Current State of Navy Nursing Recruiting

SnakeEyes · Mar 21, 2015

Historically Navy recruiting has been allocated with annual goals (known individually as billets) for certain programs. The main programs for nurse accessions are: MECP (a commissioning program for prior enlisted personnel who are in the process of completing their BSNs), ROTC, Nurse Candidate Program and Direct Accession. (The Army has all these programs, too, they're just named other things). I highly doubt they have moved exclusively to NCP as the only source.

Please speak directly to an officer medical programs recruiter as other recruiters may give you incomplete info. They are not as numerous as regular recruiters and usually handle recruiting Dentists, MDs, P.A.s, and RNs specifically and may be singly responsible for a large geographic area.

It is very competitive right now as the Navy is overmanned in most areas. The last manning report I saw (Dec 2014) did not look very favorable. All subspecialties were overmanned even ER and Critical care (which had been undermanned for many years).

Your recruiter should be able to pull this report and tell you the areas you should concentrate on if you want to come in. The best way is probably to get your medsurg down and then go Advanced Practice.

Good luck. The Navy Nurse Corps always needs Mustangs.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 25, 2015

The Air Force is still taking some direct commission new grad nurses. Military nursing is largely the same from branch to branch, and many facilities have mixed staff from all 3 branches. Ship duty is very uncommon for nurses in the Navy anyway; most are at concrete facilities on land.

I would recommend you look at all branches, but of course make sure you've got the right information on recruiting too.

K.Jax,RN · Mar 27, 2015

[COLOR=#000000]I spoke with a U.S. Navy recruiter approximately 2 weeks ago. I was informed many of the same things. However, I received a little bit more information. The officer I spoke with was not a medical recruiter. However, he provided a lot of helpful information. In my case, I have been a nurse for 7 years but only have psych and case management experience. I am also pregnant and due in October. I must wait six month before applying. He said that it would be helpful to gain experience in either med-surg, critical care, or OR because these are the common areas of hire. He stated that it only requires 90 days of experience in one of those areas to be considered a "qualified applicant." He stated that there are indeed no active RN billets at this time. However, this is common because openings are posted in October and are filled by Nov of each year. He said that you should begin speaking to a recruiter around April in order to have a packet submitted by August of that year. Your packet would be going for review for an opening of the next fiscal year, which begins in October. I was advised that the process is very competitive. Just because you have the 90 days of experience in an area, does not mean that you will be the most qualified applicant when compared to someone with 10 years of experience. He informed me of the Reserves. However, that is not a route that I am willing to consider at the moment. In your case, I would go ahead and begin your packet. If the recruiter you spoke with is not willing to assist you, I would request another one.[/COLOR]

lasarazen · Mar 28, 2015

Thanks all! I did finally get in contact with another recruiter, and she did have some additional good intel, pretty much what you said K. Jax. I am also not hot on the Reserves, so I will definitely be digging in for the long haul. I'll give FY16 a shot (actually close to getting an entry level periop position here as a GN, of all miracles), but realistically I know I'll probably have to reapply in FY17.

SnakeEyes · Mar 28, 2015

FYI:

The Navy will assign you a subspecialty code for any additional training you have i.e. the type of RN you are. For example, if you are a med-surg nurse, you will have a 1910 subspecialty code. 1960 is critical care. 1945 is ER nursing. 1950 is OR nursing. After the subspecialty code you will be assigned a letter code specifying how much experience or what type of training you have attained e.g. less than 1 year, 3-5 years, board certification, masters, or doctorate education. I believe the "K" code is for board certification, so a board certified med-surg nurse would be a "1910K". There is a listing that your recruiters can show you. Everyone gets classified this way--it's how the Navy organizes its separate nursing communities. It's also how your are assigned to work areas within the Navy and how you are deployed. Each community has their own subspecialty leader who advises and represents that community.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 28, 2015

K.Jax, your profile indicates that you have an ASN degree. Did the recruiter tell you that a BSN is required for commission? Also, I believe that the Navy only counts your time as a BSN-prepared nurse for constructive credit. I might be wrong on that point, but I seem to remember when I was looking at all branches in 2009-2010 that this was the case. You should probably speak with an actual healthcare recruiter so that you have all the right info.

