Army nurse corps and civilian wife(nurse)

markisrn · Jun 5, 2009

Sickcall,

In general a nurse with a license and a pulse can get a job anywhere stateside even without a government job. Not sure about over seas though.

Markisrn

athena55, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2009

Sickcall:

Have your gf look at employment with the VA. Once you obtain a job and work through the probationary period (which is, I believe still 2 years) you can move from VA to VA and not lose any seniority that you would acquire.

Of course, the local VA may be miles or hours away from where you would eventually end up (when you PCS, for example)

Plus remember short-term overseas assignments (like Korea if you were there for 12 months) would mean your family wouldn't be able to go with you.

Most, if not all, of the Army MEDCEN's depend on civilian and government contract nurses.

Try this website: http://www.usajobs.com/

Good Luck to you as you finish up your coursework.

HOOAH!

athena

Cursed Irishman · Jun 6, 2009

Family members are now allowed to PCS to Korea.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/military_korea_tours_pay_040809w/

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/military_korea_assignments_121008w/

NursePamela · Jun 6, 2009

The biggest thing is have your fiance' not be picky about what type of nursing she does. Example it is usually easier to get some kind of med-surg over mother baby.

I have moved around too many times (I think I am addicted to moving) and I never have a problem.

sickcall · Jun 6, 2009

awesome thank you all for putting my mind at rest :)

athena55, BSN, RN · Jun 7, 2009

Family members are now allowed to PCS to Korea.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/military_korea_tours_pay_040809w/
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/military_korea_assignments_121008w/

Yes Cursed, but those are "accompanied tours" of 24 months or longer. I was talking about one year, 12 month tours which are unaccompanied tours

Cursed Irishman · Jun 7, 2009

Your message gave the impression accompanied tours were not possible to Korea. The OP was probably in when Korea was an unaccompanied assignment, just letting him know its changed.......I never thought I'd see the days of accompanied tours to Korea. Especially w/ all the massive protests in the late 90's and early millenium.

NursePamela · Jun 7, 2009

Not ALL places in Korea are accompanied. Some places have accompanied but not for everyone. Some places the spouse can be a "stow-away" (no benefits).

Of course those bases may be closed down by now. :-)

athena55, BSN, RN · Jun 7, 2009

Your message gave the impression accompanied tours were not possible to Korea. The OP was probably in when Korea was an unaccompanied assignment, just letting him know its changed.......I never thought I'd see the days of accompanied tours to Korea. Especially w/ all the massive protests in the late 90's and early millenium.

Yeah, I totally agree with you! (about having accompanied tours)

As an aside: I was approached by Branch to PCS to Korea. I said, "If I'm really needed I'll go but Ma'am, I don't really like Korean food".....Next day, orders changed to.....Fort Bliss (El Paso)

Moral of this story: Be careful what you wish for! :smokin:

DelanaRN, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 7, 2009

Okay, this post is coming from an Army wife, (I was an LPN and am now an RN) married to a 22 year Army veteran (who was a tanker in Armor division for 12 years) and has been in the Army nurse corp since 1999. Your future bride will not have any trouble finding a job...or let's put it this way, in all the fields there are to work, being a nurse is the field in which she will have the least amount of trouble finding a job. Good luck and God speed!

SLewisRN · Jan 26, 2011

A word of warning....

If your girlfriend/soon-to-be wife doesn't have much nursing experience, she may very likely have trouble getting a job with the government: especially depending on where you are stationed. I have been an RN for one and a half years and have struggled to find a job even before I was a military spouse. In August I married my soldier, and now I simply cannot get a job at all.... We recently PCS'd to Italy (which is awesome), but there are no nursing positions available at all on this installation. I'm told that there may be some in three to four months after others PCS out but, even so, it has been made very clear to me that I am not likely to get one of those positions when they do become vacant. I have a little under a year's experience in a clinic (he only job I could get in Vegas, where I lived before) and a year's experience doing ICU/IMC and med/surg as a NAP, but none of it counts toward "real" RN experience. Thus I have no marketable work history. On top of that, where I live there is a pool of RN spouses all waiting to jump on those few jobs that do open up. Good for many of those spouses, they have hospital experience. I, however, have been told that the facilities here will not consider anyone with less than a year's experience in any specific discipline (i.e., if you want to do ED, OB, you need at least a year's experience there or you won't even be considered). Thus, unless I magically grow twelve-months of hospital time, I'm not likely to get hired.

Now, keep in mind: it really does depend on where you live and what the hiring/economic climate is there. In Italy, American citizens are only allowed to work for the Federal Government plus there is somewhat limited need for healthcare practitioners because the base only houses about 4,000 soldiers and their families. Still, I just want you to be aware of my reality in hopes that it will help you to make the best decision for your family. Please do not be discouraged: just know where I am coming from. Also, thanks for your service.... I know it's cheesy of me to say that, but I do mean it sincerely. :)