Insight on NAVY Nursing needed, any info would help!

Published May 19, 2016

1 Post

Hello all, I'm currently submitting a package to be a commissioned officer, active duty, in the Navy Nurse Corps in Critical Care, and looking for any insight on Navy Nursing life so I have an idea of what to expect. I am currently an ICU nurse with a BSN, 6 years experience, 28 yrs old. I've been told different things so I was hoping that I could get insight on here to kind of look at all aspects from different people and their experiences or information they may have so I can arm myself with as much information as possible when making my decision to join, if I get selected.

Looking specifically for answers regarding:

1) working hours, are they similar to civilian nursing, ex: 3, 12hr shifts?

2) additional training/working hrs outside of your normal schedule because it is the military?

3) deployments? does it depend on what kind of nurse you are? I was told ICU nurses would deploy more like than others, if so, what kind of deployments? for how long?

4) is it likely that I would be stationed where my stated preferences would be? how much of a choice do I really have?

5) how likely are education opportunities for graduate school? I eventually would like to go to CRNA school one day and wondered how likely that could happen being in the Navy

6) is Navy nursing life generally much different from civilian nursing life? I understand that the Navy will most definitely provide opportunities that the civilian side cannot, but I'm wondering if your general daily living is much different, seeing as though the medical side of the Navy I was told is much different from the Gen Ops side

Any input at all would be much appreciated, I'm just looking to get all information I can so I can make an informed decision, and seeing as though I'm hearing so many different things, I would be nice to get a better idea of it all. Thank you all so much!