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.
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!
er nursing (m5) is not one of the course guaranted classes. but it can be obtained like you are getting it thru experience.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
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
understood. however, no m5 guarantee = no m5. this is the point i am making. trust me, i understand that the military can station me anywhere and place me anywhere. however, if my contract states m5 i have a much better shot of being placed in a m5 position then i do without it... that is my point. besides, given the fact that the army is not taking very many m5 nurses, i highly doubt that they will be putting the few they have in areas outside of critical care permanently. the army may need to float us from time to time. that is not the same as never being able to work critical care. besides, i have lived the life of a float nurse before; i am flexible.
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.
I haven't yet ... exercise helps, though! And having three jobs keeps me busy. Ha ha! Good luck to you -- and to all of us. *fingers crossed*
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.
I feel the same way...I am doing water aerobics and working-out some to the gym, but I am still stress and lost with the process..I think I will try to apply to be a greeter at Walmart:D..i think my time will pass without knowing it by watching people entering Walmart especially this coming holiday season..that would be very interesting!!
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
so i guess all is not lost after all. i found out that packet is at the place where the board convenes, and that it has to make it through their qc...
am i the only one that thinks qc for the qc for the qc for the qc for the final qc is a little funny!
(not when they find errors)
keep us posted so when i have to jump through the same hoops, i will remember that this is normal. btw, are you calling and checking on your packet daily? if so, you may want to stop that...
the process may take up to 4-6 weeks. calling daily may drive you nuts. besides, if there is something wrong, won't your recruiter contact you about the problem? my new recruiter calls me or emails me even when out-of-state on training for something i am missing.
No I just asked my recruiter to tell me when it was board ready and for the last week or so something hS been wrong at every step so they have had to contact me for more documents, signatures etc. That is the only reason I have known.
No I just asked my recruiter to tell me when it was board ready and for the last week or so something hS been wrong at every step so they have had to contact me for more documents, signatures etc. That is the only reason I have known.
Oh okay!! Gosh..I'm sorry you had to deal with it for the last minute...it happened to me as well, but only one time..very frustrating experience! I just want to be over...
Just a question. Would there be any reason why the board would not select us? Is really that tight as far as openings for ANCP or ANC? We are in the middle of a war, and we obviously ache to serve. Don't you think that a lot more nurses want to apply for AF or Navy Nurse Corp? I spoke with someone as work who serves in the Army National Gard. He stated that the Army is short handed on nurses, and that we are very needed. My husband even asked me, "Honey, are you sure the Army is the right choice? Don't you want to consider the AF or the Navy?" I guess he thinks that AF and Navy nurses are treated better or something. There may not be anything to this, and please all you Air Force and Navy nurses do not take offense to this...You have worked very hard to get where you are:yeah:. Any thoughts?
Army as a whole is not short personnel. Many jobs are very well staffed at all levels, to include nursing... This has made those would have been planning or wanting to be a nurse enter at a difficult time as there are few openings with many applicants. This is similar to a recent post that I saw thinking the Army is somehow desperate people.. not the case. Economy is bad, retention is good and especially in certain jobs. There however is always a hard time finding MDs and some other jobs..
that being said the national guard is a completely different entity... has nothing to do with 'this board'... think state run vs federal.
Ha ha! Good luck to you -- and to all of us. *fingers crossed*
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. 
jeckrn, BSN, RN
1,868 Posts
er nursing (m5) is not one of the course guaranted classes. but it can be obtained like you are getting it thru experience.