Entering Navy rank

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I was told a nurse in the Navy is made higher than an Ensign because of their education and degree, but I thought even a nurse starts as an Ensign no matter what. Is it true that nurses in the Navy start above Ensign?

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

NavyCheerGirl-

Generally speaking you are right, nurses enter the Navy as an Ensign. There are special circumstances when they can enter as a LTjg, but not higher than that. This is the case with someone who say has their Master's coming into the Navy. My wife had 5+ years of nursing experience before she came in and we asked if she could come in as a LTjg and they said no because those years of experience were done while she had an Associate's only. Now I don't know what happened to those years of nursing experience when she got her Bachelor's, but hey that's how it goes.

LT Dan

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