Navy Nursing

[warmrain]

hi everyone,

i am a current nursing student who will be graduating in december with my bsn. i am interested in navy nursing but have a few questions about continuing education. i would like to get a double msn in public health/epidemiology nursing from emory in atlanta and also become a sane (sexual assault nurse examiner). i was wondering how likely it is that i would be able to get this type education and be able to use it in the navy as a rn?! i have only talked to a recruiter once and have been doing research on the navy nurse corp since then. i know there are navy epidemiologists but on the web site for the epidemiology department of the navy environmental and preventive medicine, i could not tell if any were rns. any replies would be highly appreciated! thanks!

marcie

p.s. any advice or experiences about navy nursing in general would also be great. i have looked at other forums that have a lot of negative stuff and would like to know about any positive and/or real experiences. thanks again!

[navynurse06]

hello, i'm also an ens in the nurse corps, and would be glad to answers any questions about navy nursing. the navy offers many great experiences in the area of nursing. the educational opportunities are awesome, especially the duins program. i know that someone asked about could you apply for duins the next year if not accepted at 1st. you can apply again, but you have to complete the length of your current orders. example: you apply for duins after you 1st tour is up (3 yrs), but you don't get pick up. you can apply again the next yr, but if you have accepted orders to another duty station you must complete out those orders before going to school. therefore, you would have to wait to go to school after your 2nd tour is up. so it would be wise to wait and apply for duins close to the end of your 2nd tour if you aren't accepted at the end of the 1st tour.

feel free to contact be back with further questions.

ens pm

[borntoflyc]

I am in the process of filling out the application for the NCP and my boyfriend is just now saying how he doesn't want me to join the Navy. We come from two completely different backgrounds, all his friends in the Navy hated it, all mine loved it. And I grew up near the Naval Academy so it's something I've wanted since I was a little kid. I guess I'm just looking for advice to help persuade him. His biggest fear is me getting deployed for 6months and having to work on a ship. Recently he has been coming back with all these negative things his friends tell him about the Navy (ie there are very few women in the Navy, I'll be treating STDs if I'm on a ship, etc...) Anyone who did the NCP program or just commissioned can you give me a general timeline of your first tour? I just want to show him its a postive experience, not negative.

Also he's worried about him not being able to get a job. We're planning on being married by the time I would go to OIS and so I've told him the Navy will help him find a job where I'm stationed, but he's not so sure.

Thanks!

[navynurse06]

I did the NCP program. Everyone's experiences in the Navy differ. So it something you have to experience yourself, and make up your own mind about. There are PLENTY of females in the navy, both Officers and enlisted. About the going on ship thing. Just b/c you are a navy nurse doesn't mean you will go on ship. There are plenty of nurses in the navy that have never set foot on a ship. Who cares if you treat STDs or not, who can do that anywhere you work! As far as the time line of goes: I was commissioned in Feb, went to OIS in march graduated in April and was at my 1st command in mid April. I'm PCS at Naval Medical Center San Diego. My orders are to be here for 3 yrs. I plan on volunteering for deployment in the spring.

I also got married before I went to OIS, but my husband has a profession that is easy to find job any where in. He's an auto tech. So he researched Honda Dealerships before we moved to SD so he would know where to look for a job at. Fleet and Family services has services for spouses to help them find employment. However, it depends on what your bf's profession is too as to how hard it will be for him to find a job.

But I must tell you. Joining the Navy should be a decision that you make for yourself. You can't let others influence you. And once again its not for everyone. He's not your husband yet so.... When I meet my husband He knew at the time that my intentions where to join the Navy no matter what. And he respected my stand on that.

[NAVY RN]

I am in the process of filling out the application for the NCP and my boyfriend is just now saying how he doesn't want me to join the Navy. We come from two completely different backgrounds, all his friends in the Navy hated it, all mine loved it. And I grew up near the Naval Academy so it's something I've wanted since I was a little kid. I guess I'm just looking for advice to help persuade him. His biggest fear is me getting deployed for 6months and having to work on a ship. Recently he has been coming back with all these negative things his friends tell him about the Navy (ie there are very few women in the Navy, I'll be treating STDs if I'm on a ship, etc...) Anyone who did the NCP program or just commissioned can you give me a general timeline of your first tour? I just want to show him its a postive experience, not negative.

Also he's worried about him not being able to get a job. We're planning on being married by the time I would go to OIS and so I've told him the Navy will help him find a job where I'm stationed, but he's not so sure.

Thanks!

Of course when you think of the Navy you think of ships, but in all actuality Nurses do not belong on ships. Most ships need only a medical officer and a few corpsmen. The bigger ships, i.e. Air craft carriers only have 1 nurse (not including any OR RN's that may be there) for the nearly 5000 sailors there. That nurse is there mainly for training, quality assurance and emergencies. You have to have either ER or ICU experience to be a nurse on a ship. As far as treating STD's on a ship...the corpsmen have that covered. You will see that when you join the Navy, the corpsmen do more than you would ever expect. Being a former corpsman on a ship. I don't remember ever seeing a nurse deal with an STD. It was always the corpsman and IDC (Indepent Duty Corpsman aka Super Corpsman).

However, there are ships in the Navy (two to be exact) that are specifically made for Nurses, Doctors and Corpsmen. These are the hospital ships. If you ever have a chance to be assigned to one of these ships, you should jump on that opportunity. These ships only deploy for a few months out of the year. But these hospital ships have more capabilities than many hospitals.

Your boyfriend obviously has a very negative attitude about the Navy. And I cannot argue the fact that there are some jobs in the Navy that suck ass. But being a Nurse Corp Officer is not one of them.

[borntoflyc]

Thanks so much for your replies. Unfortunatly my boyfriend does have a negative view of the Navy but I'm hoping to change that. I turn my application for the NCP into my recruiter today.

[Gennaver, MSN]

Thanks so much for your replies. Unfortunatly my boyfriend does have a negative view of the Navy but I'm hoping to change that. I turn my application for the NCP into my recruiter today.

Hello Borntoflyc,

Just a reminder that if you live your under the control of what other people "think" then you may live with much regrets. I think that sometimes people may reflexively tell us NOT to do something because it is something that does not appeal to them or they are afraid for you.

Yet, if you pursue your own interests, rather than waste your time trying to get others to agree to your interests, then they may at least respect your choice.

I would not personally waste time trying to convince a boyfriend to "agree" that youe joining the service was a good idea yet, I would definately advise that he respect you and your choice and if he cannot do that, then he never was a good boyfriend to start with.

Good luck,

Gen

[navynurse06]

Gen,

You hit the nail on the head with that one! All I can say to that is Amen!!!!

ens pm