Army new graduate board for FY2012

Attention all previously accepted new grad RN with no experience,

I would like to start a thread for those new grad RN with no experience, trying to get into the Army Nurse Corp this FY2012 and on. Please feel free to post tips/tricks/advice and your statistics that you had when applying for the Army Nurse Boards.

Thank you.

TIP ONE:

Continue looking for jobs while you prepare your packet...its going to be a long wait. On average, from the time a person inquires to the time the get accepted is about 12-18 months. It may be shorter if you are lucky and boards do not get pushed-back or cancelled.

I am dumbfounded (which isn't new lol) that the selection process for AD RN's takes so long. My general impression is that there is a significant shortage of RN's on AD so you would think that Big Green would facilitate their entry.

Maybe I should stop thinking.

From a USAR standpoint, there are countless RN positions available as long as you have a BSN. Currently, I am assigned to my 3rd USAR unit as a 68W (Medic) with 68V (Respiratory Therapist) lurking in the background. When I informed my current unit that I was in the process of completing my pre-reqs for nursing school, everyone did nothing short of cartwheels. And backflips.

I presume that ROTC BSN grads have first crack at RN AD slots. Retirement and ETS play a major role in the FY slots that are available. But given the Las Vegas dollars of the HPLP and the enlistment bonus, I am presuming that AD has a similar Nursing shortage to the Reserve.

BTW: I am hopefully gaining acceptance into one of two BSN programs here in Albuquerque, NM and intend to commission AD after grad. Following these forums will def be a HUGE help!

I recently spoke with a recruiter about this. He stated that the army is no longer accepting RNs for active duty with less than 2 years experience. In other words, no new grads. Has anyone heard this? He said reserves is 6 months experience. Hmmm, so no new grads at all...?

Angelrain, I think you will see your comment on no RN accessions w/o prior experience come true for fy12. I think the avenues would be rotc (limited), unsure on future of nurse candidate program, and RN's w/o experience will fade away and lean towards min of 1-2 years of exp. This is a good thing as the market (supply/demand) is leaning this direction. As an upcoming new grad I would focus on school, nclex & obtaining first job. Then you can began your packet and keep army as a goal but cont' to work as an RN. Even fy11 we saw almost no RN direct accessions for those w/o experience.. so the change in requirement might mean little when compared to the reality of applicants selected. Yup.. all my humble opinion.

Any suggestions for experience? More education? Specialties? I live in a rural area with limited options for nursing. We have 1 hospital, 1 prison, 2 nursing care homes and random home health care!

Hmmm, well i start working next month at an acute rehab hospital. I plan on staying there for a year then heading to Hawaii with my husband (active duty). The recruiter suggested checking back in 6 months and looking into the reserves. He says it is pretty easy to transition to active duty after awhile with the reserves but I have some doubts. I'm assuming acute rehab will qualify as experience...? I wonder if they would still offer a course guarantee if they are no longer accepting new grads.

Hmmm, well i start working next month at an acute rehab hospital. I plan on staying there for a year then heading to Hawaii with my husband (active duty). The recruiter suggested checking back in 6 months and looking into the reserves. He says it is pretty easy to transition to active duty after awhile with the reserves but I have some doubts. I'm assuming acute rehab will qualify as experience...? I wonder if they would still offer a course guarantee if they are no longer accepting new grads.

Going from Reserves to Active is not an easy transition. You have to go through the whole board process again. I know, I had to do it. I boarded for the STRAP in October 2009 was selected and commissioned in January 2010. I graduated my BSN program and then had to go through the same process in October 2010 for the Active Army boards was selected in December while at BOLC and didn't get to my first duty station until this month. And just remember, the course guarantee just means that at some point in your career within a certain period of time you will get to go to the course. And the courses are for specialty nursing, so some experienced nurses request them for a change in career paths. So they're not just for new nurses. Nursing experience is nursing experience, but the selection process is very competitive. Your packet has to look appealing/impressive. As Lunah has said in several posts, there were hundreds of us that went to boards FY11 and only 50 or so got selected.

Hmmm, well i start working next month at an acute rehab hospital. I plan on staying there for a year then heading to Hawaii with my husband (active duty). The recruiter suggested checking back in 6 months and looking into the reserves. He says it is pretty easy to transition to active duty after awhile with the reserves but I have some doubts. I'm assuming acute rehab will qualify as experience...? I wonder if they would still offer a course guarantee if they are no longer accepting new grads.

Transfering over to AD from reserves is not too bad depending on your unit. My experience was great since my command was supportive when I switched to AD. Others have written that they had a hard time with their unit.The process was long, took me about 6 months from the time that I applied till I was picked up by the board and total of 12 months before going on AD. In FY 09 they had multi accession boards, mine meet in Feb.

Depending how long you have been in the reserves depends on how much of the process you have to go thru again. I had to do the whole process over since I was in the reserves for 6 years. Others have posted that they did not have to do every step in the process. One thing that you will have to do you will have to go thru the selection board again.

Will have to speak with a HRC about course guarantee since some thingns are always changing. When I went back on active the course guarantee was written in my contract with the date & class number in my orders for active duty.