ICU nursing in the AF

[juanofakind1016]

So I have been a nurse for 10 years now, the last 8 years as an ICU nurse at 2 large hospitals.

Some back story, I did 2 years of AFROTC in college when I was studying to be an electrical engineer, was on scholarship/inactive reserve and withdrew because I couldn't see the engineering. So instead of being kicked out, I opted to withdraw. I ended up getting my ADN and worked med/surg for a year, then ER at a level one trauma center. Got married and moved back home and worked at the Trauma 1 center at home in the surgical ICU. I got my BSN 3 years ago. I am now at a point in my life where I want to revisit commissioning in the AF.

I have read that my ADN experience may not count towards anything even though it has been in critical care at large tertiary care centers.

I plan on talking with a recruiter but I also plan on taking the next year to lose some weight and get my CCRN. I do have my BLS, ACLS, NRP, NIHS, and hopefully get my TNCC as well.

I would like to do critical care in the AF

What are your thoughts

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

Provided you are under 47 years old, can get your waist under 35.5", and do not have any chronic medical conditions...I think you are a strong candidate.

Only the Navy excludes ADN nursing experience. Any full-time acute care experience (generally hospital-based nursing: ER, ICU) you had as an RN will count.

I think you need to properly manage your expectations on what you think being a nurse in the AF will be like. It is generally very similar to civilian nursing. There are opportunities to branch-out of typical civilian-like bedside care, but that will be the exception and not the rule.