I will truly appreciate the advice being offered. I am pre nursing student in my 20's who is currently attending a Community College to fulfill my pre-reqs before entering the clinicals. The Community College offers ASN with dual transfer to 4 year university/college.
I am caught in a jam with my priorities in my goals.
My main goal is to become an RN in the Air Force.
I am currently going to school through the Pell Grant maximum amount and I am conflicted cause I want to avoid being dependent on student loans. There are so many good nursing schools where I live but I want do avoid taking out loans cause Nursing schools are expensive where I live.
I was looking into enlisting in the Air Force pass basic training then sign up for scholarship so I can get my BSN.
My main question should I continue becoming an RN through civilian school before enlisting or should I get my pre-reqs out the way, enlist and have the Air Force put me through school on scholarship getting my BSN in Nursing.
So thr RN to BSN is not as difficult as an non RN pursing a BSN.
aww
For myself it was. My classmates I the RN to BSN said it was the same for them. One reason is that you do not have clinical since you already have your RN licence.
Since you are leaning towards enlisting, be sure you understand your commitment. I was a "3 by 4" as a Navy nurse, meaning I had 3 years active duty with 4 years obligation either inactive or reserves after the 3 years. During the 4 years, they could re-call me. This inactive/reserve time is often not clear when talking to the recruiter. Be sure you understand how many years TOTAL you will be obligated to serve. For example, it might be 5 or 6 years active duty with 4 years inactive/reserves for a total of 9 or 10 years.
All initial enlistment or commissions have a 8 year duty obligation which can be served on active duty or reserves or a combination of both.
The 0 to ASN/ADN, which allows you to take the NCLEX RN and start working as a nurse, route at a community college followed by the RN to BSN (typically online) is often much cheaper as well. I think time-wise the two routes (the other being zero to BSN at a 4-year school) are about a wash overall. In addition, many civilian hospitals will pay for at least part of the bill for the RN to BSN program.
The 0 to ASN/ADN, which allows you to take the NCLEX RN and start working as a nurse, route at a community college followed by the RN to BSN (typically online) is often much cheaper as well. I think time-wise the two routes (the other being zero to BSN at a 4-year school) are about a wash overall. In addition, many civilian hospitals will pay for at least part of the bill for the RN to BSN program.
Yeah, I have looked at both options, I appreciate you bringing to civilian option to the table.
I am at a community college right now taking the pre-requsistes, I have a year to decide on if I should enlist or continue and get the ASN.
However if enlisted the Air Force will not recognize the ASN but I will still have a job and serve my country.
It simply comes down to what is your ultimate purpose. With the choice of enlisting there is little need to get the ASN, heck you might as well as finish your current school term and go. If you want a job to make money now while serving the country (at the same time putting in your years towards the GI Bill), enlisting is a good option. However if you are 100% dead set on the honour of becoming a nursing officer in as short of a time as possible, then you got to pay out of pocket till you make it, and put in all your effort to be spectacular while getting that degree.
Thank you so much, I think the pre-requistes is most important cause I need to meet the requirements for any type of scholarship/tuition assistance they offer. I want to get them out of way so I won't have to take them at a college/university.
If I get an ASN and then enlist, I won't become nurse, I might have a medical technician job.
We're saying get the ASN (2.5 years) and start working as an RN in the civilian world while working on your BSN online (takes about a year). By the time you have the BSN, you'll have a year of nursing experience too. You'll be in a much stronger position to apply for a commission at that time.
We're saying get the ASN (2.5 years) and start working as an RN in the civilian world while working on your BSN online (takes about a year). By the time you have the BSN, you'll have a year of nursing experience too. You'll be in a much stronger position to apply for a commission at that time.
Thank you so much, I am considering going that route, talking more in depth about it. Getting my license is the most important thing right now. I want to start working before I get my BSN to help pay for my college.
I enlisted in the AF at 18....spent 5 years in then got out and went to nursing school using my GI Bill. I got my ADN, started working, then went back and got my BSN. While enlisting is never a bad idea, it gets you further (time wise) away from your goal of being an RN. On active duty, unless it's changed, you have to finish all of your upgrade training before you can take college classes...think at least a year... If you are thinking of getting a scholarship, please understand they are highly competitive...if you are set on enlisting, my advice would be to look at the Guard or Reserve...there are financial resources available and you can go to school more quickly...
A little birdie told me about the Navy and Nurse Candidate Program. They pay for your schooling while you are a civilian and in exchange they expect to serve for amount of years as a Nurse. It sounds like a great idea and you do all of this while you are a civilian. In the Air Force they want you to already by enlisted and work close to a year to even be covered for your schooling as a Nurse. Their other option is ROTC.
I am going to take a look at the Navy and even the Army. To see what they offer, though their standard of living is different what is most important is making sure that I can get covered for my schooling.
jeckrn, BSN, RN
1,868 Posts
For myself it was. My classmates I the RN to BSN said it was the same for them. One reason is that you do not have clinical since you already have your RN licence.