Frustrated and REALLY need to VENT right now!!!

[fitRNpic]

Ok, so...... This journey all started in March 2008. At the time I was overweight for AF standards and had to work my ass off to lose what I needed and then some. Then, after I had maintained for a few months, I called my recruiter and told her the good news and that i was ready to go and get everything moving. She informed me that she was going back to her old job and that this other person was taking over for her and to call him. She said that she would fill him in on me and give him whatever she had. This was March 2009!! Finally get in touch with this new recruiter in May. He is not very good at returning calls!! He finally sends me the application packet and some other information in late June-July. Never gave me a date or anything of when everything needed to be done. So, I got all of that done along with making copies of all of my prior service paperwork, Licenses, Certifications, and ordered transcripts. Sent everything to him in September. Finally went to MEPS in October for physical and security clearance. Then he says that he needed reference forms in order to do interview. OK. So, I track down who I needed to do these reference forms. Then, was told that all of my packet was being passed off to another recruiter in another state!!!! I talked to and met with this new recruiter within a few weeks. Got him everything he needed within a week with hopes of making the December cut off. Originally, I had wanted to make the Oct/Nov dates, but the last recruiter dropped the ball!! Plus, one of my transcripts had gotten lost, so I had to re-order it!!!

My hopes were to go to COT in January, the last recruiter screwed up my chances for that!! Now, wanting COT no later than March and am told my chances are very slim even for March but he would try. Also, trying to commission as a NICU specialist, so I had to do a few particular CEU's and renew/re-certify my NRP. DONE!!

So, everything is done except for interview and submit my packet. I get a call this morning saying that the AIR FORCE has filled all of their slots for NICU nurses for the YEAR!!! There were only 5!! How the hell do these slots get filled so fast if the AF fiscal year just started in OCTOBER! Now I am told that if I want to Commission NICU, I have to wait til next OCTOBER!! ***!!!!! Or, I can commission as a regular clinical nurse. Sorry, but I do not do Adult Med/Surg. I have been down that route and absolutely hated it! When asked about Nursery, he said that they do not separate Nursery from L&D and Postpartum. Though I do love and would love to do OB, I don't have any actual clinical experience in the area so can not get commissioned to that area.

I am so frustrated with all of this. :angryfire I don't know what to do anymore. I've tried getting jobs in area hospitals in NICU, Nursery, Peds, PICU, and OB without any luck at all (and I have gone as far as getting licensed in another state and applying to hospitals that are at least 2 hours away from my home!) I really can not wait another year!! Where I live, the unemployment rate is outrageous and people are still losing their jobs. My husband doesn't even know what is going to happen with his job! Applying to thousands of positions and then am told I do not have enough experience for them (they all want at least 3-5 years experience!) My current job is great but the pay sucks, I am not guaranteed my hours, no benefits (health insurance, dental, vision, vacation, or sick time!!), and I don't get paid to travel, no shift differential, and am only paid half my base pay to orient to new cases/clients!!! Being prior service, I had always wanted to join the Air Force, but it took forever to get my husband to understand! Now I am being told that I have to wait even though everything is done!!! Complete BS and Unfair!!

Sorry, I really had to vent.

[aglages]

Thanks carolinapooh! I knew the Navy (and the other military services) had opened most not direct combat jobs to women, but didn't realize that they had female nurses on their combat ships (although they definitely have female line officers). Oh well, one more thing to take into consideration. Thanks again everyone for the help.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

Thanks carolinapooh for the information. I probably have some incorrect information, but I had heard that the Navy doesn't assign female nurses on it's ships other than the hospital ships.....and there is a long "volunteer" waiting list to get on those. I know they have Docs, but had heard that medics (or whatever the Navy term is for enlisted medical personnel) take the place of nurses on ships. Was I misinformed?

Female Nurses and HM's can be assigned to Marine units. The only ones female HM's can not be assigned to is combat units, ie line units. As far as RN's being stationed on ships there is limited number of billets for RN's. Most are O-4 billets and critical care experience. If assigned to a hospital ship it is a calaterial(sp) duty.

[aglages]

If assigned to a hospital ship it is a calaterial(sp) duty.

Thanks jeckrn for the clarification! What is a "HM"? When you say nurses and HMs can be assigned to marine units, you mean marine hospitals or marine land based medical facilities....correct?

