How to make your packet Competitive for Board Selection

[IowaRNBSN]

Spoke with my Air Force Recruiter today. It sounds like a lot of the people at the November Board are being accepted as alternates, so is likely that the next fully-qualified board in February looks like it will be pushed back to a later date. This would mean that nurses next year will have to have a minimum of one year of nursing experience to be accepted as Fully-Qualified. I would like to know what you all did to your Packet for Board selections so mine can be competitive as possible when I finally have the chance to submit it to the Board Selection Committee. Any Standout Certs, volunteering, ect?

[w2cross2blue]

IowaRNBSN, my recruiter seemed to like varied specialized work experience like ICU, ER, any teaching or supervising experience, or preceptoring experience. He also encouraged volunteer and community activities. I would also encourage a certification like RN-C, CEN, CCRN, etc. However, take all this with a grain of salt as I am still waiting to hear the board results!

[tawrn2002]

atleast you are getting help from your recruiter. my recruiter just said it is very competetive now because of the economy and i was told for the first time ever the board is only meeting once a year now which the board is meeting right now from nov 16-19 in kentucky. I am prior enlisted with 6 yrs active duty. I am operating room nurse with 8 yrs experience and I am a charge nurse. with all my qualifications i am still very unsure if i will get commissioned. i always wanted to go back in the miliatary as an officer and retire. I never thought it would be this hard because of how easy it was back in the 90's. life and the economy make this hard, i would think it would there till would be few nurses who are willing to get deployed and leave their families during this wartime. the anticipation is killing me. my recruiter said they will post results either next week or right after Thanksgiving.

[tawrn2002]

I just wanted to congratulate anyone who has received word from the board and is being commissioned. I talked to my Recruiter who called me from leave and said that the nursing board was so swamped they could only get through the ER and ICU specialties. I am an operating room nurse so he said they are pushing these specialties back a month. to sometime in Nov. what was positive he said was that I have a competitive packet and he will be getting be in! so i was wondering if anyone else has heard similar news?

Teresa:yeah:

[fitRNpic]

There is another thread on here near the top called "Air Force October 2010", you will find selects and non-selects posting here. So far, not looking very good!

[aura_of_laura]

Specializing was my golden ticket. At the last minute (while my packet was being reviewed), it was *suggested* that I apply as a Mental Health Nurse, which is where most of my experience is. While I strongly believe my packet was fabulous, I know that my specialty boosted me through. Just waiting on my COT date!