General questions about being an Army nurse.....

[bluemorningglory]

1) When you first commission, what is it like? Mostly med surg and night shift? What do you do? Do you have any say in it?

2) Do you get much choice as to where you are stationed?

3) What happens if you make an error?

4) What are the politics like?

[athena55, BSN, RN]

1) when you first commission, what is it like? mostly med surg and night shift? what do you do? do you have any say in it?

hello bluemorningglory and welcome to an! i first commissioned as a 1lt in the army nurse corps, reserves. i had to travel by bus (to get to where i would raise my right hand and take the oath) over 6 hours. it was me and my health care recruiter. no pictures, no family. of course, many other people have a grand time with family members bearing witness, pictures taken.....

are you asking questions based on active duty? are you asking as a brand new graduate nurse?

2) do you get much choice as to where you are stationed?

if you are seeking ad status, then you will be given the opportunity to put forth a "wish list" or a "dream list" of 3 posts that you would like to be assigned to. everything is according to the needs of the army.

3) what happens if you make an error?

what kind of an error?

4) what are the politics like?

once you raise your right hand and take the oath, certain "rights" or "freedoms" are no longer on the table> example: no such thing as "freedom of speech" within the armed forces. you are to be considered "apolitical". you have taken an oath to protect the constitution of the united states from all enemies foreign and domestic and you have taken an oath to follow your commander-in-chief, the president.

if you are referring to the "drama" of the nursing administration, being in the anc is so different from being a civilian nurse. night and day. {you will be working with civilian nurses, some who have prior service themselves.}

just came back from ftx (field training exercise). i am tired, hungry, sore (and this is one day post ftx, ha ha ha) so if my answers appear "short" i apologize.

athena