Air Force Questions

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I have a few questions about AF nursing! First- are there ay bonuses and loan repayment? Is there still bonuses for certifications such as CCRN. NExt question is how does rank work with expierence. If i decide to go in i will go with 7 years of RN expierence and as a new grad FNP. would that be enough for a 03 or would it be an 02?

Anyone who has any advice would be great. I am about 18 months to being done with the FNP program which i am looking into expiditing if the school will allow.

Thanks!!!

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

There are still sign on bonuses and student loan repayment available. Of course that can change at any time. There is a yearly bonus for CCRN - however there are catches to that. If you take the accession bonus when you sign up, you can not get the CCRN bonus for the number of years you took the first bonus for. I took the $30,000 accession bonus for 4 years, I have my CCRN and can not get the $20,000 a year for the first 4 years I serve. Also with the cert bonus - you have to serve in the area of your cert for the number of years that you took the cert bonus. Not a problem if you want to stay in ICU - for CCRN. But you won't be able to apply for other types of positions or AFIT schools for the years you took the bonus.

I may be wrong but I think that you get credit for 1/2 the number of years you worked as an RN. So 7 years gives you 3.5 years credit to rank which would be an O2, but would make O3 pretty quick. I had 14 years as RN and came in as O3. I have no idea how the new grad FNP would play into the equation.

Good luck

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Thanks for your help! I intiitally wanted to pursue the CRNA option however it seems the deployment rate is very high for this group of nurses. My plan is to join as a FNP not as an ICU nurse although i would like to do acute care midlevel work.

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Grad school gives you additional years of service. It has been a while but MS degree adds 1 year and a PhD and additional year...So if you are an FNP with 7 years you would come in with 4.5 years and an 03.

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