Army Nurse, need help.

[leepakue]

Hi, I'm 17. I'm going to be a senior and I have thought a lot about joining the army to become a nurse. Are all nurse jobs part of the Army Nurse Corps? I do plan on doing ROTC with the army. And I would just like some insight since no one in my family is in the military. I do hope to be a trauma nurse or something of that shirt. Thanks.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

If you're going to be active duty, then yes, you'd be part of the Army Nurse Corps. The Nurse Corps requires a BSN degree at a minimum for nurses to commission, so make that your goal! ROTC is probably the best way to get in right now for new graduate nurses -- it's very competitive because the Army is overstrength in nurses. It might be totally different by the time you're getting set to graduate from college, though. Initially, you probably would be going into a critical care area -- new nurses are precepted for a set period of time in various wards, and critical care comes later, likely after going to the critical care course. I work in my ER with Army nurses who haven't been through the ER/critical care course, but they only work in the ER for that particular assignment and are often moved elsewhere during their time at the duty station.

Good grades are important, as well as physicial fitness. Make sure you focus on both. Best of luck to you in achieving your goals! :)