Army Nursing???

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I would love to hear feed back from US Army Nurses. What's it really like? Any advice, suggestions, input ? What should I expect?

The first part of this year I went to the Air Forces Nursing Service Management Course at Sheppard AFB. My instructor, a Major-LtCol selectee, was well into her 50s. My point is, the Air Force took her in at an advanced age, she had her PhD paid for and she will retire as a LtCol. Not bad.

Follow the advice to look at all the services. I personally would have liked the Navy, but they wouldn't pay for my BSN so screw um. :D

Semper Fi

Hi Flowerchild,

I read your post and I'm sort of in the same boat as you; the only difference is that I'm not an RN yet; I hope to start in May with Deaconess, but I'll be 35 when I graduate. My husband is an officer in the US Army and we are currently on our way to Germany. I also plan on joining the reserves for a couple of years after I finish my ADN and then I'll be working on my BSN then go on active duty since you can't go active with only an ADN just reserves. I have alot of riends that are Nurses in the Army and it seems to me that how bad it is depends where you'll be stationed at and also it seems to get better as you go up in rank. Right now it takes 2 years to go from 1LT to CPT but it keeps changing, a couple of months ago it was taking a year and a half but it went up again; odds are that it'll go down again; then up again; then down and so forth because that has been the pattern for the last 8 years that my husband has been in the Army.

My friends that have worked on the outside and in the Army says that they love the autonomy they have in the Army hospitals.

Anyways you have to let me know how the MEPS is like because that is my fear as well. Good luck making your decision. Oh, by the way the age for direct commissioning as a Nurse in the Army is 21 to 46.

Hello CPT_Jana,

I am an enlisted member that was commissioned on April 4th. I have my ADN, but will graduate with my BSN in August of this year.

I would like to know, if you are willing, to share with me your experience of OBC. I know that I will have an advantage over my classmates since I was enlisted. I am scheduled to go to OBC hopefully in February of 2005.

I appreciate any advice that you can give.

Thanks,

Military Girl, BSN class of 2004(yeah baby!!!)

I hope other Army nurses add thrie experiences to this forum. For weeks I have searched for any information out of the mouths of the soldiers who actually have this occupation. Hope to hear from someone soon!

I'm not an Army nurse. Heck, I'm not even a nurse (yet), but I was an Army medic for three years. I've got one year before graduating as a BSN. I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and worked closely with nurses and PA's in troop medical clinics, the base hospital and in the field. They seemed pretty content, for the most part.

My brother used to be in the Air Force, got out and got a BSN, was in the Army, got RIF'ed, and got called up. He hates the Army, hates his colleagues, but loves his job. He's at Ft. Bliss now, filling in for all the active duty nurses that are in Iraq and Afghanistan. He's working four twelve hour shifts; when I asked about compensatory time, he laughed maniacally. All he wants to do is put in two more years and he can start drawing retirement pay. I guess you could say he has "issues" with the Army. We had some long talks about the pros and cons of me going back in after I receive a BSN.

Me, I liked the Army. After I was retired for physical disability, they put me through school for my BS in chemistry, and when I go back in as a commissioned officer, they'll repay all of the money I had to borrow to go to nursing school. The Army is so desperate for nurses now, that they will take me at the age of 46, as long as I can make the weight or tape before commissioning, and pass a cardiac stress test, even with a 40% disability rating. I might even ask if I can go back on jump status so I can jump out of airplanes again. There is one thing I learned as a young Airborne Medical Specialist that is still applicable today: The mission comes first. The Army will use you in any way that they see fit to ensure the success of the mission.

I hope other Army nurses add thrie experiences to this forum. For weeks I have searched for any information out of the mouths of the soldiers who actually have this occupation. Hope to hear from someone soon!

I'm not an Army nurse. Heck, I'm not even a nurse (yet), but I was an Army medic for three years. I've got one year before graduating as a BSN. I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and worked closely with nurses and PA's in troop medical clinics, the base hospital and in the field. They seemed pretty content, for the most part.

My brother used to be in the Air Force, got out and got a BSN, was in the Army, got RIF'ed, and got called up. He hates the Army, hates his colleagues, but loves his job. He's at Ft. Bliss now, filling in for all the active duty nurses that are in Iraq and Afghanistan. He's working four twelve hour shifts; when I asked about compensatory time, he laughed maniacally. All he wants to do is put in two more years and he can start drawing retirement pay. I guess you could say he has "issues" with the Army. We had some long talks about the pros and cons of me going back in after I receive a BSN.

Me, I liked the Army. After I was retired for physical disability, they put me through school for my BS in chemistry, and when I go back in as a commissioned officer, they'll repay all of the money I had to borrow to go to nursing school. The Army is so desperate for nurses now, that they will take me at the age of 46, as long as I can make the weight or tape before commissioning, and pass a cardiac stress test, even with a 40% disability rating. I might even ask if I can go back on jump status so I can jump out of airplanes again. There is one thing I learned as a young Airborne Medical Specialist that is still applicable today: The mission comes first. The Army will use you in any way that they see fit to ensure the success of the mission.

Prior to wanting to nurse in the US, I enquired about nursing in the armed forces in the UK. The upper age limit is about 38 tops with some areas wanting under 28! I am too old for both unfortunately. Pershaps it wasn't meant to be!:)

Prior to wanting to nurse in the US, I enquired about nursing in the armed forces in the UK. The upper age limit is about 38 tops with some areas wanting under 28! I am too old for both unfortunately. Pershaps it wasn't meant to be!:)

I had a question for anybody on this board concerning taking that initial first step into looking into getting a nursing commission for the Army, or for that matter, any of the services. I am currently 34, and just finished my RN associates here in Dallas. I am not dead set on it being the army, but I did my enlisted active duty in the army, and although I am currently in the AF reserve, my heart seems to be with the army. Currently, I want to get experience on the job, and start working on completing a BN. Where do I go to get info on doing this commission with the army?. Is there a comprehensive website, or do I have to seek out a recruiter and roll the dice that way. If there are links on this board, I apologize; maybe somebody can point me in the right direction. I just joined and will find time to explore later. A year or two when I get dead serious about this, I want to make sure I have all my requirements satisfied.

One other question, males in the nursing profession going through school and at work seem to be pretty well accepted these days, ( well, maybe not all places, those small towns can be slow to accept!), but how is it in the army? I realize it is a female dominated field, but are there any men doing it in the army?

Thanks for any info,

Bill

expect for your life not to be your own, to be on call 24/7.Make no plans for the future,they will change.If you like to work short staffed,low budgeted welcome aboard.
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