Hi everyone! just wondering if anyone has some good advice on what pathway to choose for the AF Nurse Corp. I am currently working on the entire application process, I go to MEPS on Monday this next week. I won't go to OCT until August of 2011...in otherwords, I am still very early in the application process. I won't graduate from school until May 2011. Anyway, the question is, does anyone have awesome suggestions on which route to choose, Med/Surg or OB? I have 5 years of clinical experience working as an EMT in a busy emergency room, but I also have a feeling that I would LOVE to do OB. My only concern is that I just don't want to limit myself. I don't want to choose L & D and then be "stuck" there in my career after a few years of AF nursing. Ultimately, I always pictured myself working as an ER nurse, or in L&D, but DEFINATELY NOT med/surg. Originally, I was thinking that the med/surg path would help me be more "well rounded" as a nurse, but I'm just not convinced of all the experience I will get in the first few years of my military nursing career. I don't want to comit 3 years in the AF and only come out with med/surg experience.... I know that no matter what experience I get it will be good, and no one can make the decision for me, just curious what others are thinking, and the reasoning behind the pathways you have chosen. I have talked with several ER/ICU nurses, and they think equally of L&D nurses, meaning if they were in the hiring dept for an ER and got a resume for a L&D nurse, they would ABSOLUTELY hire them...I like the thought of getting specialty experience right out of school, even if it is in L&D, I just don't want to limit myself and have to start at square 1 if I decide later on I don't like L&D.....
You will be getting here right during a peak in deliveries!
Powder Ridge area in Eagle River is real nice subdivision by the way.
How many deliveries are planned for Oct and Nov, do you know? I am leaving here in Sept and that is our peak month--140! That's HUGE for LAFB! Looks like I'm not gonna get a break.
How many deliveries are planned for Oct and Nov, do you know? I am leaving here in Sept and that is our peak month--140! That's HUGE for LAFB! Looks like I'm not gonna get a break.
All I know is the Army/Ft Richardson just got from deployment in Jan/Feb of this year......
All I know is the Army/Ft Richardson just got from deployment in Jan/Feb of this year......
Well that says it all now doesn't it! I'll be in touch when I'm up there for good--mid October or so. Can't wait to get started in a new hospital, although I'm already hearing some really bad things about Essentris charting...
Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, PP, Nursery, Mother-Baby.
Hi there! I know you are super busy, but when you get a chance I am hoping you can answer some questions. I'm a former AF OB nurse...separated when my son was born, I can't believe I've been out 9 yrs. Anyway, I am curious what the deployment cycles for OB nurses are like now. I was always on mobility, but never deployed....it actually drove me nuts because I don't have any med surg experience outside of clinicals during Nursing school and I absolutely love OB/GYN. Do they still offer an AFIT for CNS? I don't want to be a midwife or an NP...I love bedside nursing. I have been feeling a tug to finish my last 9 years to retirement...I have only heard good things about Alaska by the way. Good luck!
Hi there! I know you are super busy, but when you get a chance I am hoping you can answer some questions. I'm a former AF OB nurse...separated when my son was born, I can't believe I've been out 9 yrs. Anyway, I am curious what the deployment cycles for OB nurses are like now. I was always on mobility, but never deployed....it actually drove me nuts because I don't have any med surg experience outside of clinicals during Nursing school and I absolutely love OB/GYN. Do they still offer an AFIT for CNS? I don't want to be a midwife or an NP...I love bedside nursing. I have been feeling a tug to finish my last 9 years to retirement...I have only heard good things about Alaska by the way. Good luck!
Deployments are done by "bands" now. Every 18 months your assigned band comes up for deployment and if you are tasked to deploy then you go for 6 months. You can deploy outside your band too if you volunteer but it rarely happens, at least from my experience. I've been put on alert twice and both times I got the "nevermind". I don't have any med surg either, however we do readiness training every month or so and that helps you keep up your skills. When we deploy it's not into a critical care setting (OB that is) but there is definitely a learning curve to get back into the swing of things.
Yes, there is still AFIT for CNS but I can't remember how many slots there were. It wasn't many for perinatal CNS and even then, do your research! There is no test to take for perinatal CNS certification anymore, so many states don't recognize the title, which means you can't call yourself a CNS. There are ways to get around it, but it's a pain. In fact, this is my exact situation right now because TX doesn't recognize you as a CNS with out the exam and that's where I'm licensed.
Alaska is great! It's going to be hard to leave when my time is up!
Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, PP, Nursery, Mother-Baby.
The Little Greek,
Thanks so much for all of the answers. I was so shocked to hear about the CNS certification...thanks so much for that info especially. I'm definitely out of touch. I might have to consider another plan regarding my masters. By the way, did you have teaching or precepting opportunities at Langley? If so, did you enjoy working with new OB nurses? Thank you again for your reply.
Thanks so much for all of the answers. I was so shocked to hear about the CNS certification...thanks so much for that info especially. I'm definitely out of touch. I might have to consider another plan regarding my masters. By the way, did you have teaching or precepting opportunities at Langley? If so, did you enjoy working with new OB nurses? Thank you again for your reply.
I've heard of some people getting their Adult Health CNS but targeting their clinical rotations toward perinatal. That way they get their CNS and have experience in perinatal. So confusing and frustrating!
I LOVED Langley! I was a preceptor for new RNs, for the PNC course, and got to teach some of the didactic. It's a great place to be stationed!
What does the nurse who got transfered to Training and Education do? Referring back to an earlier post you made in this thread.
Thanks
I'm not sure but it's a desk job. It's not ideal for those in a clinical track to get transferred to that type of job early in your career. I think it was at her request for personal reasons but I'm not sure. Needless to say, being removed from the clinical setting you miss out on thing like the ISP (incentive special pay) bonuses that many certified RNs are eligible for. They pay out big, but you have to be working at the bedside to qualify for them. Which means desk duty=no high dollar bonus.
The Little Greek
343 Posts
How many deliveries are planned for Oct and Nov, do you know? I am leaving here in Sept and that is our peak month--140! That's HUGE for LAFB! Looks like I'm not gonna get a break.