I posted in the sticky section, but thought it'd be easier to start a new thread :)
Hello all,
I'm planning on joining Army nursing after I'm done with my RN-BSN program this month. I've already done tons of research, talked with many people, have gotten sort of a fly-on-the-wall perspective with the happenings of military routines for life in general --But, I really haven't gotten an idea of the actual day-to-day workings as a military nurse
I'm really, really wanting to know what kind of minute-to-minute, day-to-day, week-to-week function I'll actually have in the military as a nurse, such as...
What are the average number of hours I'll be working every day & every week?
What am I doing when I wake up and before I go to sleep?
What are the average shift hours?
How often do I have time for relatives/friends in my life?
Is there time as a military nurse to keep updating my clinical skills and knowledge? Instead of just being stuck with adminstrative duties, which I hear is common?
Will it be difficult to make sure my little dog is taken care of while I'm working long hours (I'm single, with no one to help me)?
Will I have any hours in the week/month for any small hobbies or small travel-trips/breaks in the extremely busy life of the military?
Will I have any time to sit in silence in life for personal introspection and spiritual renewal when we're working so much? I've just gotten the impression that I'll be working all hours of the week from what some have eluded to, & I need help understanding how life is in this profession.
I plan on joining the Reserves for at least 6 months, as I have been advised to do this, & then I plan on going into Active Duty after that. What will be some of the drastic life differences with these?
I would really appreciate any help in understanding these areas of military life. It's a big commitment, & I haven't gotten too much insight into the actual life process in these things besides everything else. Thank you so much! I love this forum & have gotten so much help from it.
it has a summary of some of the courses at mamc, it does give a course along with some general descriptions, a quick cut out is shown below:
it sounds like if you are already a 8a then you would already have the skill set this course provides; as the end state of the course is to turn an rn into an entry level critical care nurse.
but if you have a smooth talking schools nco and unit funding - then perhaps anything is possible
critical care nursing course
: prepares army nurse (an) officers and department of the army civilian (dac) registered nurses to function as entry level critical care staff nurses.
emergency nursing course
: prepares an officers and dac registered nurses to function as entry level emergency nurses.
psychiatric/mental health nursing course
: prepares an officers and dac registered nurses with the knowledge base and clinical skills to deliver entry level nursing care and treatment to psychiatric patients within the toe and tda settings.
perioperative nursing course
: prepares an officers and dac registered nurses to function as entry level staff nurses in the operating room.
obstetrical and gynecological nursing course
: prepares an officers and dac registered nurses to function effectively as entry level staff nurses in obstetrical, neonatal, and gynecological clients in the inpatient, outpatient and deployment settings.
I was stationed at FT Lewis - where MAMC is located...beautiful area. I live a few minutes away... It would be a great location to be stationed if you went active duty reserves or active duty or even as a civilian... The local areas are great for family life and as close to the 'portland-esque' mindset and landscape as any other military base that I can think of~ I'm planning on applying to the accel BSN program at OHSU - and hoping to get a slot so I can then join the army as a nurse.
The northwest has some great areas, we love living here.
I truely hope for your successful admission to OSHU--I believe it is a great school and hospital. (I work for the "competitor"). If OSHU doesn't work for you, there are other great schools in the area too.....
Are you going to apply for the MECP or STRAP? The reserve component here is pretty nice---at "historic" Vancouver Barricks---beautiful 1800's buildings.
well i want to work where they get that 1.5 hr lunch!!! i work 12 hr shifts at a army community hospital (meaning its small and i get 30 min if im lucky). i work 80 hrs in a 2 week period but can go over when on call and actually get called in for that or they just need someone. we switch about every 3 months and work a month of nights. do pt on your own unless you fail or dont make weight then you go to scheduled pt. my floor schedules you in for army training, meaning if i have a range, it gets counted as time worked but i know not all the floors do that and consider it a day off if your not working on the floor. to tell you the truth since i was active duty enlisted prior to getting my degree and coming on active duty as an officer, i dont really feel like im in the army, i just feel like a nurse. i put my uniform on to drive to work and then change into scrubs, work, then put my uniform on to drive home.
i do have to say that i think the army has some great training for nursing and they encourage you to go to all the training you can. I do not think that active duty feels any more prepared than reserve though. we feel just the same as you do when it comes to a lot of situations like deployment. i have to deploy soon and have had no guidance. you basically feel like you are thrown into the deep end of the pool and just hope you can tread water while your learning and not hurt someone in the process.
at our hospital they will put you in the er with very little training, like right out of obc if they need someone in the er otherwise work the med/surg floor for awhile and you can switch, no speciality course needed. as a 66h you can work anywhere.
i agree with how the floor works together. i love my unit, they work with me and my schedule (and yes if a civilian calls in, we get called to cover). but the med/surg floor at our hospital does things totally different. it has a lot to do with the head nurse. i feel guilty because our floor gets along so well and some of the other floors hate to go to work and have nothing but problems.
so basically to answer your question, there is no answer. you could go somewhere and be worked like a dog, or go somewhere else and get a lot of time off. with this new program where they send everyone to a medcenter first, your first year of experience could be very similar to everyone elses.
and a short note on the reserve to active duty switch, all i can say is at obc on a daily basis they would ask if any reserve or guard would like to switch over, so i would take a guess that at least at the time it was not a hard thing to do.
