Camp Lejeune for a new grad?

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I just found out that there is a good chance I will get stationed in Camp Lejeune after graduation. I'm a little nervous because I saw online that the hospital is really small. Does anyone have any experience there or any of the other marine hospitals? Is it a good place for a new grad to get experience? Should I call the detailer again and renegotiate? I have an interest in ER/ICU, peds and NICU. I'm not really sure if Camp Lejeune is good for any of those fields. I saw Camp Lejeune listed as a priority fill, so that's why I volunteered. I know the area is nice. I unfortunately hadn't looked at what the hospital offered in great detail. Now I'm starting to have "buyers remorse."

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing (CEN).

Hi navynursegirl! Welcome to allnurses. Are you in the NCP? I am a May 2012 grad for NCP. Congrats on getting orders, still waiting for mine. Unfortunately I don't have any info for you, but good luck! Just wanting to encourage you!

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Thanks and good luck to you too! I'm a May 2012 grad too, but not in the NCP. I've been in for 10 years and just switched to the nursing field (program called STA-21). I already changed my orders though. I asked for Portsmouth instead of Camp Lejeune. I decided I was a little too nervous that I'd miss out on some good experience if I went to a smaller hospital. Good luck again!

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Good choice on changing from Camp Lejeune to Portsmouth. Portsmouth is a much larger hospital where you will have more opportunities for training and experience. I've been to both and Portsmouth is the better of the two. I still didn't care for the Portsmouth area, but the hospital was nice. You will find out that traffic there sucks big time, though.

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Yea, once I looked up what the hospital at Camp Lejeune, I knew I wanted to go to a bigger hospital first. About the traffic, I live in Atlanta. I'm used to traffic. Is it bad even during normal nurse hours? I was hoping it might be better during those times.

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I'm not sure what normal nursing hours are, to be honest. There are many different jobs in the hospital that require nurses to work a variety of hours (8's, 12's, 24's, nights, days, weekends), so it's difficult to determine what the conditions will be like for you. If you get off around the typical rush hour, though, you will HATE it. I do remember the parking garage at the hospital is a pain in the butt to find good parking in unless you get there at just the right time.

Do you know where you will be working?

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No idea where I'll be working. I've just heard that most nurses start out working shift work 12's - 0630-1900, I'd imagine. I've heard a lot of nurses start out on med/surg floor. I have my heart set on peds/nicu/icu/er, but you never know where you'll end up with the navy.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing (CEN).

I just found out I'm getting stationed at Camp Pendleton, anyone know anything about that place? Still excited, just digesting the news!

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