I wanted to start a thread for all of the people who are waiting for the November ANC selection board, specifically if you have/waiting on the M5 identifier for Emergency Nursing. I thought we could suffer together and update each other while we wait. You are welcome to post if you have another specialty or none at all.
My status:
I have submitted all documents, and waiting on M5 identifier approval, physical approval and for the packet to make it past QA.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
i would recommend just signing your contract and including the course guarantee - indicating critical care. then along your route you continue your m5 submission... as backup if that didn't pan out you simply ask/prod/request to get your chain of command to send you to er course after you get to your unit and establish yourself.... and as the worst case scenario is m5 is denied.. you get to duty station and for whatever can't get to er route then you have course guarantee and off to critical care course.
so i'd do it.. getting the course guarantee will not obligate you to attend by any means - just leaves some options for you in the future so i'd definitely opt for it with the understanding of the above.
best of luck.
i will continue to complete my packet, but i will no longer worry about november boards. my recruiter is out for the next three weeks and i have no plans (none were made for me) to finish my packet prior to november 16. i am still waiting for a letter to complete meps and two letters of recommendations from supervisors. besides, i doubt there will be a boards meeting prior to my fully qualifying for m5 in a few months after this upcoming selection.
however, i like the idea of getting a course guarantee even when i sign a contract for m5. is that possible? can i have my contract include m5 and the critical care course guarantee?
when i graduate in december i will start studying to pass my cen. i figure that taking the critical care course at some point will also be beneficial to the service i provide our service members and their families.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
so we met at the last possible minute, i signed some stuff, turned in more stuff. apparently the packet is already where it is supposed to be but the qa at that place wanted more info.
recruiters are like that... maybe this is a good sign? good luck...
Just signed my 61 today. The contract stated that after I access I go TDY to OBC than TDY critical care course BEFORE I PCS to wherever I am sent. So it sounds like I am guaranteed to go to the critical care course before I get to my permanent duty station. After the course it sounds like I get the 8a identifier. There were two boxes to be checked, one was for nurses with under one year and I believe they only have a guarantee to attend the critical care course at some point in the future. The other box was for nurses with over 1 year experience and thats the one I signed that looked like its straight to school after obc. Anyone else read that the same way? Shoulda got a copy but I can ask for one later.
Anyhow, who does trauma in Army? M5? It would be cool to be able to float to M5 or trauma or do all three. I guess well see...
Any army active duty nurses out there? How do you like being M5 or 8a? How does it compare to civilian world? My university CVICU is HIGH acuity with these surgeons trying out CABGS, TAVR, and big surgerys on 90 year olds and basically any high risk pt, so its pretty nuts. I am curious to see how the army rolls...
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
just signed my 61 today. the contract stated that after i access i go tdy to obc than tdy critical care course before i pcs to wherever i am sent. so it sounds like i am guaranteed to go to the critical care course before i get to my permanent duty station. after the course it sounds like i get the 8a identifier. there were two boxes to be checked, one was for nurses with under one year and i believe they only have a guarantee to attend the critical care course at some point in the future. the other box was for nurses with over 1 year experience and thats the one i signed that looked like its straight to school after obc. anyone else read that the same way? shoulda got a copy but i can ask for one later.
thanks for sharing!!! actually i have over one year of work experience in the er and almost two years work experience as a rn. i was being sent to 66h because my recruiter was told by the cv people i needed two solid years as a nurse to work under an identifier. in any case, i turned down that offer and plan to wait a few months to land m5.
anyhow, who does trauma in army? m5? it would be cool to be able to float to m5 or trauma or do all three. i guess well see...
from my understanding the identifiers that handle traumas are the er, icu (plus similar identifiers), and the or. so you should get your fare share of exposure based upon your duty station without floating anywhere else. congrats on signing your papers and good luck with boards.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
i'm still hoping we all end up at ft. sam at the same time.
that would be nice.
hey, lunah. did your contract read m5 and critical care course? i would love to take it even if it is not required, but i am just wondering if experience matters regarding the offer in contracts. it seems like even new grads or nurses with some experience (less then a year) receive the offer but no guarantee for a transfer.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
nope, no critical care course for me -- just the m5.
this is what i tought... well, then no critical care course for me either in my contract... just m5.
i think having the critical care course guarantee is a carrot that lots of new grads bite. if i get it placed in my contract then the army can decide not to send me to m5 for a number of other reasons despite completing the course successfully. too many new grads posted having a course guarantee in his/her contracts for me to be comfortable with signing any contract other then one that guarantees me m5. thanks again!