SnakeEyes · Mar 28, 2015

^This is actually a law the USAF, USA, and USN follow. CNAs, LVNs, and ASN/ADN-prepared RNs unfortunately do not count. Nurses in the military are bachelor's prepared commissioned officers. To even apply for a commissioning as a nurse in the military services you must complete an approved BSN program and pass NCLEX. You must also be a U.S. citizen, pass physical examinations, pass security background investigations, and be highly recommended to serve as a commissioned officer (as you will be appointed by the POTUS). It's not just a matter of wearing a uniform as a nurse. You will almost immediately be placed in a position of leadership and be expected to lead enlisted men and women and (later on) nurses junior to you. You are expected to be a role model, take care of them, and teach them about nursing, professionalism, life, etc.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 28, 2015

^This is actually a law the USAF, USA, and USN follow. CNAs, LVNs, and ASN/ADN-prepared RNs unfortunately do not count. Nurses in the military are bachelor's prepared commissioned officers.

To clarify, the Army does count time spent as an ADN toward constructive credit. I had almost 3 years of experience as an RN when I commissioned into the Army, but only 1 as a BSN-prepared RN. But yes, a BSN is required. The Reserves of various branches used to allow ADN-prepared RNs who were actively seeking a BSN to commission, but promotion above a certain point was limited.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2015

^This is actually a law the USAF, USA, and USN follow. CNAs, LVNs, and ASN/ADN-prepared RNs unfortunately do not count. Nurses in the military are bachelor's prepared commissioned officers. To even apply for a commissioning as a nurse in the military services you must complete an approved BSN program and pass NCLEX. You must also be a U.S. citizen, pass physical examinations, pass security background investigations, and be highly recommended to serve as a commissioned officer (as you will be appointed by the POTUS). It's not just a matter of wearing a uniform as a nurse. You will almost immediately be placed in a position of leadership and be expected to lead enlisted men and women and (later on) nurses junior to you. You are expected to be a role model, take care of them, and teach them about nursing, professionalism, life, etc.

As Pixie stated the Army does count ADN time for constructive credit, the AF does also. The Navy will count time that you were a ADN if you served time on active duty as a mobilized reservist if you got in the Army under the old rules when they allowed ADN's to be commissioned. Even with your BSN not all nursing will be credited for constructive credit, each service has there own rules but working in LTC is one area which will not count.

tacomaster · Apr 3, 2015

[COLOR=#000000]I spoke with a U.S. Navy recruiter approximately 2 weeks ago. I was informed many of the same things. However, I received a little bit more information. The officer I spoke with was not a medical recruiter. However, he provided a lot of helpful information. In my case, I have been a nurse for 7 years but only have psych and case management experience. I am also pregnant and due in October. I must wait six month before applying. He said that it would be helpful to gain experience in either med-surg, critical care, or OR because these are the common areas of hire. He stated that it only requires 90 days of experience in one of those areas to be considered a "qualified applicant." He stated that there are indeed no active RN billets at this time. However, this is common because openings are posted in October and are filled by Nov of each year. He said that you should begin speaking to a recruiter around April in order to have a packet submitted by August of that year. Your packet would be going for review for an opening of the next fiscal year, which begins in October. I was advised that the process is very competitive. Just because you have the 90 days of experience in an area, does not mean that you will be the most qualified applicant when compared to someone with 10 years of experience. He informed me of the Reserves. However, that is not a route that I am willing to consider at the moment. In your case, I would go ahead and begin your packet. If the recruiter you spoke with is not willing to assist you, I would request another one.[/COLOR]

I was told all of this also BUT that they do not need med/surg nurses currently. Apparently, NPs count as med surg nurses even though they are doing NP work. This is effecting slots. Kind of strange. Currently, the Reserves is in dire need of OR nurses and offering loan repayment. I don't remember how many the recruiter told me they need but if they don't fill the slots in the November 2015 board, they will have another one in March 2016. I'm a med/surg nurse but trying to switch to OR. I've applied for an internship through my hospital system and waiting to hear back. I'll barely make the 90 day cutoff for experience so may miss the November board. Worst case scenario I have to do a 2016 board. A nurse coworker is in the Navy Reserves and he loves it.

tacomaster · Apr 3, 2015

oh, and the good thing about the Reserves is that you can go work at the VA or get another federal employee nurse position (FEMA, prison system, Indian Health, work on base, etc) and then get TWO retirements!