Civilian BSN RN considering CRNA in the military

[whitbrgss]

I am currently an RN with my BSN. I have done two years on a medical/surgical floor about to start in the ICU. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to go back to school for CRNA. I was wondering what the best options would be for getting my CRNA degree. I am married with young children and I am trying to figure out what would be best for my family. CRNA schooling as a civilian is expensive and would for sure put us in a lot of debt. I have been researching the military to see if this option would be good. I know the military training would be amazing and really help my professional career. I have a huge desire to make a difference in the world and to help people. I don't feel like I am doing that right now, or at least not enough to satisfy.

If I join the military what are pro's and con's with having a family already? Which route is best? I have read some say not to enlist and to be commissioned which I am not familiar with... can anyone explain this? How often have nursing military members deploy? ROTC, Nurse corps, active duty, etc. what is best? Also, I do not want to be an RN doing CNA work... I worked HARD for my degree and I want to continue what I do, not less than what I was trained for. I want as much information as possible on all of this. I want the best life for my family and myself. A decision to join the military would mean a lot of changes for my family. I want to make sure I make the best decision! This means time with family, money, opportunities for my kids as well as my husband.

I'd rather have too much info rather than not enough. Please help!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Look at the USAGPAN info: School of Nursing | US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing | Nurse Anesthesia Programs | Army Nursing Program

You can apply when you have the required critical care time. This is the best way to CRNA in the military. I know several people who came into the Army via direct commission as experienced civilian ICU nurses to attend the USAGPAN program.

Pros: top notch education to a DNP without debt. Cons: you are owned by the Army, and CRNAs do deploy. If you truly want to serve, it's a great way to do so.

There are lots of posts in this forum about USAGPAN, the search feature should provide you with lots of information. Good luck!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Oh, and do NOT enlist. Officers commission, we don't enlist, and RNs who work as RNs are officers. You are an experienced nurse with a BSN, and if you were to enlist, you would not be working as a nurse.

The military is intensely competitive. The nurse corps in all branches have more applicants than spots. But even if you were selected to commission into the nurse corps outside of the anesthesia program, there are no guarantees you'd be selected for anesthesia school. You need to be physically fit, healthy without medical problems, and you need a stellar GPA to even be considered for a commission these days.

[whitbrgss]

Do you know how long the committment would be and how often CRNA's actually deploy?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Do you know how long the committment would be and how often CRNA's actually deploy?

I don't know the answer to either of those questions. For the first, you can probably find the answer elsewhere in this forum in USAGPAN posts. Deployment is less predictable, but most CRNAs I know have deployed a couple of times at least, if they have been in for any length of time. But you won't deploy while you are in school or later clinical training.