Air Force Nursing

allnurses Guide · Mar 8, 2008

Alright, I will graduate from an accredited BSN nursing program in December 2008. I have recently began toying with the idea of joining the Air Force to become a flight nurse. Now I have many questions about that commitment and hopefully you guys can help me out...because I don't have time to stop by and talk to a recruiter!
1. How long do I have to sign up for, is it active/non-active?
2. Will I have to work a year of med-surg before working critical care such as flight nursing?
3. If yes for #2, If I work as a civilian in ER or ICU for a year, can I then enter straight into critical care?
4. I'm interested in working in Europe, what are the chances I will be assigned there if I request that base?
5. If I plan to continue my education, do I have to wait for my commitment to end and then re-up, go to school, then serve the # of years in school +1, or can I attend during my initial commitment?
6. Would I be allowed to moonlight at nearby facilities?
I'm sure more questions will arise but I'll just see what yall have to say about these.

1. All military contracts are for 8 yrs. The active component is either for 3 or 4 yrs initially and the rest of the time is inactive if you choose to get out after your 3-4 yrs.

2. If I remember correctly you have to work 2+ yrs before you can apply to be a flight nurse on AD. In the reserves you can go straight into flight nursing. No, you will not necessarily be put into med-surg as a new nurse, but if you don't go to med-surg you more than likely will be placed at a base w/o a hospital and work in the clinic.

3. Yes, if you work in ER or ICU for a full year before coming into the AF you can get your specailty identifier, and usually you will go directly to ICU or ER...BUT NO MATTER what your recruiter tells you your CHIEF NURSE at your duty station makes the final say so on where you work.

4. Europe: yes there are opportunities in Europe, but not a lot. If, you want to go to Europe put down all European bases on your wish list only....all they can do is tell you no. Your recruiter will more than likely try to tell you need to list some stateside bases, but I wouldn't recommend it unless AFPC comes back and says there are no overseas bases right now... The three bases for AF nurses w/ hospitals in Europe are: Landstuhl (joint ops base-Germany), Lakenheath (UK), and Aviano (Italy).

5. You are eligible for tutuion assistance which basically covers 100% of your tution and fees from day one, but you owe 2 yrs from the last day of class. The time runs concurently with you current committment though. AFIT will send AF AD officers to school full time, but it generally takes at least 3 years of AD to get into the school with a 4-4.5 yr committment after school.

6. Yes, you can moonlight outside federal government facilities, but that will probably be impossible in Europe.

retuRN · Mar 10, 2008

Thanks for the info...got a couple more questions for ya.

How likely is it to join the air force and go directly to ICU (basically should I just work 1yr ICU civilian and then join)?

Is it difficult to get into CCATT, are there any other requirements besides the 2yr med-surg or 1yr ICU?

As an air force nurse, is it possible to be deployed to Iraq or other warzones; or will I just be stationed nearby for transport?

allnurses Guide · Mar 10, 2008

Thanks for the info...got a couple more questions for ya.
How likely is it to join the air force and go directly to ICU (basically should I just work 1yr ICU civilian and then join)?
Is it difficult to get into CCATT, are there any other requirements besides the 2yr med-surg or 1yr ICU?
As an air force nurse, is it possible to be deployed to Iraq or other warzones; or will I just be stationed nearby for transport?

You won't be put directly into ICU as a new AF nurse, unless you have several months to a year minimum ICU RN expeirence. I think the AF only sends ICU nurses to CCATT anymore, and it is not hard to get into. CCATT nurses are not considered "flight nurses" for several reasons, and the job of CCATT nurse is just part-time mainly done on deployments only.

The AF goes anywhere for deployments that any other branch goes....Iraq, Afganisthan, Cuba, Landstuhl, USS Comfort/Mercy (that is a new one), you could be part of team that is the first to go in to set up a field surgical site...etc....

As CCATT nurse you would more than likely be deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan and then fly in and out of country taking critical ill patients to either Germany or stateside.

