school for you to become an CRNA, Mid Wife, or most Practitioners. You continue to recieve your full time pay check while going to school. If you have more questions about this or any other Air Force Nurse Corps Questions feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Josh

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Once a person joins , do they have to miss any semesters of schools ? Is it suggested that nursing students join during school or after graduation? Do nurses have the option of working in the area of their choice ? Will nurses be able to work in critical care ? Does the nurse have the option of continuing their education in a masters program to become a CRNA? Do nurses have to complete the four years of service before going into a masters program ? Is training the same for nurses as it is for those who are enlisting with out degrees ? Does the navy offer Tuition repayment for undergrad student loans? Is the pay for a navy nurse the same or similar to a civilian nurse ? Do you have to remove braces before joining ? Is there any rules for the way women wear their hair? What are the physical requirements to join?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Government / Military Nursing forum

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If you are currently in a BSN or RN to BSN program you cannot miss semesters of school because you have to have at least a bachelors. We have positions availble for that range from BSN students in their final year to experienced MSN nurses. One of the larger benefits to the Nurse Corps is the scholarships we offer for Nurses to earn their MSN in fields like CRNA, Mid Wife, and just about any Practitioner field. We pay 100% of school and you still get paid full time while are you are student. You cannot enlist as a nurse. You can attempt to get a job as a medic tech though. I'm not sure about the Navy but the Air Force offers up to 40k loan repayment and up to 30k sign on bonus. Pay is similar and in some cases better. Starting pay ranges from 50-70k+ a year depending on your experience and location. You do have to have your braces removed prior to entering active duty. You may apply while they are still on though. You can have your hair as long as you want but in uniform it has to be worn up and hang no longer than the bottom of the collar. You cannot be considered overweight, at 5'6" you cannot be over 170. You have to be in good general health.

If you have any other question feel free to post them here

Thanks,

Tech Sergeant Hopper

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Specializes in CRITICAL CARE.

1) If you serve as an active duty nurse with a 4 year commitment, can you go to school at the same time for your MSN during those 4 years or do you have to finish your term then go back to school?

2) If the Air Force pays 100% of your MSN, do you owe them additional years of service on top of your 4 year commitment using the degree you attained?

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A few questions: I am currently finishing a MSN/CNM program, I am 45 and I saw on the website that I could join up until I was 48 with no mention of a waiver. I was a military wife for 15 years so I am very familiar with military bearing, courtesies, customs and lifestyle, and might I add, I LOVED IT!!.

A: Is it true that they take a MSN/CNM up until the age of 48?

B: What kind of sign on bonus and loan repayment options would there be in my position?

C: What kind of options for choice of duty station?

D: What rank would I have entering as a CNM (I have 6 years of RN L&D experience right now). Those are the immediate questions, the rest depends on the answers....lol

Thank you for your willingess to jump on here and answer questions for us, and thank you especially for your service.

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After two years you can go back to school and earn your MSN. So you do not have to do the full 4 years before starting the scholarship. The repayment is serving 2 for 1 of the earned nurse specialty. So if you get a scholarship to a 2 year CRNA school you would owe the Air Force 4 years as a CRNA. At that point you could become a civilian nurse again or take advantage of the incentive special pay bonuses offered to nurses that exted their contract.

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A. Yes the age cutoff is 48.

B. They offer a 30K sign on bonus for 4 years and 20k sign on bonus with up to 40k student loan repayment for 6 years.

C. We show you the list of all the bases we have your particular nursing specialty. You list in order at least your top 4 choices. If you #1 is available you get it. If not they move on to #2 and so on.

D. With 6 years experience you would come in as an 0-3. With all pays you should be brining in around 75k+ depending on where you live. This is for typically 40-45 hours a week. So if you like overtime and pulling in a big check you can still moonlight.

Your welcome!

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Josh, I really like what I see!!

Next couple of questions:

A: What is the demand like for midwives?

B: Are there only so many accepted per year?

C: How do they work the hiring process?

D: How long does it take to make rank?

E: Would I be able to sign up while I am still finishing school? Or do I need to wrap this up before taking that plunge?

Thanks again so much.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
After two years you can go back to school and earn your MSN. So you do not have to do the full 4 years before starting the scholarship. The repayment is serving 2 for 1 of the earned nurse specialty. So if you get a scholarship to a 2 year CRNA school you would owe the Air Force 4 years as a CRNA. At that point you could become a civilian nurse again or take advantage of the incentive special pay bonuses offered to nurses that exted their contract.

No, it is not a 2 for 1 payback. It is 4.5 yr payback for 2.5 years of school. When and if nurse anesthesia school goes to 3 years it is supposed to be a 5 year payback. This is similar to USUHS medical school which is 7 yr pay back for 4 yrs of school.

You will be eligible to receive bonuses as soon as you become a CRNA in the military, but only for a 1 yr bonus that is specific for CRNAs during their payback years. Currently, that bonus is 10K a year in the AF. Which is lower than the critical retention bonus (20K yr) that most floor/ICU/ER/OB nurses are eligible for. In other words you will probably be actually taking a pay cut to become a CRNA in the AF for the first 4.5 yrs after school. This is one of the many reasons that there are not enough applicants for school right now.

"A. PREREQUISITES

1. STATUS:

Time-on-station requirement: CONUS candidates must complete 24 months TOS as of

31 May 2012 (31 Jul 2012 for MSN-to-DNP candidates). Overseas applicants must

complete the standard tour length for assigned location as of the same date less the

allowable 60-day rollback."

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

No, offense to healthcare recruiters, but other than the very basics and being very knowledgeable on the recruiting process most healthcare recruiters do not know that much about the Nurse Corps. It is better to ask the Chief Nurse during your interview the specific nurse corps questions you may have or a current nurse corps officer.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Josh, I really like what I see!!

Next couple of questions:

A: What is the demand like for midwives?

B: Are there only so many accepted per year?

C: How do they work the hiring process?

D: How long does it take to make rank?

E: Would I be able to sign up while I am still finishing school? Or do I need to wrap this up before taking that plunge?

Thanks again so much.

There were no funded slots for midwives this year.

The number changes year to year based on attrition rates/expected attrition rates in 2-3yrs.

4yrs to Captain as new nurse and about 12 yrs total to make Major.

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