Can new RN grad/No BSN enlist in the military?

TurkTurkleton · Oct 28, 2009

You must have a BSN to commission into the military. However, if you wanted to be a civilian nurse and work at a military hospital, a lot of them will hire you with your RN license. I'm currently an active duty AF nurse, and I work with some civilian RNs that are going to school to get their BSN. It's a pretty nice job b/c you get to help out military members but not have to worry about getting deployed.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2009

I have talked to both AMEDD recruiters and officers in AMEDD who say this isn't so. They all say it is significantly easier for them to switch you over to being a commissioned officer on account that you are already in the Army system, you've already been through MEPS and been screened, etc.
I hope they are telling the truth, because I enlisted in the Army Reserve as a 68W (medic) and once I have my BSN, I plan on commissioning.
That being sid, if I was already an RN or BSN, I wouldn't enlist first.

If you go for a commission you have to go thru the whole process again. Since you are in the Reserves it will be easier then if you where active. Even in the Reserves you have to get a release from your unit to obtain your commission.

Jarnaes · Oct 28, 2009

FYI Folks: Keep in mind that some recruiters will tell you ANYTHING to make their numbers; lots of half-truths and empty promises...

Be very careful to just walk into your local recruiting station. Regular recruiters have a quota to meet, so they don't care that you may have a "Masters Degree or PhD in Physiology", if they need a cook and they persuade you to sign up to become a cook-Done deal! You now belong to Uncle Sam as a cook for the next 8 years.

Yes, there are programs in place to transition someone from the enlisted side to the commissioned side, but the needs of the Army comes first. Once you enlist, you lose your bargaining powers. So do your research thoroughly.

If you have any type of college degree in the Health Sciences, you want to see an AMEDD recruiter first: http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/index.jsp

mmm333, LVN · Feb 21, 2011

I've been keeping in touch with Army & Navy recruiters since embarking on the goal of becoming an RN. As of Jan 2011, the Army and Navy Reserves have both told me that "there is currently no mission for ADN nurses".

In other words they are only taking BSNs- and you've got to check with officer recruiters to make sure that your BSN is approved by the military, in addition to being CCNE or NLNAC-accredited. Some BSN programs I was looking at ended up being on the Navy's "no-go" list- especially almost ALL of the online ones. So for those of you hoping to complete a BSN online and then transition to officer status... beware. You could complete a BSN and have that particular BSN rejected. Fine if you want to get out and be a civilian RN, but if you are planning on a commission, do your homework.

Enlisting is a potentially perilous decision. You lose alot more than your bargaining powers once you enlist... you lose your rights, your authority as an RN, your identity in many cases... even as a special forces or SEAL medic, you'd be pretty much ending your RN career for the duration of the enlistment and possibly for the rest of your life- after enlisting your clearest path to success might be as a PA via the PA program for medics... not as an RN. The education and experiential obstacles to becoming a respectable RN professional are can be pretty significant unless you have a BSN or MSN and are commissionable as an officer.

Consider the following:

- As a non-RN (regardless of license) you will not be able to act within the Scope of Practice of such, only under their direction and supervision.

- Recruiters always "paint a picture (fantasy)" of people completing their degrees while enlisted (enlisted people often work 60+ hours a week of hard work and "duty nights" where you sleep at work and basically stand guard duty or front desk-type activities, enough to keep you from studying. Only some people end up lucky enough to have time and cooperation that allow them to complete classes (remember what I said above about BSN courses online).

- A 4 -yr enlistment comes bundled with 4 additional years of "inactive reserve" or IRR (individual ready reserve), they tell you that it's nothing and you don't go in for drills... unless they call you up and TELL you to start showing up, OR activate you during wartime (we are always at war now, it's called the Global War on Terror). So count on an enlistment taking up 8 years during which you cannot get out, cannot study, might be sent overseas for a year at a time, etc. etc etc.

- If you are enlisted, they OWN you- I cannot overemphasize that. It's just the truth.

All bets are off. You can be sent anywhere with a gun to patrol, stand guard at a bank in Baghdad, or drive a HMMV, as many Navy and Air Force have found out. You have to be able to accept that if you enlist. Needs of the branch come first.

- With that said if you are duty-bound or hey, just broke, and want some adventure and experience, it can be a wonderful experience. It's a choice that only you can make.

- Now this piece of advice is plain and simple: Enlisted Recruiters are not qualified to discuss Officer Programs. They should refer you if asked for the phone number. If you talk to enlisted recruiters believe NOTHING they say about officer programs and NOTHING that isn't in writing. Nothing against them- it's on you if you ask a horse salesman to tell you about raising bison and take their advice...

- Any of you who have enlisted with an RN for financial reasons- I would love to hear from you and find out what your experience has been working under RN officers, whether your training is recognized or ignored, etc. Be aware that in most states you can challenge the NCLEX-PN if you have graduated from an RN training program, so you can get the LPN license which might elevate your status as a medic right away. My understanding is that Army medics are roughly EMT-B+LPN trained and can take these national exams after 4 years of service. But an RN could get an LPN license before going into the Army and that might land you in an Army hospital job instead of the field, if that's what you want. I'd go in there armed with all of the licenses and quals I could get my hands on, it can only help increase your status.

None of this is meant to be negative, but the military is a huge organization with more than its share of bureaucracy. It's easy to get lost in that bureaucracy, and the best way to thrive in there is to do your homework and take lots of initiative in managing your career even before you go in.

Lastly I want to wish you all luck. It takes guts to throw yourself into the military, giving up your way of life and all convenience and comfort in exchange for the experience and opportunities that come with service.

-ex Navy SWCC & RN