Am I crazy to be a nurse considering the AF?

[USAFhopeful]

Hi,

I'm a new grad nurse who recently started working at a nursing home. There weren't many available positions in my area so I felt this would be a good start. While I attended nursing school, I never thought I would end up in long term care. I've looked at it as a positive thing - gaining a little experience prior to attending the AF NTP program (if I am accepted). Every few days - I have a bad day. It just seems like everything goes haywire - this resident needs a PRN, this one needs stat vitals because they can't stand up on their own two feet - this family member is upset that their loved one didn't receive their lunch on time - ugg. When I drive home I wonder how I will ever survive as a military nurse. I am hoping that AF nursing is different than a nursing home however, are your peers in the AF generally supportive? Are superiors respectful or do they stomp all over you? I am praying that I haven't set myself up to believe that AF nursing will be my niche (spelling) as I really, truly, deeply hope it will. I am praying that it will be a career that I am happy to have - one that I in which I can learn and be comfortable as well as take pride in. I have worked so hard to become a nurse and feel I will be most satisfied caring for our armed forces / veterans but am afraid that I might be living in a pipe dream. Does anyone have any input or advice? Please help

[kato10]

USAFhopeful.....you should absolutely give the AF considerable thought. You have every opportunity to become whatever you want. IF you wish to extend your education you can do that. For a new grad it would be a great opportunity especially since the civilian sector is quite tight on jobs these days. I've heard other new RNs joining the military because they couldn't find a job.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

The AF is not a nursing home - NOTHING is like a nursing home. I've worked for just shy of two years as a hospital RN and trust me, my job was nothing like that. Hang in there...

[DrCOVID, DNP]

I imagine that the AF hospitals will be similar to the ones that you were in during nursing school. I am a new nurse too without any nursing experience. I was very good friends with 2 girls that were in my nursing class that worked in nursing homes/LTC/geriatrics. I would have hated having to do what they and the RNs had to do.

I think everyone will have those 'bad days' no matter where you are. We are all human... I have had many families angry with me for doing little things wrong, like pushing 2mg of morphine too fast, or letting a patients humidified oxygen slip off their tracheostomy for a while (luckily it was like 20% O2, so not much different than room air). Everyone makes mistakes no matter where they are. The people that do the most for the community are underpaid, imo just because of the psychological intricacies of the whole mess that is nursing. Developing a thick skin it feels is part of the job but don't ever let that skin get so think that you become cold hearted or stubbornly ignorant like I have found some nurses become.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

If you are considering military nursing you should look at the Army & Navy as well. As the other posters has said a military hospital is nothing like a nursing home, they run like civilian hospitals for the most part. Working in a nursing home takes the right person to fit in just like anyother area of nursing. I am glad people want to work in nsg homes, but I would have a hard time.