Direct Accession for Active Duty Navy Nursing

[socalRN91]

Hi! This is my first post on here so bear with me.

I have many questions regarding Navy Nursing. I just got my physical done today and am almost ready to submit my package to the boards in October. My results were good and am fit for active duty. I still have an interview with a Navy Nurse over the phone. That all being said, here are all my questions:

1) What types of questions should I expect to get asked by the Navy Nurse?

2) Does anyone have an estimate of the number of DA spots for FY 2015?

3) As a Navy Officer, how likely are you to be deployed?

4) If selected, are Officers required to live on base for a period of time?

5) How long would a new grad RN have to work on a Med-Surg floor before they are able to request specialty training?

6) Do applicants usually get their top duty location preference?

7) Honestly, Do women get treated fairly and equally in the Navy? The military is obviously comprised mostly of men so I am curious as to how that dynamic affects women in service.

Thank you in advance for you information! If you have more to add, please feel free :).

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I'll let other people give you the Navy specifics. I'm an AF nurse who joined fully-qualified.

1. I can almost guarantee you'll get some of the usual: why do you want to join the military? what are your career goals?

2. No clue.

3. No clue. Like the Air Force, it probably varies significantly depending on your specialty, your base, and what's going on in the world. My deployment window for med-surg is 12 months off and 6 months potentially deploy-able.

4. For me it's actually the opposite. Officers aren't in the dorms. Single officers are almost always off-base with supplementary BAH. Families often get a choice.

5. For us, it's after your first assignment (for ICU, OR, ED). Depending on your chief nurse, you may have the opportunity to do a clinic or PACU.

6. It depends. You'd have to really talk to the chief nurse about that. Certain specialties are only found at certain bases. Also, personnel likes to 'develop' people. That means newbies often get put in larger hospitals rather than clinics. If what you want happens to fit with what personnel wants...then you're lucky!

7. The nurse corps has more women than men. Most of the management are women. You'll get a fair shake.

[oaktown2]

1. I can't really remember the specific questions I was asked, but I am pretty sure they were along the lines of why Navy, why nursing, what do you want to do with your career? It's pretty much like any job interview, though I believe they did ask if I had any issue with being deployed.

2. I believe that fluctuates, but couldn't tell you. That would be a question for a recruiter.

3. How likely - well, the majority of nurses aren't. But that doesn't mean that you wouldn't be deployed. It all kind of depends on the need and what is going on. If you really don't wish to be deployed, then maybe military nursing isn't the best fit. If you want to be deployed then try and get into a specialty that might deploy more (ED, ICU, OR), but any specialty can deploy.

4. No, you are not required to live on base when stationed in the US. Overseas can be different.

5. So as a new grad, you don't automatically go to Med-Surg. You can go to Psych, L&D, ICU (rare, but can happen) or M-S. Typically you are 18 months on one unit and then you may rotate to another, depending on the needs. However, you can often cross train on your days off if you really want to show that you are interested in going to another unit (though you still may have to do your 18 mos)

6. I did, but a another student at my school didn't. You give them your top three choices initially. After your first duty station, it really depends on what's available and as jfratian said certain specialties are only at certain places - which may mean that you get to become more flexible and not that you would only go to those places.

7. The nurse corps definitely is mainly made up of women, though we have far more male nurses than on the civilian side, which can bring a better balance. I've not had any issues and feel that I am treated fairly.