2 June Boards(Questions, pls help)

pattyrn376 · Jun 13, 2009

they recognized her education etc, she is a capt where most of us are LT

hopeful_army_NP · Jun 13, 2009

Congratulations!
Why did you come in as a Med Surg nurse, when you could have come in as an NP?

I came in Med/surg for a few reasons

1. higher need, better chances of being selected

2. bonus available for med/surg 66H

3. army has MOS for FNP only at this time

4. as an Adult NP(we can treat ages 13 and up) they can take me under med-surg MOS but still use me as a NP, when I toured BAMC they said if I were assigned there they would probaly use me in the clinic as a ANP since they have a need but my MOS will still be 66H, ofcourse army needs will come first

5. I actually want to do RN work, i would love to get critical care skills, but i would still love to be able to do NP work, plus I will need to do some or I won't be able to keep my certification q 5 years

olderthandirt2 · Jun 13, 2009

they recognized her education etc, she is a capt where most of us are LT

Humm,

I know of only one other RN who came in higher than an 1LT....she is a CRNA with 20yrs experience, and now MAJOR in reserves.

I, on the other hand came in as a 1LT with 2 Masters and 6.5yrs experience........so, I do not think education is the factor for rank here.

hopeful_army_NP · Jun 13, 2009

Humm,
I know of only one other RN who came in higher than an 1LT....she is a CRNA with 20yrs experience, and now MAJOR in reserves.
I, on the other hand came in as a 1LT with 2 Masters and 6.5yrs experience........so, I do not think education is the factor for rank here.

Actually there is a ranking sytem based on years experience that is used for everyone, greater than 10 years but less than -I think it was 18years will come in as CPT, then great than 18 a Mayor, ect... the system starts at 0 years all the way up. I thought I read it on this board but maybe it was somewhere else. The reason I'm going as CPT is my 12.5 years of nursing experience. My recruiter thought it would be 1LT(apparently he was not aware of this sytem either) but when he sent it through the review steps before it actually went to boards he called me and said it would go through as CPT. Also when I was on tour at BAMC, the Mayor there also told me I would come in as CPT based on the # of years experience.

olderthandirt2 · Jun 13, 2009

Thanks,

yes I am very aware of that system. I also know people in the reserves who did not get to come in as a Captain, when they did have the years of experience.......but Active duty is a different cup of soup.

hopeful_army_NP · Jun 13, 2009

Thanks,
yes I am very aware of that system. I also know people in the reserves who did not get to come in as a Captain, when they did have the years of experience.......but Active duty is a different cup of soup.

Thanks, I am learning everyday. I did not realize reserves and active are so different.

jerrylundergard · Jun 13, 2009

Good Luck and enjoy your time in Texas. The physical was nice and relaxed. But for some reason the three nurses(inluding me) had elevated BPs. I was so anxious my BP was like 144/96. After talking and joking my repeat BP was down to 130/80- still high for me but within their standards. I say just relax, they want you to be qualified.
As for my station choices, I gave 3 but I only want one. 1st- Fort jackson, SC, 2nd- Fort Stewart, GA(my best friend and her husband are stationed there) 3rd- Fort Sam Houston(career wise, seems to be an excellent choice)
All this comes after 5 months of intense research. I am so nervous since I havent heard back yet, is it no news is good news or something else...

I go to the BAMC tour end of June, Im excited. Im curious, what time in the morning does all the physical stuff start? Around what time in the day did they do your BP? All I know at this point is that I fly out on sunday then we have the physical monday then after that they do the tour. Supposedly on tuesday we just sit around and wait to catch our flight back. Im also a bit nervous about the BP reading. When Im alone in my house all tranquilo my bp is 120/80 but sometimes it spikes when people in lab coats do it, usually not over 140/90 but its happened. It sounds like they give you a minute to relax and stuff. Only thing Im worried about is the travel and no sleeping and waking up early seems like I could run the risk of running a higher test time bp. If they allow me to relax for a few minutes it almost always drops but sometimes I get nervous for those things. Thanks

