Military Wife in Need of Answers!

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Hi all, this is my very first post on this board :)

Anyways, here is my dilemma. I was just about done with all my prerequisites for a local accelerated BSN program here (was set to start in August) when BAM! we learned we are moving overseas. So now I'm wondering if pursuing the accelerated BSN was the smartest thing I could've done to begin with. My goal is to be an RN, not really interested in going on to teach or anything like that. Is there an advantage to having your BSN vs. ADN? Is it at all possible to get an ADN online? Would you recommend it? I'm a CNA now and I doubt I'm going to be able to get a job where we are going in that capacity, so I'm wondering if I can't complete something in the 3 years we'll be gone. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! (and if there is another forum I should be posting this to, please let me know!)

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

I think that for the time being your best bet would be to try and do an online program. Here is the link to Excelsior College. https://www.excelsior.edu/portal/page?_pageid=57,53179&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

There are many discussions on BSN vs. ADN programs. Try to look on the student nurses' forum for some good discussion threads.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Hi and welcome. I sooo know where you are coming from. My husband is retired Air Force and we were overseas for a 12 years (consecutively due to his career field) and I ended up re-doing everything when we came stateside. Anyway...I would pursue getting ALL your pre-reqs done while overseas. Depending on where you go and where you'll go when you return stateside, I wouldn't recommend Excelsior or any on-line entry level RN program. This is nothing against any specific program - just the idea that many states do not recognize Excelsior and it would be a shame to put much time and money if you have to then repeat things. When I was in Korea, I went ahead and start a bachelors program in psychology (only thing offered at that particular place) and then used those upper level credits for all of my electives in my BSN program. Another option, try to work as a medical transcriptionist in the military hospital. With spouse preference, some of these jobs do hire military spouses because they need native English speakers. Good luck - where are you going?

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Thanks for the info! We're heading to Japan, so it's going to be a little tough to get anything done. I never thought of the medical transcription route...thanks for the suggestion!

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Thanks for the info! We're heading to Japan, so it's going to be a little tough to get anything done. I never thought of the medical transcription route...thanks for the suggestion!

Thanks for being a strong military dependent & supporter of your husband's military career.

Good luck with your goal of becoming an RN!

:Santa3:

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This may seem like an out there idea BUTTTT, I am going to through it at ya anyways. Would you consider staying behind and finishing up and then going over there to meet him or stay back and do an LPN/LVN program. Even if you can't get employed b/c you're a new grad, you'd probably be able to keep an active liscense through volunteer work with the Red Cross. I mention this b/c I was a semester away from starting school when we got orders overseas. It was heartbreaking to put it on hold for 3 long years. It made me absolutely resent being overseas. And there was no way for me to finish school b/c there's no where to do clinicals. They didn't offer anything relating to science degrees and we were in Germany where it's supposed to be easiest to finish school.

Like I said-- I know it seems out there, but realistically, a years time for an LPN is nothing compared to the 3 years you'll have to wait and then 3+ more years to finish up when you get back. Just a suggestion...Enjoy Japan! I have heard only wonderful things about it!

Suzi

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

My first duty assignment was Yokota AB, Japan, I got married there and had our first son there too. We enjoyed the 3 1/2 years we spent there.

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Hi! I'm not sure if I can help you, i'm not exactly in the same situation as you. My fiance is in the army, currently @ Ft Richardson AK, and he deploys to Iraq for a year in February. I wasjust accepted into an accelerated BSN program that will run from May - August, and thats tough on me, because ill still have a few months to finish he gets back next February. I know I could be with him after that, but the program I got accepted into is in Maine, he'll be in Alaska, and if i go there, the BSN waiting list doesnt have me starting anything until Spring '08.

So i'm not in the same situation as you, but what we've been talking about doing, is me staying here, and after the 15 month program, joining him. (Though at least for 12 of those months, i woudlnt be able to be with him anyways) Do you already have a degree? I had a science degree, so i've met all my prereqs, and if thats the case, you can find some BSN programs that run as short as 12 months! (SUNY stony brook, which i applied to, runs july-june.) Hope that helps a little!

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Hello,

I'm in the Air Force myself and am getting married in 7 weeks (yay!). I am challenging the LVN soon, and yes, its not the same as classes, but I am in some community college classes to ensure I pass anyway just in case. If I were in your situtation, I wouldn't go. You will be putting your career on the backburner which you might regret it. You can always ask him to do recruiters assistance if he'd be willing to, so he gets a free trip home for a month.

I'm very career oriented, and so is he. We wouldn't want to hold eachother back because we know we have many years to come. We love the medical field and wouldn't be happy settling for less.

I hope I didn't offend you.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

My husband and I were both active duty (though in different branches) when we met, married and had our first son. My own take on the separation thing is that the military provides you with enough separations, why ask for more? In our case, we have been married almost 26 years now. We had a one year separation, we had three months separation and we have had numerous other month long separation. Each time, you have to reconnect and re-do your roles when you come back together. I am all for the career-minded, but your family is your support system. I became a nurse at 34 after we returned to the states and now at 47, I'm still going strong. Going back to school is now a natural evolution for most of us. We plan to work until we are into our 60's and perhaps even 70's. Good luck with your decision.

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My husband and I were both active duty (though in different branches) when we met, married and had our first son. My own take on the separation thing is that the military provides you with enough separations, why ask for more? In our case, we have been married almost 26 years now. We had a one year separation, we had three months separation and we have had numerous other month long separation. Each time, you have to reconnect and re-do your roles when you come back together. I am all for the career-minded, but your family is your support system. I became a nurse at 34 after we returned to the states and now at 47, I'm still going strong. Going back to school is now a natural evolution for most of us. We plan to work until we are into our 60's and perhaps even 70's. Good luck with your decision.

I think the major factor in why I would do a separation is that we do not have a family and we're both pretty young still (20's). :)

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