So I signed a 61 again today, so maybe I'll make the 16 Nov board afterall. Too much drama and frustration with this whole process. Lunah I am hoping it works out too and we all meet at Ft. Sam somehow too.
On another note you are not locked in to having an ED slot when being assigned, you could be placed in a MS slot or even ICU, depending on what needs are when you get assigned.
I don't quite understand what was meant by "being pigeonholed" with an identifier. Could someone explain further?
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
well, not having m5 in your contract will make it harder to work critical care areas, so congrats and good luck!
on another note you are not locked in to having an ed slot when being assigned, you could be placed in a ms slot or even icu, depending on what needs are when you get assigned.
i don't quite understand what was meant by "being pigeonholed" with an identifier. could someone explain further?
as for being "pigeonholed", i am wondering the same when i read this in a different thread. my guess is that there is a limit in duty stations and functions. who cares! no body faults others who choose moss within the armed forces that are small. i know of many who enlisted or received commissions within a particular mos that limited their duty station selections and function throughout his/her careers in the military. however, each of them was perfectly happy with their contracts because they received their choice mos. their duty stations may have been another story...
in any case, i will be happy to be pigeonholed in the critical care areas. this is my nursing career... critical care. the more i work this area, the more i will understand and grow in the area of my choice. 66h may have more duty assignments (i think this is what the op is referring too), but it is limited in nursing functions.
Please tell me that I am not the only one with their stomach doing somersaults now that my packet has been submitted! I bring fifteen years of nursing experience, four of which have been in a very busy ED. I have all of the certifications that are required to work in emergency medicine, great LOR's, a glowing letter from the department head of my BSN program, and I am still nervous that I won't get selected. Am I speaking for all of us when I say, "This waiting is torture?" Have any of you found anything that helps you get through the times when you are nervous, uneasy, and feeling unsure about the whole process? For me, cranking up the ipod and running a couple of miles seems to help, but any other suggestions would be really helpful. Thanks. Good luck to everyone, and thank you for wanting to serve.
well, not having m5 in your contract will make it harder to work critical care areas, so congrats and good luck!
as for being "pigeonholed", i am wondering the same when i read this in a different thread. my guess is that there is a limit in duty stations and functions. who cares! no body faults others who choose moss within the armed forces that are small. i know of many who enlisted or received commissions within a particular mos that limited their duty station selections and function throughout his/her careers in the military. however, each of them was perfectly happy with their contracts because they received their choice mos. their duty stations may have been another story...
in any case, i will be happy to be pigeonholed in the critical care areas. this is my nursing career... critical care. the more i work this area, the more i will understand and grow in the area of my choice. 66h may have more duty assignments (i think this is what the op is referring too), but it is limited in nursing functions.
even thou you have a m5 or 8a you are still a 66h(med-surg) with one of the si's of ed or icu. you can still be assigned anywhere a 66h works. they will try to place you in a ed or icu but they may not. you could also work out side of the mos. when i was in the reserves i was a 66hm5 and was the s4(supply) officer for a training support battilian
I bring fifteen years of nursing experience, four of which have been in a very busy ED. I have all of the certifications that are required to work in emergency medicine, great LOR's, a glowing letter from the department head of my BSN program, and I am still nervous that I won't get selected. Am I speaking for all of us when I say, "This waiting is torture?" Have any of you found anything that helps you get through the times when you are nervous, uneasy, and feeling unsure about the whole process? For me, cranking up the ipod and running a couple of miles seems to help, but any other suggestions would be really helpful. Thanks. Good luck to everyone, and thank you for wanting to serve. 
SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN
3,376 Posts
i will continue to complete my packet, but i will no longer worry about november boards. my recruiter is out for the next three weeks and i have no plans (none were made for me) to finish my packet prior to november 16. i am still waiting for a letter to complete meps and two letters of recommendations from supervisors. besides, i doubt there will be a boards meeting prior to my fully qualifying for m5 in a few months after this upcoming selection.
however, i like the idea of getting a course guarantee even when i sign a contract for m5. is that possible? can i have my contract include m5 and the critical care course guarantee?
when i graduate in december i will start studying to pass my cen. i figure that taking the critical care course at some point will also be beneficial to the service i provide our service members and their families.