Concerned RN student/ Marine wife.

[rrocky87]

Hello all,

This is my first post on this board! I am currently halfway through my RN training and I'm also an LPN with 0 years of experience. I entered LPN school in 2007 when it seemed as though anyone with the title nurse was guaranteed a job. As soon as I graduated I realized most of the job ads were for "LPN's with 2+ years of experience or RN's". Now that I'm a year away from graduating it seems most job ads are for "RN's with 2+ years of experience or BSN's"

I am married to a new Marine and foresee living on a base as soon as I am out of nursing school. My questions are these:

1. I'm curious to hear from other nurses who are married to men in the military and how that affected their search for employment.

2. If there is hospital on base, is any hiring preference given to spouses of the men stationed there? (maybe I'm naive to think that...)

Thanks!

[FLmomof5]

Yes, you get "spousal preference" when applying for a Civil Service position. However, RNs that don't have a BSN get paid at LPN wages. (The military is heavy on degree emphasis.)

I relocated to the Charleston area (Mt Pleasant) to be where hubby is stationed. I applied everywhere. I have had 3 interviews and an offer from an SNF.

To be honest, it will be all about WHERE you relocate to...

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hiring preference for dislocated spouses is available, but there are some limits. First, it primarily applies if you have accompanied your spouse to a new duty station, because the military realizes that you've interrupted your career in order to relocate to another area in order to support the servicemember's.

The military gives the spouse preference for hire in GS positions if you are listed as one of the "best qualified" for the position. That means that if you are comparable to the other best qualified applicants for the position, then you get preference over them. If you are NOT considered qualified for the job (e.g., don't have any experience) then the preference doesn't apply and you take your chances. Also, if you're competing against other equally qualified military spouses, then the employer can choose whichever applicant they like best for the job.

This website cover most of the basics:

http://militaryspousecoach.com/pdf/MilitarySpousePreferenceEmployment.pdf

Contact your base's family support center to find out more information and to learn how to apply. If you don't qualify for preference, they do have other career support options to help you out.