MajorDomo · Mar 10, 2008

Just to add on,

I would recommend at least one year ICU on the civilian side prior to entering the AF if you are set on going to the ICU, that way you will better your chances of getting into the ICU, then again I worked with a nurse with the identifier on an inpt peds floor, as the Chief Nurse of the hospital has the final say on your assignment based upon manning.

An added bonus is that you will get a broader and deeper understanding of pt care, most AF ICU and military in general, don't have the high acuity pts that you will see on the outside, unless you are at one of the big four military hospitals or deployed.

Having worked on the outside you will also be better able to compare and contrast which will work better for you when your obligation is almost done and it is time to re-up or get out.

Also, more than likely, as a first term officer you will be assigned to a stateside base, so on your request list put in the bases with the larger hospitals (Lackland, Travis, Nellis, ect...) otherwise you might end up working at a clinic which has very little pt care activites.

CCATT and Flight Nurse

These are two different career fields. Flight nurses have an application process that you must go through after being on active duty for about a year. The pts you will be taking care of are your basic med/surg type pts and based upon the airframe you should be expected to care for quite a few of them.

CCATT are either ICU or ER nurses that deploy on a team with an RT and MD, these tend to be 4-6 month deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, or Germany. You care for 2-4 pts depending on there acuity, special teams (Peds, Burns) are occationaly available for those types of pts, but you should expect to care for burn pts. CCATT teams are competitive to get into, took me three years to get my slot, as they are a very prized position.

MajorDomo

retuRN · Mar 10, 2008

So as a member of a CCATT team, I would work ICU, probably in San Antonio, and then sporadically be called out for missions? Now supposedly this experience is great for CRNA school but does it have any baring on improving rank or is that based solely on years of service? I would still come in as a 2nd Lt. with 1 year ICU experience correct and CCRN?

There isn't much information availble on the web about CCATT.

retuRN · Mar 11, 2008

MajorDomo,

Having gone through the process ahead of me, what are things I can do to better my chances of becoming a CCATT member. Is there any floor better than another (ER, ICU, Burn), certifications or courses to take, or earning non-medical achievments (i.e. physical accomplishments). Or is it just based on experience and who you know?

tashie_wo_23 · Mar 11, 2008

i have question please help me...i want to be military nurse someday but i dont know how....please help me...thanks...

tashie_wo_23 · Mar 11, 2008

what are the qualifications to be a military nurse?and what program i need to enrolled?

MajorDomo · Mar 23, 2008

retuRN,

Sorry for the delay, just getting ready for my deployment. I would suggest getting at least a year of civilian ICU experience in a large teaching hospital before joining and ensuring that you receive the "E" identifier. That would mark you as an ICU nurse and your assignments are limited to places that have ICU slots open. That should give you the best chance.

Wilford hall has the most CCATT teams, but Nellis, Wright-Pat and others also have 4-10 teams.

As far as rank, it is time in service to make 1st Lt and Capt, then you go before the boards to get Maj and above. Deployments, education, fitness all factor into making rank and, although being CCATT doesn't help officially, you do deploy a lot and it does look good when you are competing against nurses that have only worked in clinics or non acute areas.

psych79 · May 14, 2008

I am also considering joining the Air force active duty, I graduated in 2006 and since then have been a psych nurse and would like to continue in this area. My only concern is even though I have had full time/part time hours most of the time that I've worked, I've had PRN status, because the flexibility allows me to stay at home with my kids. Will I have to be a clinical med/surg. nurse once I join or will I be able to do psych nursing in the military?

allnurses Guide · May 14, 2008

I am also considering joining the Air force active duty, I graduated in 2006 and since then have been a psych nurse and would like to continue in this area. My only concern is even though I have had full time/part time hours most of the time that I've worked, I've had PRN status, because the flexibility allows me to stay at home with my kids. Will I have to be a clinical med/surg. nurse once I join or will I be able to do psych nursing in the military?

I wouldn't think that you would have any trouble picking up your AF psych nurse identifier. Personally, I would just tell the recruiter that you have maintained full time hours (40hrs a wk avg.), but just held the prn status d/t flexability of scheduling. Either way you should still be fine because you only need 12months of full time experience total to pick up your nursing speciality identifier.