FY2018 Army Nurse Corps Direct Commission Active Duty

[TraumaNurse88]

Hi all,

I'm really interested in joining the army as an officer/nurse. I an ER RN at a level 1 trauma center. I haven't started a packet or anything yet, but I'm planning to talk to a recruiter and get started soon.

I've read a ton online about the process and direct commission. I understand that it is very competitive and has been very few spots the last few years. Does anyone know what the mission is for FY2018 for nurses and if there are more spots this year compared to the last? I was thinking there might be due to the Trump administration wanting to increase military numbers. I haven't spoken to a recruiter yet and was just curious if anyone has heard anything?

Can anyone previously/currently accepted active duty direct commission share there stats/experience etc.

Thanks!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I don't believe 66T nurses (ER/Trauma) are in high demand at this time; many nurses were involuntarily separated this past year, including 66Ts. Make sure you have your CEN, that is still the gold standard. How many years of experience do you have? Did you have a high GPA for your BSN?

The Trump increase is a little misleading; any increase would be felt in line units first (where the doorkickers/infantry work). It may eventually trickle down to healthcare occupations, but not for a while.

I direct commissioned as ER/trauma when there were 400 applicants and about 50 nurses selected. I think there were 2 other ER/trauma nurses in my officer basic course back in 2011. That was the first year they decreased selection boards to once a year and they really started to reel things back.

Just be aware that if you commission as an ER/trauma nurse, you're probably more likely to be sent to a smaller community hospital ER where you will be expected to be a strong asset. Many of us found that we needed to moonlight at trauma centers to maintain skills with high acuity patients. Deployments are few and far between, but not impossible after a few years in.

[TraumaNurse88]

Thanks for your input! What you are saying makes a lot of sense - and that is kind of what I was reading online about enlistments being increased but nothing about officers/medical. Wow, that is some crazy competition.

I have 5.5 years total RN experience, with 3 years at the level 1 trauma center ER. I do have my CEN and my GPA is 3.3 for my ADN and 3.7 for my BSN. I think I have solid experience but I don't know if there is anything that makes me really stand out. Anything you think I could/should do to increase my chances for selection?

I do realize that there is high likelihood of being placed in middle of nowhere in a small hospital. I'm ok with that but I really would like to get the deployment experience. I read your article about Forward Surgical and that sounds like a really challenging and unique opportunity. Civil affairs also really interests me but I don't know how likely a transfer from nursing would be after a few years in.

Thanks again!

[TraumaNurse88]

Would taking CCRN improve my application without actual ICU experience? My level 1 is a high volume and high acuity county hospital - I take care of a lot of ICU patients and train new staff in trauma/critical care.

I have the study material because I was thinking about getting some ICU experience awhile back.

Also, would changing specialty to ICU or OR help my application?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

OR nurses are always in demand. ICU and ER, not as much right now. Having the CCRN won't really help unless you have ICU experience to back it up. But in general, to commission as a specialty nurse you do need a minimum amount of time in that specialty in the last couple of years. I am not sure what the threshold is now, but I think when I commissioned it was something like 1750 hours in the last two years to be granted the specialty identifier; otherwise you would commission as a 66H, Med/Surg nurse, and likely end up in med/surg, a clinic, or basically anywhere they want you. (They can put you wherever they need you anyway, but they are more inclined to place their specialty nurses in their actual specialty area.)

Your experience and GPA looks solid. They will probably only really look at your BSN GPA, I think that's what they did for mine. They like to see at least a 3.5 for the GPA. Other standout items might be volunteering or leadership positions/opportunities within your organization, like if you participated in a unit practice council or took an active role as a department leader among your peers.

I think it also helps if you want to serve because you want to serve! I have met a lot of nurses who came in for loan repayment or bonuses, and they weren't really happy because they just wanted the money, not so much the service portion. You really do give up a lot in terms of control over your life and personal freedom, and that can be a big adjustment — especially when you're a little older than your average 2LT.

My deployment was awesome, and I am not sure how I scored such an assignment as a 1LT. I had people telling me "Oh, you'll never deploy, forget it, blah blah blah." But then I did, so never say never — someone's gotta go, right?

[TraumaNurse88]

Great advice. Thank you again!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Great advice. Thank you again!

You're welcome. Please keep me posted! It's a looooooong process, known in the military as "hurry up and wait" — your recruiter will need something from you NOW NOW NOW, and then it's like everything goes into a black hole for 6 weeks. Selection boards are usually in November at the beginning of the government fiscal year, so this is a great time to get things started.

[TraumaNurse88]

I definitely will! Haha the black hole.. ahhhh. It already feels that way just trying to get a hold of a recruiter. My patience will be tested I'm sure, but I've been wanting to do this forever. I finally feel like I have the experience and knowledge to back it up . Hopefully it works out. I talked to my boss about it today and he is excited (maybe more than me haha) and wants to write me a recommendation letter.