Is the Air Force in demand for FNPs? Navy?

allnurses Guide · Jan 11, 2010

I am finishing up my first year of FNP school for my masters. Is the Air Force in great demand for FNPs? What about the navy? It's frustrating because when I spoke with the healthcare recruiter in Honolulu, HI, she was the only healthcare recruiter for the whole pacific basin (I'm in Honolulu, Hawaii...Hawaii grown!)and it was extremely hard to reach her by all methods of contact. Anyway, after graduation from my BSN, I spoke with her and I was about to do my physical for the AF. When I told her that I was going into the master's program to get my FNP, she said the physical done by the military is only good for one year. So I said I'll wait. Now I only have one more year of FNP school and I am just trying to contact her to keep in touch and keep her updated and also, possibly take the AF physical later this summer.
When I spoke to my professors who recently retired, both full on Colonels, except one is army and the other is navy, they said for a FNP-to-be at my age, they definitely would take me because I am going to be 24 years old this February and when i get my FNP degree I'll be 25. I'm a Korean male, US citizen. I'm physically fit as I was in all sorts of sports in high school such as football (sophomore year only), wrestling since 7th grade through high school (my favorite sport), and I took tae kown do for 11 years with 2nd DAN black belt. I've been lifting and going to the gym at 24 hour fitness practically 5-6 days a week working on goals for myself to be cut since I'm already pretty big for my size. I weigh 158 and I'm 5'7", Im trying to slim down more to be more mobile. :) My point is, I'm young, physically fit, academically strong (3.8-4.0 GPA), getting my FNP and so, would they take me in a heart beat? Sorry I don't mean to write this much, I am venting for the frustration of minimal communication by the recruiter.

Yes, any branch of the uniformed services would probably take you, but the process is long and drawn out to get into the military/USPHS. You can expect it to take you 6-12mo from start of application to actually going to officer training.

kato10 · Jan 12, 2010

From what I have been told by the AF, there aren't a whole lot of NP candidates entering the AF. I was told they only put in 2 civilian NPs last year. I'm sure most of what they get come from those already serving and going through different programs. I've been told for this year there are seven slots of which I hope to soon have one. Like the above post you should probably look to start the process early as it does take a while. I started in July and am just getting to the interview. Of course, I had a delay due to the physical but just know that it takes time. For NPs there are a few more steps as well to include an extra interview and the credentialing process.

FNPdude74 · Jan 12, 2010

From what I have been told by the AF, there aren't a whole lot of NP candidates entering the AF. I was told they only put in 2 civilian NPs last year. I'm sure most of what they get come from those already serving and going through different programs. I've been told for this year there are seven slots of which I hope to soon have one. Like the above post you should probably look to start the process early as it does take a while. I started in July and am just getting to the interview. Of course, I had a delay due to the physical but just know that it takes time. For NPs there are a few more steps as well to include an extra interview and the credentialing process.

Wow only 2 civilian NPs last year? The recruiter here in Hawaii told me something similar I think..don't remember too much of our laster meeting in December 2008. I talked to a Navy recruiter non-healthcare (I think? I called the number from the navy's healthcare website) on the phone today. He was the person to direct my info to my local navy healthcare recruiter. Anyway, he stated that the Navy was indeed undermanned overall, including nurses and that it was why they had many advertisements about joining the navy and that their website is very informative about monetary benefits and such just like how the army is advertising a lot. Which I think it may true because I rarely ever saw an AF advertisement nor is their website in-depth like the Navy's in terms of benefit information.

I asked about deployments. This recruiter has been in 18 years as an enlisted and he's been deployed on the long 6-9 month deployments 3 times in his career and he says that's considered a good number in the navy. Most people don't get deployed much after 3 deployments in the same war? He said training exercises on ships can go for a few days to couple of weeks and that there are two main hospital ships...Mercy and Comfort. I want to be in the Pacific fleet to be on the West Coast. Which like the AF, you may go to training exercises for a few days or weeks at a time and deployment is like the navy...6 months.

My uncle who was in the navy during vietnam and then went to AF reserves, retired as a LT Colonel and he said that most of my duty would be on ships. I don't know if that was because of his job as a gunboat man in Vietnam? He said, go into the navy if you don't mind serving aboard on a ship most of the time. However, I've read on forums here that navy nurses are on shore hospitals and are only on hospital ships for missions, deployment, training exercises?

Does anyone know about how family life is in the Navy as a nurse? People who aren't in the navy told me that family life will be hard because I'll be gone aboard a ship for long periods of time? I would like to balance out my family life as well.

hopeful_army_NP · Jan 12, 2010

Just wondering if you have looked into Army FNP as well?

allnurses Guide · Jan 12, 2010

Just as Hopeful suggested you should look at every branch including USPHS before making a decision.