What is calateria duty? Does that mean special qualifications and volunteers only....or something else? Sorry about all the questions, and I do appreciate everyones help.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Thanks jeckrn for the clarification! What is a "HM"? When you say nurses and HMs can be assigned to marine units, you mean marine hospitals or marine land based medical facilities....correct?

What is calateria duty? Does that mean special qualifications and volunteers only....or something else? Sorry about all the questions, and I do appreciate everyones help.

HM - the rate for a corpsman, meaning "hospitalist's mate". (Navy enlisteds have rank and rate - a rate is like an MOS or an AFSC - it describes your career field.) My father was a Navy corpsman and spent at least seventy percent of his career with the Marines in various deployments - the Korean and Vietnam wars in particular, flying Medevac with Marine helicopter squadrons.

Jeck meant "collateral duty", I believe, which means "additional duty", but the context is not something I'm familiar with.

[aglages]

HM - the rate for a corpsman, meaning "hospitalist's mate"..

Thanks carolinapooh! Still sounds as though for a "new" Navy nurse the chances are slim and none that she will be assigned to a ship within the first four years of duty. After they reach O-4 (which should take at least four years for a new BSN) their chances may be increased depending on whether "collateral duty" means volunteer duty.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Thanks carolinapooh! Still sounds as though for a "new" Navy nurse the chances are slim and none that she will be assigned to a ship within the first four years of duty. After they reach O-4 (which should take at least four years for a new BSN) their chances may be increased depending on whether "collateral duty" means volunteer duty.

Your biggest chance to get deployed on a ship in the Navy is probably on the Mercy or Comfort especially if you are on the East or West coasts. http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/usnscomfort/Pages/default.aspx

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Still had no desire for a year long cruise on a carrier - at ANY point in my career...just not my bag and not a risk I want to take (because I'd be that lone 02 on the Roosevelt...)

[aglages]

Your biggest chance to get deployed on a ship in the Navy is probably on the Mercy or Comfort especially if you are on the East or West coasts.

Thanks wtbcrna. I had heard there is a fairly extensive waiting list to get on one of these ships. What did you mean by the following: "If assigned to a hospital ship it is a "collateral duty""? What is "collateral duty"?

[aglages]

... (because I'd be that lone 02 on the Roosevelt...)

Exactly. I'm trying to determine the chances of a NROTC nurse ever serving on a ship during her first four years without volunteering for that duty. If you are going to be stationed in a hospital by the ocean (hopefully warm, but whatever) and the quality of life is the the same as the Air Force.....then why not go NROTC instead of AFROTC....if it comes to a choice between the two. Thanks for any further suggestions or insight.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Thanks wtbcrna. I had heard there is a fairly extensive waiting list to get on one of these ships. What did you mean by the following: "If assigned to a hospital ship it is a "collateral duty""? What is "collateral duty"?

Being assigned to a hospital ship as a collateral duty would be like being on a committee at the hospital. All military nurses tend to have several collateral duties ie crash cart monitor, conscious sedation monitor, joint commission committe etc.

I haven't heard that there was a long waiting list for the hospital ships. A lot of my co-workers were just picked based on their job skills to deploy on the comfort/mercy when it went out. It seems mostly like any other deployment except that it is inherently a humantarian mission and it is based on a hospital ship. By the way all services are now deploying on the Mercy and Comfort.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Exactly. I'm trying to determine the chances of a NROTC nurse ever serving on a ship during her first four years without volunteering for that duty. If you are going to be stationed in a hospital by the ocean (hopefully warm, but whatever) and the quality of life is the the same as the Air Force.....then why not go NROTC instead of AFROTC....if it comes to a choice between the two. Thanks for any further suggestions or insight.

For me, mainly because I grew up on Navy bases and know that they're not all they're cracked up to be. I don't need a beach; really, I'd rather be in Colorado Springs, Montana, or Alaska. (So why I picked Texas I'll never know. :) )

The thing is, there's always a chance. ALWAYS.

[aglages]

For me, mainly because I grew up on Navy bases and know that they're not all they're cracked up to be.

You raise a good question. Are the AF bases / quarters nicer (in your opinion) than the Navy's?

The thing is, there's always a chance. ALWAYS.

You're saying there may be a good reason why it's called the Navy?!