hopeful_army_NP · Jun 13, 2009

I go to the BAMC tour end of June, Im excited. Im curious, what time in the morning does all the physical stuff start? Around what time in the day did they do your BP? All I know at this point is that I fly out on sunday then we have the physical monday then after that they do the tour. Supposedly on tuesday we just sit around and wait to catch our flight back. Im also a bit nervous about the BP reading. When Im alone in my house all tranquilo my bp is 120/80 but sometimes it spikes when people in lab coats do it, usually not over 140/90 but its happened. It sounds like they give you a minute to relax and stuff. Only thing Im worried about is the travel and no sleeping and waking up early seems like I could run the risk of running a higher test time bp. If they allow me to relax for a few minutes it almost always drops but sometimes I get nervous for those things. Thanks

I was with a group of people whose flight got in pretty early on Sunday, so we did our physical's that evening. I was nervous about my weight so that made my anxiety level even higher. I actually started feeling like I do right before doing any kind of public speaking. It was really crazy, so ofcourse my BP responded.

After the tech talked and joked with me, I relaxed some. My BP went down but still much higher than normal.

As far as the morning we usually had to meet at 6am. The schedule did get changed around quite frequently.

Monday, the physicals get completed, labs and urine on this day. Then tour and eat on post. We also went to the Alamo on Monday. You will get to tour the Center for the Intrepid on this day as well. The last day, Tuesday, is the day everyone breaks into seperate groups with their individual corps. This is when you actually tour the hospital with a nurse and get to meet some other nurses. You should have a list of questions, every and anything you want to ask on this day.

Since I just went last month everything is still fresh on my mind. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Good luck!

markisrn · Jun 22, 2009

I feel for all of you that are waiting on board results. I was so tense during that waiting time. I felt like they kind of jerk you around in that regard. I was told that I was boarded 3 different months, but it was not true. Not saying that this is what is happening to you, but that is what happened to me. I will say though, that when I was actually boarded. The boards took a week, I had to wait an additional week due to new rules regarding security questions and then and I had my good news towards the end of the week by 3rd getting a phone call from my recruiter. Those security questions cost me an additional week, but hopefully that process has smoothed out and you will just have 2 weeks to wait from your boards. Since it has been 3 plus weeks for you, I can see how you are concerned and I would be asking my recruiter what is going on. Hang in there and be persisently calling your recruiter. Make them do their job. It's your future in the balance. Try not to worry too much. It will happen, but then you will be awaiting orders like me. I was in the Army in the 80's. The fact that it seems like you are always waiting for something hasn't changed since then.

DIVA-RNMOM24 · Jun 24, 2009

Hello, I am in the process of enlisting in the ANC on the reserve side. I was reading your post and was wondering what is the FSH/BAMC physical and tour all about??? Is that only for persons going ACTIVE DUTY??? This is the first time hearing that you have to fly to FSH and do a physical and tour the hospital and fly back home in 2 days. Can you please give me more information on this. I thought you would do all of that when you went for OBC (did I say that right?).:nuke:

Thanks,

Diva-RnMom24

hopeful_army_NP · Jun 24, 2009

The tour and physical is a very nice treat. Not everyone gets to or got to do it this way. I guess it depends on how many openings they have at any given time(physicians and other people in the medical corps have preference I believe). This physcial takes the place of going to MEPS for a physical. It is a much easier and more relaxed physical. The tour is to give each prospective applicant more insight into army medicine/nursing and army life. This tour and physcial is not required, but if it's an option for you then I would recommend it.

markisrn · Jun 24, 2009

Diva-RNMom24,

The FSH/BAMC physical and tour sounds like a good plan. I had never heard of that either. I did not have to go to MEPS however, I did a DODMRB physical (Dept of Defense Medical Review Board). I was given the name of a local clinic and a local eye doctor to make an appt with. I had gone the MEPS route when I was in the Army back in the 80's and it was not a treat to do. The DODMRB was great. The FSH/BAMC physical and tour sounds better, but the DODMRB may be a good second choice if you can arrange it. Best of luck

Markisrn