Air Force nursing FQ FY 2018

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Specializes in ICU.

Hey everyone. I'm applying for a critical care slot for FY 2018 and was wondering if there is anyone else going through the application process?

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Specializes in Cath lab, ICU.

Hi Mchicky24,

Well, I'm considering going into the AF after 10 of civilian nursing and have spoken to a recruiter already but just wanted to get my ducks in a line before finalizing everything. My recruiter strongly suggest ICU position for me but I want to do management. He said every new recruits have to start off at bedside regardless of their civilian experiences. Have you done your physical and gone to the board interview yet? Have you decided on a base yet? Did your recruit discuss your rank going in? Have you gotten accepted yet? So, is it for sure that you will be going in as an ICU RN in the AF?

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Specializes in Vascular Access.
He said every new recruits have to start off at bedside regardless of their civilian experiences.

Thank you for posting this. I'm working on my MSN and have no desire to go back to the bedside. I did one term in the Air Force and thought about going back in, if anything to the reserves. This just changed my mind.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

You really can't effectively lead nurses in the military if you've never been a nurse in the military. There are notable, significant differences in military healthcare. A lot more of the focus is on developing your people for future roles and deployments. At the AF nurse manager level, there is little to no focus on budgets, hiring/firing, and many of the other concerns of a civilian nurse manager.

I would also say that AF nurse managers and flight commanders almost always work at the bedside occasionally (a few times a month at least). This is due to the fact that they are all deployable as bedside nurses. Typically only nurses on special G-series orders are truly locked-in to management; that occurs at the squadron commander level (the civilian equivalent to a director of multiple nursing wards). At a minimum, nurses serving as squadron commanders are O-5s (Lt Col); it typically takes at least 15 years to get that far.

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Hey there,

Just posted this in the NTP thread so I'm just copying and pasting.

I'm currently going through the process of applying for the July selection boards. I've been a nurse for almost 4 years, graduated from an ADN program in 2013 and just finished my BSN in December of 2016. I'm hoping to stick with mental health specialty, which I have about 2.5 years experience in as both a staff nurse and a clinical supervisor. Currently working on getting board certified (studying, obtaining CEU'S). Just wanted to hear from some of the other folks out there who are also applying and see how things are going. Just had the medical evaluation/eye exam done earlier this week and now I'm waiting to hear from DoDMERB regarding approval. My recruiter said we'd talk about the CNO interview after I was approved.

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Specializes in ICU.

I've done my physical and now waiting for my bosses to get my letters of recommendation to me. Then I just have to do the CNO interview and that should be it! I haven't decided on a base yet, but would love to be on the west coast. I am applying for a critical care slot since I currently work in ICU and love it. I am not sure how many critical slots are open, but hopefully it's a decent number.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Yeah, please don't copy and paste. It make a lot of people, myself included, far less likely to respond to you.

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I submitted my packet back in June for the current selection board as an Emergency/Trauma nurse. I have received two updates as of now. First the 2018 board meets on 8/22 and results should be posted by 9/12. Second, I was told my application was pulled into a selection committee to fill the remaining current 2017 spots. So all I am doing is just doing the waiting game that the military loves to do. Anyone else hear anything different?

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Does anyone know when the next selection board is?

I've missed this one and am wondering when the next one is. I thought I'd check here before a recruiter.

Thanks

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I know the boards meet quarterly typically, but each board has a reduction of what they are looking for and specialty. I would contact your recruiter, especially if you work in a specialty outside of clinical or OR nursing.

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Thanks!

I noticed you are ER/Trauma.

I work in Trauma ICU. Are you applying specifically for ER or ICU?

Have you heard how many spots they are currently looking to fill?

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Hey everyone,

Have any of those that applied for FQ FY18 gotten any news yet?

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