Civilian Hospitals vs. Military??

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Hi!

I am seriously considering getting my BSN via the Navy, but I've been reading a lot of posts on the regular boards that give me pause. Some of the posts make nursing conditions sound unbearable at best. Understaffing, pay that's a joke, bad attitudes... Is this the same in the military??? I want to work as a team with people who are going to support me and that I can support in return. I'm not into "politics" and stepping on others to get ahead and that sounds like that happens a LOT in civilian nursing.

Please let me know your thoughts on military nursing in general. Is there any particular branch that is "better"? Right now I'm looking at the Navy because of their signup incentives, but are the incentives there because it's an undesirable branch? I just want to be well informed and recruiters are great, but will always put their best foot forward - I want the down and dirty!! :)

Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.

Z - Thanks for your military service as 66F!

Have you ever PCS'd to Madigan Army Medical Center, or Brooke Army Medical Center?

:beer:

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

I am an LT/03 in the Navy and have been in for 9 years now. As far as deployments go we do a lot more than just go out on ships. Actually, there are only about 12 ships nurses can go on and they are all carriers and you have to ask to go on them, you're just not picked to, it is normally an 04 or higher billet. You have to consider that the Navy and the Marines are essentially one when it comes to medical stuff. The Marines have no medical capability and therefore rely on the Navy for all its medical needs. Most of our deployments are for 6 months, in some cases up to a year, but it all depends and it is normally with a Marine unit or with a fleet hospital, again it all depends. With all that is happening in the world, the operational tempo of all the services is going through the roof, but that is the price of freedom, right? Anyway, even with the constant threat of deployment, I wouldn't trade my time in for anything. I consider it my contribution to being able to live like I do. I've been in Italy for the last 2+ years and their way of life is no where near what our's is. Sometimes you have to live outside the country to see how good we have it in the states. Just my .02cents.

LT Dan

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.

LT Dan - thanks for taking care of my Marines ... OORAH!

- 1LT AN [& USMC Vet... once a Marine, always a Marine]

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

OORAH!!!! Like I always say, when out in the field stick with the Marines and you WILL come alive!!!!

LT Dan

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
OORAH!!!! Like I always say, when out in the field stick with the Marines and you WILL come alive!!!!

LT Dan

miltaryc50015zk.jpg

The Marine is me in 1980, then my Dad in the Army Air Corps [pre-AF], and my son in 2000. My avatar is a pic of me & my wife at my AMEDD Officer Basic Crs graduation, JAN 2004.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Vette Guy-

Glad you chose to be a nurse. I had always wanted to be a Marine, but because they have no true medical component, this was as close as I could get. If you don't mind, why did you choose the AF over the Navy, or was the Navy not an option? Just wondering, could use some green in our blue, if you know what I mean. You on shift now? It's only about 0530 there, right? It's lunchtime here, 1238.

LT Dan

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Vette Guy-

Glad you chose to be a nurse. I had always wanted to be a Marine, but because they have no true medical component, this was as close as I could get. If you don't mind, why did you choose the AF over the Navy, or was the Navy not an option? Just wondering, could use some green in our blue, if you know what I mean. You on shift now? It's only about 0530 there, right? It's lunchtime here, 1238.

LT Dan

Air Force? No sir, I've been a member of the USAR Army Nurse Corps since direct commission SEP 2003. I report [volunteered] for active duty on 03 APR 2006 at Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft Lewis, WA, for 3 yr committment. My son joined Army Reseves in 2000, then 2 yrs ago was accepted into Army ROTC program at University of Houston. My Reserve Unit was [last drill weekend was this past weekend] at Ft Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, which about a 45 min drive from my house. So, the proximity was convenient. Plus, with my son being medical [was a 91D, OR tech... and now Pre-Med student] in the USAR I thought I'd go Army, too.

BTW, my son was an honor graduate at Army BCT. He had wanted to join the USMC, yet as you know the Navy provides the medical support for the Marines.

Actually, the water is not my thing, LOL. I barely swim qual'd in the Marines, and I never had to go aboard a ship during my time served on active duty in the Marines [1980-1988]. I was an aircraft electrician & com/nav tech on F-4 Phantoms in the USMC. After a couple of yrs doing similar in the civilian sector I decided to go to college for a career change towards fixing people, rather than jets. :chuckle

I'm due in at my civilan OR RN job NLT 0645 [now 0557], so I better stop boring you & get to the shower.

uoharmyrotc05annualawardscerem.jpg

Pic of me & my son [an Army ROTC Cadet] at one of his University of Houston Army ROTC Award ceremonys.

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To LT Dan:

I worked with a LTJG Dan at Jacksonville Naval Hospital in 1997-1999, in the ICU. I won't post the last name here, but would that happened to have been you? He was always referred to as LT Dan. Just curious...

LTJG Barbara (at the time)

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Barb-

Sorry to bum you out, but I was stationed in Balboa in the ED from '97-'00, sorry. I have never been to JAX. Good luck, hunting him down.

LT Dan

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Barb-

Sorry to bum you out, but I was stationed in Balboa in the ED from '97-'00, sorry. I have never been to JAX. Good luck, hunting him down.

LT Dan

Maybe your related to the LT Dan that Forrest Gump saved in Vietnam. :chuckle

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

I used to have a mustache a while back and looked like a shorter version of him. Better check my family tree though, HA-HA!!

LT Dan

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Oorah... right back atcha devil dogs... I did 6 with the wing and now I'm trading up my Cpl to 1st Lt in USAF.

How do you guys incorporate your medals/ribbons from "the suck" into the Army salad? I never found a way to list the USMC/USN awards into a USAF or USA system (ya know the order of placment thing?). I got a NUC, NAM, GCx2 etc.... I want to wear them but can't find guidance on how they mesh between services.

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