Reserve or Guard Nurse but NOT a nurse full-time

Specialties Government

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Ok, so graduation for bachelor's degree #2 is next week, and I really don't want to be a full-time nurse. Yep, I said it. I'd rather remain a cop, and I'm not ashamed of it. I'm happy in doing what I know how to do and doing it well. This fits me better.

That said, I've always had a military itch that I've never scratched. What are the odds of getting a nurse slot in some reserve or guard unit in my state when I'm not working as one full-time? I've been wondering about this for a while now, and I think the role of a part-time military officer / nurse would better suit me than punching a clock in a civilian hospital for a living. I also think it'd be interesting to do something completely separate than what I do now if I follow up on this pursuit and get into the reserve or guard as an officer, i.e. be a nurse and not something investigative, operational, or intel related.

I'd like to make some use of the nursing degree and license, be able to maintain it, and put it to work with the armed forces. I don't mind getting deployed, I don't mind the monthly drill, etc. That's not a big deal to me, and law enforcement is typically accustomed to officers doing that so being able to do it in my current job would be easy. At one time, I didn't want a commitment, which is why I never got into it all before, but I look back now and see that if I had gone to OCS or something when I first finished college that I'd be in a remarkable position now. I am a stellar police officer (and formerly a supervisor before going back to school), made good grades in the nursing program, got invited into Sigma Theta Tau, used to be a paramedic, etc. I'm also over 30 but very healthy.

What say you?

Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Talk to a recruiter. In the reserves the need for certain MOS's depends on the area of the country you live in. The need for nurses in Florida is different then the need in California. They should be able to give you an idea about your chances. You should also ask about where you will be drilling or you might end up having to drive 3 hours each way.

Hi ImThatGuy!

Congrats on completing your education. Military / Reserve Nursing sounds really interesting...Ive read on the armed forces website that since you have a bachelors degree you can enter the armed forces as an Officer (higher pay grade). However Im sure that if you obtain a part time gig as a nurse and gain some experience, I dont see why you wouldnt be able to do military nursing. Besides your experience as a paramedic and police officer is definitely beneficial. Wish you the best of luck , and Im sure if you're doing something you love, you will definitely be happy!

..and 1 question for you, how was it working full time as a Police Officer and going to Nursing school? Im a Police Communications Officer (dispatcher) and am attempting to get into nursing school- can you offer any advice?

Thanks

..and 1 question for you, how was it working full time as a Police Officer and going to Nursing school? Im a Police Communications Officer (dispatcher) and am attempting to get into nursing school- can you offer any advice?

Thanks

Thank you for the kind words and thank you for the job you do. I have worked dispatch hours (and more of them than I'd like to say I've worked lol) so I know the job isn't as easy or "simple" as a lot of officers make it out to be.

The basic method of success is endurance. I think my somewhat unique background (for a nursing student anyway) helped me be successful. I have a biology-oriented B.S. degree and taught school full-time for a couple of years before becoming a police officer. In doing that I also taught A&P which helped me learn that more than simply sitting through a class as a student would do. While working as a teacher I also worked part-time as a paramedic which I ended up giving up a few months after becoming an officer due to lack of time and feeling like I was on the streets enough as a cop so adding medic time in would've driven me bat **** crazy, lol.

I then worked as an officer long enough to be comfortable with it and the lifestyle so that trying to manage that, along with school, was not an issue. My body is also trained to fall asleep whenever I put it to bed and am tired too instead of having to cycle through day and night shifts. As a dispatcher, you might be used to this too.

The beauty of your job is that you're sitting at a computer. That is enormously helpful in getting school work done which I'm sure you're already aware of. As a dispatcher, you also know that most of the people on the earth are just plain nuts, and you know how the other half lives so when you're exposed to "diverse" people in nursing school as patients it'll all be old news to you.

My other advice to you is that nusing school isn't the nightmare it's made out to be. It's school, and it comes with assignments, busy work, and clinicals. Just do the assignments. Do the easy, quick stuff as soon as it's assigned and chip away at the complicated, long stuff as you get time to do it. That's how I work, and it does well for me. I am also not a study hog. I cannot (and won't) sit for hours on end reading, making notes, re-reading, looking at PowerPoints, etc. Listen in class. Actually listen. This has been the key to all of my education. I'm a trained listener and you probably are too. I can listen to someone and regurgitate most of it somewhere else later with a good deal of understanding. Read over or skim over the chapters when a test is on the horizon, and look at their PowerPoints when you can. You'll do fine. The kids in class that do nothing in life but study don't do all that much better than the ones that don't, and they are total basket cases. Also know how to handle your stress. Make sure you have enough time for just you or your family or whatever is important to you.

