Hello everyone. I have read multiple posts about this subject but I wanted to post my own in hopes that some of you critical care air force nurses could help me out. I am married with 3 small boys and a little girl due the 1st of July. I have been a nurse for 4 years now, all in the ICU. My wife and I have strongly considered the Air Force. Several questions. First, any of you Air Force ICU nurses have some insight on how you like or dont like your choice of the Air Force? How is deployment as a critical care nurse? I have visited with a health care recruiter and he said that the likelyhood of being deployed within the first year was high.
I would just like some no BS insight on how things really are. My sisters husband is a LTC in the army and she thinks that I will have a hard time not getting paid to work overtime. It sounds like where I have 4 years experience that they would count that as half time, and that I would likely start out as a 1st LT. How soon could I reach captain after that? Should I sign on for three or for four years? While in the military, could I work on a masters degree?
Anything that could shed further light on this subject would be great. Thanks for reading this.
NTP is for new nurses. It wouldn't help with ICU. In general you will probably be on orientation for at least 6wks in the ICU, and you should always find someone to help out with questions/work equipment etc. You will probably find some of the techs just as helpful as the nurses.
You won't get much trauma at AF hospitals. Wilford Hall/BAMC is the exception to the rule and even they don't do a lot of trauma to my understanding. Before you deploy the AF will probably try to send you to a training course called C-Stars which are all at large civilian Level I+ Trauma Centers for a few weeks to get you in the swing of dealing with traumas.
Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.
I'm at ICU Wilford Hall at Lackland. The level 1 trauma has closed here and relocated over to BAMC in anticipation of closing Wilford and combining with Army over at the new SAMMC. So we are now real fat with nurses. Some have moved over to BAMC already. The rest of us will go at some point. We are told to be flexible. :)
As far as skill level, I wouldn't worry. They won't throw you to the dogs in situations you can't handle. I've been a nurse 14 years, all ER and ICU. and I'm STILL on orientation for 2 more weeks. I think I have 6 weeks total. The nurse support is so much better than in the civilian world. I've also already been sent to class to learn about advanced burn life support. There is an abundance of education oppertunities.
I have enjoyed reading the posts on the topic thus far. I would like to ask some of you AF RN's with knowledge a few questions. I will be finishing my BSN in May 2011 hopefully, although im not an RN or LVN, I am a Tech. My goal is to one day become a CRNA. I also want to serve my country.
1) Can someone explain the training process for ICU in the Air Force? As I said, I havent graduated yet and dont have any nursing experience. My gpa is 3.7 and I'll graduate from the honors college at my university.
2) Does anyone think that CRNA school acceptance boards will look down upon an Air Force ICU RN for admission, and possibly select someone who has civilian level-I trauma/ ICU experience over them (assuming gpa's are similar)?
3) I have read that the minimum time committment is 3 years and the GI Bill will still apply to this?
Thank you in advance for your help and thank you very much for what you do!!
I have enjoyed reading the posts on the topic thus far. I would like to ask some of you AF RN's with knowledge a few questions. I will be finishing my BSN in May 2011 hopefully, although im not an RN or LVN, I am a Tech. My goal is to one day become a CRNA. I also want to serve my country.
1) Can someone explain the training process for ICU in the Air Force? As I said, I havent graduated yet and dont have any nursing experience. My gpa is 3.7 and I'll graduate from the honors college at my university.
2) Does anyone think that CRNA school acceptance boards will look down upon an Air Force ICU RN for admission, and possibly select someone who has civilian level-I trauma/ ICU experience over them (assuming gpa's are similar)?
3) I have read that the minimum time committment is 3 years and the GI Bill will still apply to this?
Thank you in advance for your help and thank you very much for what you do!!
Brandon
1. As a new nurse you have to come in the AF as either a 46N (med-surg nurse) or an OB nurse. Then you have to apply for ICU fellowship training to get into ICU.
2. Usually military training is looked on favorably, but why go through a civilian training program when go through the military for CRNA training.
3. Yes, 3yrs is more than enough time needed to start using your MGIB.
Im currently an ICU nurse in the air force. I will tell you that if u join the Air Force with no critical care experience, u will have to apply for a fellowship. Then u will have to be at your duty station for two years before u can apply for the AFFIT CRNA school. There are two schools u could possibly be sent to... One in Maryland and one in San Antonio, TX. The kne in TX has the second ranked program in the nation. There is a higher percentage of applicants that get selected through the AF vs civilian I will tell u. CCRN is a requirement to apply and is a tough exam, but if u really want it go for it. Best of luck.
Update on this post that I started last summer. So when I started this whole process, my recruiter made it sound like there was no doubt that I would get into the Air Force given my experience and such. I was told that I would likely go to COT in Jan. When he told me that I was not selected I was very disappointed. On the brighter side, there is a selection board that is meeting at the end of July with hopefully more ICU positions open. Any other ICU nurses out there that are in the same boat as me? Is everyone staying excited and motivated? Still running and doing push ups and sit ups? I am putting my house back up for sale in hopes that I get in. What is everyones back up plan if you do not get into? Other branches of the armed services? Sell a kidney? Talk to me.
