Coming off Active Duty, looking for new specialty

sparklie.lady · Sep 16, 2011

I'm not sure what a good specialty would be, especially if you are used to some incredible levels of chaos.

I did want to say THANK YOU for your service!!

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Sep 16, 2011

Thanks for your service! Public health does a fair amount of work in mass casualty, terrorism response, and disaster preparation. How about FEMA, state health department, CDC, or Medical Reserve Corps? You have already gotten a lot of training and I'm guessing experience in this area. Become an expert in this and you can consult. Good luck.

zjesko · Sep 16, 2011

thanks for the ideas. FEMA might be interesting. That is what I kinda do in the Army.

ckh23, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2011

There are "desk jobs" out there, but I'm not sure if you have physical limitations sitting for any length of time. You do home health, home IV infusions, health insurance company, case management. Good luck in your search.

caliotter3 · Sep 16, 2011

You could go into extended care home health and ask to do cases with little babies. If you work on night shift, you don't even have that much work to do most of the time, other than changing the diaper. This will be quite a letdown after your previous career, but it is nursing, and it is work. Worth considering. Best wishes.

Merlyn · Sep 16, 2011

I don't know anything that give you the rush like ER. Get you BSN. Maybe by then something will pop up.

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

Phone triage is another option, on top of what others here have recommended. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!

skylark, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

Cruise ships.

All the challenge of ER, in a different environment. You sounds like someone who is not going to want to take on a routine job or a desk job, (like every other ER nurse!!), and a lot of ex-military go this route.

Patients have to be mobile or else bring a carer with them, its a requirement in case of evacuating the ship. Crew have to pass a medical to be on board. Injured patients rarely require lifting, and if they do the whole crew gets involved, waiters, cleaning staff, everyone.

Without knowing your specific limitations from your spinal sugery, its difficult to know exactly whether its an option, but please investigate it anyway!

athena55, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

Hey, what Reserve unit are you with? When were you down range?

Sorry to hear about your spinal surgery and how it is impacting on your career.

Continue on with your BSN as most sevices require BSN including the Army Reserves. I think that changed around 2 years ago or so. Before, as you know, you could become Commissioned in the RC with just your ADN and could actually be promoted to CPT but that has all changed.

I am AD. Why don't you check out United States Public Health Service? www.usphs.gov

Good Luck,

athena

Nickymad1 · Sep 17, 2011

Thank yuo for your service and sorry about your back, my husband came out from the army with 3 herniated discs and he had surgery for one of them just 6 month ago and is doing much better.

You can try working in a Nursery or a NICU. there is lifting but your patients are no more than 20 lbs :) And it can be stresfull especially since babies crash and code in seconds.

Skip219, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

I have worked for the last 14 yr in cath lab .It has alot of critcal episodes which would fill your need for excitement. Limited lifting but you need to wear lead. Some of the other mentioned specialties might not fill your need for challenge.