army nurse training

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Hi-

I'm in my last semester of nursing school for my BSN and am currently looking into joining the army nurse corps. I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me how training and patient acuity in a military hospital compares to a civilian hospital. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Specializes in ER/CCU/Military Nursing.

Hi!

I am currently also attempting to join active duty. I am coming from the Reserves and have had 1 1/2 years experience in a high acuity, large ER. I asked this same question of my recruiter and you can have it garunteed in your contract that you can go to one of the generic courses. They are as follows:

peri-operative nursing

emergency nursing

OB/GYN nursing

Critical care nursing

You can choose to go to one of these courses. You can either go in the Army if you have some nursing experience behind you and go directly to this course en route to your duty station or you can wait between 6-12 months upon entering the army if you are a new nurse and go to one of these courses. Most of these courses are around 16 weeks at major hospitals such as BAMC in San Antoinio. Afterwards you have an identifier attatched your 66H (nurse) MOS. This can help you get into graduate programs later in your career. I hope this helps and that this information is correct. This is how it was explained to me.

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I am a senior nursing student and I wanted to know if anyone knows (especially from Bronx1560) if there r any requirements for selection into the Critical Care path in the Army Nurse Corps? The Army's branchorientation site mentioned that new nurses would spend anywhere from 1 year to 11/2 years doing med-surg type stuff. It then mentioned you could select a specialty (e.g. Critical Care), attend a 16 week course, and then serve the balance of your time in that specialty....I wanted to know, though, if there any special requirements (e.g. GPA) if u wanted to select the Critical Care path...I might add that I am prior service...Any info would b helpful....Thanks.

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lion,

right now you are able to guarantee a critcal care path (16 week course) after completion of your initial med surg period... it's party of the commissioning process and the course guarantee is sent up with your commissioning packet. No special requirements for that.

Otherwise if you have work exp as an RN you can commission as that specialty code provided you have met the min # of hours - which I believe is around 2,000.

v/r

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lion,

right now you are able to guarantee a critcal care path (16 week course) after completion of your initial med surg period... it's party of the commissioning process and the course guarantee is sent up with your commissioning packet. No special requirements for that.

Otherwise if you have work exp as an RN you can commission as that specialty code provided you have met the min # of hours - which I believe is around 2,000.

v/r

...Thanks a lot!...ur reply helped me "seal the deal"...BTW, my prior service was as a Spanish linguist in Panama during "Just Cause"...a bit of confirmation if U ask me...Thanks!

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Specializes in ER/Critical Care.

HI I have to agree w/ Gennaver that we are seeing alot of MRSA, VRE and other "bugs" in the ER/ community setting. It used to be, when I started nursing, 12 + years ago we used to be able to tell whch hospital the patient came from in our area by which "bug" they had... but now with them so wide spread we can't even do that anymore.

Also, with people going to their PCP's and DEMANDING abx's for every little thing, even if it's not bacterial it's setting up for all these bugs to be resistant to our orificenal. I have dealt w/ people, especially parents of little ones dig their heels into the floor and demand this even though their child has a cold. Also, with people not completing their regimens and PCP's not varying their medications that they prescribe for infections, no wonder why the failure rate is so high and the "bugs" are winning in some cases.

Bronx thanks for the info, I just commissioned as a 1LT last week, I have an ER identifier and am awaiting my orders to start drilling with my unit. I have worked in a variety of different areas of nursing since I became a RN in 1996. I got my BSN in 2003. I was working for my FNP until a couple of weeks ago. I need a break from that for a year or so, I need to get this stuff rolling now. I also am figuring that I will deploy in the next year to year and a half and I got some work to do to be ready.

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Lion, that's great - and what coincidence (or not~) on the just_cause portion.

I will caveat that I believe the course guarantee is also stipulated on your staying CONUS your first duty station - that is my understanding.

v/r

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Specializes in ICU- adults, Flight RN peds/neo.
HI I have to agree w/ Gennaver that we are

I need a break from that for a year or so, I need to get this stuff rolling now. I also am figuring that I will deploy in the next year to year and a half and I got some work to do to be ready.

Hi RM7,

Why are you thinking you will deploy in the next 1.5 yrs? Is your unit deploying?

If not, did someone give you a head's up about a pending deployment? Oconus or Conus?

The reason I ask, because I have spoken with many (6 or so) people in HRC Deployment, mobilization, AR- Medcom, my Brigade, etc.....I am LOOKING for a mobilization (oconus) and there are none.

There are NO "Oconus" 66H slots for 2009. Only ONE for 2010.......

The nursing shortage is for stateside only, apparently.......

c.

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I know much has changed in the Army, and having been out for so long, I hesitate to comment, but I think there is something that everyone should keep in mind when considering and planning their future career in the Army.

The information pertaining to programs you read about on goarmy.com and from your recruiter are what is AVAILABLE, not necessarily what you WILL get. Unless you have something specifically written into your contract, there is no guarantee that you will always get the options that you want. You must always keep in mind that the "Needs of the Army" always come first, and that those needs change on a regular basis.

There many great opportunities through the Army, and I am looking forward to returning as a Nurse Corps Officer, just remember that you may have to be flexible in your plans, as you may find out down the road that the specific career path, or the time line you planed on, may not be possible for you.

I do not say this to discourage anyone, but rather to encourage you to keep an open mind, and be flexible with the path of your career. I have known lots of people who got discouraged and left the Army when they did not get a certain school when they wanted it, or their career plans were delayed for whatever reason.

Stay the course, and remain flexible... and do not make too many future plans based on a "time line" given by your recruiter or an information site (which is a recruiting tool). Be prepaired to make adjustments to your plans as required.

best of luck to all,

LA40

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Very good advice~

However the school guarantee is part of your packet which you submit.

Like anything in the world it's not a 100% guaranteed until it occurs - however this isn't like the recruiter telling you that you will be able to get your vacation in december always... this is an actual contracted item.

v/r

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Thanks for the response. it was my understanding that the only school that was guaranteed in your contract was one of the generic courses. Yet, I have seen several people posting (in other threads) that they are planning on grad school/post grad school, CRNA or some other such advanced programs, and I did not believe those were guaranteed... is this incorrect?

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Lifeafter, good point.

The course guarantee is only available for psych, obgyn, OR, and Critical care - and I also the stipulation is that you first duty station is CONUS. Those are available as part of your contract.

Grad school and such - you can't even apply until a few years in.. i believe 2 or 3 and then it's still based on other factors.. your professional timeline, your LORs, a board, etc. Some will enter with a contract for CRNA but those individuals apply to the army nurse corp and the army CRNA program simultaneously and must be accepted to both in order to get that.

v/r

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Thanks for the clarification. I was not aware of the CONUS duty station stipulation... that is good to know, as I was a little concerned of going overseas right off the bat (I have dependent children who live with their mother, and wanted to be stationed stateside for first duty station...that should see them both into college before moving too far off)... After that, I would love to go back to Germany ;)

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