Having been in the Guard a number of years, the only thing I'd be concerned with your not actively working in the field is a lack of skills and forgotten knowledge.

If your unit deploys you (happens quite often, as I'm sure some of your other cop buddies who are in know), can you provide the care needed? Will you recall what you need to know? I can't speak for you, but were I in your shoes, I wouldn't trust myself to perform a demanding job that I don't actively do. Can you be selected for it? Sure, but still, the above would be my concern.

2 days a month is not adequate training, trust me in that, speaking from experience.

Just to add, and not that it matters much, I am starting a part-time masters program in August to become a psych NP - a nurse role I would like.

Specializes in ER, ICU.

You can work in the Guard as a part time nurse. The requirements for AF are 180 hours of nursing per year. This can include your deployed time, part time work, mission work ect. The problem is you will be competing against full time nurses with more experience. The Guard depends on your civilian work experience so they don't have to train you to do that. I think you'd be better off in security forces and utilize your experience there. The Guard is not a good place to get experience, but give back what you've learned. Good luck.

I was talking to a healthcare recruiter Tuesday with a reserve branch who stated that my position is kind of ideal. They'd waive the experience requirement in favor of having the psych NP coming to work for them and pay for it as well. The recruiter had to call some superiors to get some stuff approved, and I should be good to go if I want to pursue it. I'd readily take on the NP role, but I don't want to do what RN's do so much...as a career choice.

Problem solved!

I'd readily take on the NP role, but I don't want to do what RN's do so much...as a career choice.

Problem solved!

So what you're saying is -

You want to be a military nursing officer,

you don't want to be a nurse,

you want to stay a police officer,

you want the military to help foot the bill toward a psych NP (at least this is implied if not stated outright).

As a veteran, alot of this rubs me wrong.

So what you're saying is -

You want to be a military nursing officer,

you don't want to be a nurse,

you want to stay a police officer,

you want the military to help foot the bill toward a psych NP (at least this is implied if not stated outright).

As a veteran, alot of this rubs me wrong.

No, I couldn't care less if they pay for it or not.

I'd like to be reserve military and nursing is an opportunity to do it at my Age.

Yes, I'd leave full-time law enforcement to be a psych NP but not to be a basic RN. However, I'd remain a part-time or reserve (volunteer) police officer.

Go ahead and get rubbed though if you like.

Specializes in mental health, military nursing.

Really? That seems a little odd to me.For active duty, you can't even work as a psych RN without a few yearsof experience under your belt, and then you have to wait a year toapply (and another year before you can attend if accepted) for AFITfunding to go to Psych NP school - and that's highly competitive.And your circumstance doesn't sound that unique- there are tons ofnurses (with a lot of experience) who are desperate to join the AF(Reserves, ANG, and active duty) with a goal of becoming nursepractitioners. The thing with military nurses is that we're ALL highperformers with excellent grades and a lot to recommend us, so I'm notsure why they'd rewrite the book for you.Also, I would definitely recommend floor nursing for a few years in avariety of settings before moving on to your MSN or DNP - it'sinvaluable experience. Especially if you plan to treat militarymembers, where a prompt, accurate intervention can be crucial tonational and international security, you'll need crackerjack clinicalskills, and nursing school just doesn't prepare you for real psych.The AF doesn't give you that clinical experience either, especially ifyou're Guard or Reserves - you need to build that experienceelsewhere, because you'll be sitting in a clinic, seeing patients onceor twice a month, not working with thousands of patients a year, likein an inpatient setting.This is coming from an active duty AF psych nurse with five years ofdiverse MH experience.Whatever happens, best of luck, but I'd take what your recruiter sayswith a grain (or teaspoon) of salt.

Whatever happens, best of luck, but I'd take what your recruiter sayswith a grain (or teaspoon) of salt.

Yeah, I don't trust anyone in life. As an aside, it wasn't air force. And I'm just not willing to work solely as a RN. It's just not in me to be happy in that capacity, and I'd give all of this up if it were contingent on that. I'm happy with what I've already got. :)

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