Joining the AF - need help

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I am waiting to hear if I have been selected by the AF and if so, will go to COT in August. I graduated from nursing school in Aug of 2006 and began working in the OR in Sep 2006. The recruiter told me that normally a person needs 1 year of experience in the OR to come in as an OR nurse, but with 6 months experience they can get a waiver and I can come in as an OR nurse.

Now, However, they are telling me that I may not be able to come in as an OR nurse, but may need to come in as a Med-Surg nurse. I told them that I did not want to join as Med Surg, only OR. Likewise, the reason I waited to join was because I did not want to go to the NTP program because this would mean more time away from my family.

Anyway, here are my questions:

1. Should I go in as OR or as Med Surg?

2. Is the OR a good field to be in the AF as a nurse?

3. Are OR nurses deployed a lot in the AF?

4. Are Med surgs deployed a lot in the AF?

5. For those who have experienced civilian nursing, do they like nursing better in the AF or civilian world?

6. Will the OR serve as a limitation when trying to acquire a Masters in either a nurse practioner program or CRNA program?

I have so many questions because I have no concept of the military. The recruiter cannot help because they have not worked in the medical field. Any advice or help given will be much appreciated. Thanks, Lisa!!!

Congrats!! I hope to see you there!! Lisa.

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It would probably be much simpler to get a part-time job in a civilian hospital to gain med-surg experience.

I imagine that your talk with the recruiter might go something like this....."I am sure Lisa that with your OR experience the chief nurse will just put you in the OR after NTP training, if not it is pretty easy to get transfered to the OR."

Be careful!!! Here is the link to the generic USAF OR nurse job description. The AFSC code on your contract will have to say 46S1 or 46S3 (OR nursing AFSC) if it says that you are a 46N1 or 46N3 (general/med-surg nursing AFSC) then no matter what promise they have made you will be entering in as clinic/med-surg nurse.

By the way the new USAF policy is any nurse with less than 1yr experience go to NTP. I don't know of any of the nurses getting this waivered.

Most healthcare recruiters are great, but they don't have the slightest idea how nursing in the AF works.

Thanks for all of your help. Congrats and good luck w/graduate nursing school. Lisa

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Congrats:balloons:

Do you have to go to NTP and have found out where your assignment is yet?

I will be heading to USUHS in Maryland for graduate nursing school next Friday.

I have been a nurse for 3 years so I won't have to go to NTP. My first assignment will be Lackland, AFB. Congrats also on your upcoming graduate studies, I hope to be doing the same. I will be coming in with a 46J3 designation if I remember correctly, either way its the ER nurse designation.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I have been a nurse for 3 years so I won't have to go to NTP. My first assignment will be Lackland, AFB. Congrats also on your upcoming graduate studies, I hope to be doing the same. I will be coming in with a 46J3 designation if I remember correctly, either way its the ER nurse designation.

ER indentifier is the 46J3. I have two and sorta of three identifiers right now. I have the ER, ICU, and one that I am under now for school.

Just make sure it gets put in the computer the right way....I had someone accidentally put mine in as J46J3......It had a whole new meanining.....parchucist ER nurse....not quite sure about that speciality, but I prefer to start my deployments after the plane lands not 10,000ft up in the air.....lol:lol2:

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
....I had someone accidentally put mine in as J46J3......It had a whole new meanining.....parchucist ER nurse....not quite sure about that speciality, but I prefer to start my deployments after the plane lands not 10,000ft up in the air.....lol:lol2:

Whoa, oops!

:) That'd be a new experience for sure.

Gen

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wow that is crazy, lol. I can only imagine something like that. That reminds of a story my dad told me when he enlisted into the army in the 70's. He told me they flip flopped his SSN and the person who SSN number it was ended up having the same name and had a criminal rap sheet longer than a roll of toilet paper. They had the FBI interrogating him and everything. It was pretty fun once they figured it out.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

No harm yet.....At least as far as I know that don't plan on pushing me out of any planes.....not yet anyways..lol

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wtbcrna, what do they do with an individual who changes careers, becomes a nurse and previously served in the AF as an 04?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
wtbcrna, what do they do with an individual who changes careers, becomes a nurse and previously served in the AF as an 04?

That one I don't know about? If you were active duty switching over to the nurse corps I think they would have to honor your rank, but having a break in service I am not really for sure...

Were you a line officer before? The nurse corps compared to the line side is so different it is hard to compare the two sometimes.

I would check with all the branches, including USPHS, to see how they would treat your previous rank. I am thinking that of all the services the Army or USPHS would be the most likely allow to come in at your previous rank. The only problem with USPHS is that you would probably need a waiver if you had more than 8yrs active duty time....which if you were an O4 you more than likely have.

Good Luck,

Sorry I couldn't provide you with any useful information...

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