Thank you for your great response. I think it is so beneficial to hear that army nursing like civillian nursing has the common thread of "variability"--even within the same facility!!
It is kinda of like the story of the "five blindfolded-people describing the elephant"--depends on your point of reference...
" civilians usually want to work 8 hours (at least in my AMC) Unless something comes up last minute when your shift is over, it is over....having said that: If the unit is going crazy it is expected that Military will stay and work however long you are needed. Civilians don't have to stay (and they usually don't....)"
Not where I have worked. In 4 hospitals--we always work 12s,..... no choice. And we stay until our relief comes. Although not required, usually at least one or two people in the unit will work extra, if there is a no-show or we are short staffed. The units that are cohesive, feel a sense of "loyalty" to the unit and staff---and cover shifts....
Of course, now in transport--- we are expected to stay late and often, are many hours into the next shift.
Just some extra thoughts on the civilian world......
BTW, what does CCNC stand for?
cindy
I will tread into this one, foolishly, and hopefully NOT put my foot in my mouth. I believe that Athena was stating that the civilian nurses (read GS) from her Army hospital like the 8hr shifts (and perhaps have access to them?!). Of course, I could be way wrong on this, but I have no less than a dozen GS family members (not heath related), and all of them love to be home early., and frequently are. By the way, I don't mean to disparage anyone. I strive to be one, myself!!
Specializes in Med/Surg;Hm Health;House Super; ER.
Just,
I agree. I have to take the 66B course as I do not have enough public health experience, even though I work in community health and my PhD is in public health. For me the course was listed on my RFO and it was a part of the "deal" that I took when I signed my packet. My advice would be to let her career manager know that this is where she sees herself and that way she can attend the course.
Care, Having lost 50 pounds I can give you the following advice:
In addition to increasing cardio and weight training, limit your intake of soda, make sure you eat three balanced meals, and no late night eating. However, I did read that those of us that study get more fluctuations of glucose and cause the hunger pangs to get activated, so perhaps the threads are good for us to learn new things..but bad on our figures
So true, considering I work night shifts & our hospital provides us w/ free soda fountains & coffee/tea....the sodas have been killin' us. Late night eating is even harder during the night! I need to lose about 25 & need an accountability partner to work out w/.
Wow, I'm really surprised you were shown to not have enough public health after everything you were equipped with.
Specializes in Med/Surg;Hm Health;House Super; ER.
Care, great questions - ! I have seen the base goarmy website showing that you need 1 year exp or have completed the ER course in order to be a 66MH5 aka ER nurse. The website shows that you go to the generic course after aprox 1 year time on station. I would make the guess that if the course is available you could talk your future chain of command into sending you early since you have a foothold on the med/surg realm.
I would say that ultimately - as with everything - the job that is available will be needs of the army at that particular time.
So really, no matter what your experience, if it's less than a year, you'll be defaulted to the area you have the most experience in instead? Unless you're just thrown into any area they'll need you most at, that's at least at the same competency level as your most experienced area? Yeah, that's a sentence you have to read very slowly & carefully :).
Specializes in Med/Surg;Hm Health;House Super; ER.
Oh yes, I keep forgetting to ask....Once we join & are given our first assignment, how long do us nurses usually get kept there? One year? Two? Three? Months? I was just wondering how long the average assignment was, as I hear some people stay at places for months & others stay at the same ones for years & years in their position. Any input? Thanks. Holly
That is a great question as I have not really had any input from my recruiter.
As far as second assignments are concerned, at first I thought that as long as it helped the Army/my career then I would go wherever they needed/wanted me. However, my recruiter told me that the action is not the best choice. Do we get to decide where we after our first assignment?
Individuals are mentioning being deployed and a list of when this occurs, when will we, the newer nurses, find out?
I also have one for the person that stated that they would be going in as a CPT but could be promoted to MAJ in a year, who informed you?
I could ask many questions and if anyone has anything that they want to share..would love to hear!
Specializes in Med/Surg;Hm Health;House Super; ER.
Holly,
That is a great question as I have not really had any input from my recruiter.
As far as second assignments are concerned, at first I thought that as long as it helped the Army/my career then I would go wherever they needed/wanted me. However, my recruiter told me that the action is not the best choice. Do we get to decide where we after our first assignment?
Individuals are mentioning being deployed and a list of when this occurs, when will we, the newer nurses, find out?
I also have one for the person that stated that they would be going in as a CPT but could be promoted to MAJ in a year, who informed you?
I could ask many questions and if anyone has anything that they want to share..would love to hear!
Exactly. I was also wondering myself if we find out what assignment we're to get before OTC? During? After?
just_cause, BSN, RN
1,471 Posts
cindy, at this link:
http://www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/mced/internal/opd.htm
it has a summary of some of the courses at mamc, it does give a course along with some general descriptions, a quick cut out is shown below:
it sounds like if you are already a 8a then you would already have the skill set this course provides; as the end state of the course is to turn an rn into an entry level critical care nurse.
but if you have a smooth talking schools nco and unit funding - then perhaps anything is possible
v/r