Bryango, I am a very experienced ICU Nurse as well and interested in joining the AF, just started reading this message thread today. Are you saying that you've been waiting over a year to be accepted to the AF or in the past year you've been accepted and are just waiting for a start date? Any idea what the usual time frame is know from starting applications until entry?
Anyone know if all AF Nurses have to enter as Med/Surg Nurses then go through the Critical Care Fellowship or with extensive Critical Care experience can this be bypassed. Actually I've been through the Army CC coorifice years ago, have CCRN and 5.5 years prior active duty time.
I started the application process last year. Interviewed and went through MEPS last July. My recruiter told me that I had a solid package and excellent marks on my interview. He said to anticipate going to officer training that fall. Then he contacted me and told me that only about 7 ICU nurses were selected and that all had prior military experience. Early in the year he contacted me to tell me that there was going to be another board in July. He said that I was not considered a "non-select" from the previous board, which from what I understand is that being a non-select means it would be nearly impossible to get in.
Sooo, right now I am waiting for the results of the July board, which I think I will know sometime in August. So officer training would not be until Oct at the earliest, more likely next year. And that is only if I have been selected. It has been a frustrating process, but I know that things will work out as they should.
Oahufish, have you applied? In the past, they had a hard time filling nursing slots in the AF. Now with the economy as it is, nurses are not retiring or getting out as they usually had in the past. It is what it is. Good luck. There are some great threads about AF nursing on this website.
No haven't applied yet but definitely considering it lately for a variety of reasons. Spent almost 6 years as Army Nurse in the 90's, and have been at the same civilian hospital here on Oahu for the past 13 years working CCU and CVICU. At this point I am ready for a change in scenery, job, considering advanced degree and hoping for retirement at some point in the future. Options for retirement and pension as a civilian nurse seem go get worse by the year...14 more years as an AF RN certainly looks a lot better than 22 years as a civilian RN at my current hospital. Also a move back to the mainland in the military is a whole lot easier than doing it as a civilian and the option of having advanced degree fully paid for is also very enticing.
I've been a military nurse before so know the hardships and responsibilities that are involved. I actually would look forward to a move and change in jobs every four years. Yes I could do this as a civilian, but as a nurse it's basically starting all over again in regards to anything related to seniority such as pay, floating, vacation and sick leave, vacation requests ect...In the military everything carries over throughout your career, no matter where or how many times you move.
Thanks for your threads, its been useful in trying to find out information that I dont necessarily get from my recruiter. I started this process last year also, which my recruiter was not the best, meps also kept asking for different records one after the other and I couldnt get them in on time for the october 2010 boards. I didnt even know about the july boards because the didnt know about it when I asked about it in May. Now, I have a new recruiter and he seems okay. Starting the process now to get everything in for Sept 27 boards. Have your heard anything yet. And what documention exactly are they looking for to make sure I qualify as a critical care nurse. I do not have my CCRN but have my certificate of completion of the critical care class (this is before ECCO came to be) and some certificate/continuing education of ICU stuff like Vent managment, EKG, pacemaker,central line managment etc. Also on some threads some people say your rank is based on your time as a nurse by 1/2 .Some say that it starts after you get your BSN. thanks to anyone who can respond
I also started the application process last year. I did not get selected for Oct 2010 board but I was also not a "non-select", which is good. Currently I am updating my file so that I can sit for the Sept. boards. I just found out that I have a new recruiter. It has been a frustrating process since I feel as though I am qualified and want to serve my country. I thought I was sitting for the July boards and when I called my old recruiter a few weeks ago he said I was not. That you can not resubmit your package for 1 year. It would of been nice to be told that instead of waiting to hear. As far as documentation that I am a critical care nurse, we do the ECCO program at our hospital which is basically a long review of nursing school that you do on the computer. I printed out my completion of that and sent it to him. As far as rank after BSN, I am not sure. He told me that I would go in as a 1 LT with some time towards Captain. I have been a nurse since July of 2006. I got my BSN in May 2007. I figure if this board does not pan out, I am going to move on to something else. A year and 1/2 is enough time.
wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA
5,128 Posts
NTP is for new nurses. It wouldn't help with ICU. In general you will probably be on orientation for at least 6wks in the ICU, and you should always find someone to help out with questions/work equipment etc. You will probably find some of the techs just as helpful as the nurses.
You won't get much trauma at AF hospitals. Wilford Hall/BAMC is the exception to the rule and even they don't do a lot of trauma to my understanding. Before you deploy the AF will probably try to send you to a training course called C-Stars which are all at large civilian Level I+ Trauma Centers for a few weeks to get you in the swing of dealing with traumas.