Medical waivers?

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I am set on joining the military upon graduation with my BSN, or attempting for the HPSP after obtaining my BSN. Either way, military is where I want to be - particularly Air Force or Army, but Im not against any branch - I just want to serve.

My my question is though, I definitely will require one waiver, maybe a couple of others, but how many medical waivers are allowed? I haven't really gotten a clear answer from anyone on this and I'm trying to have all of my ducks in a row and all necessary paperwork in had before going in to be evaluated so I can have higher chances of obtaining a waiver or maybe getting off without one. I could need up to 3 waivers. Sounds like a lot to me, could I get DQ'd for number of waivers if all were granted? Does anyone - present or past military - know?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

The more waivers required, the slimmer your chances. Honestly, in the recruiting climate right now, waivers are probably pretty scarce unless you are an experienced nurse that they really need. And needing multiple? I don't want to dash your hopes, but that might be tricky. Really depends on your medical conditions. You have to see it from the military's perspective — they need service members that are 100% healthy to ensure their numbers and that missions can be met. Recruiters cannot really predict what will and won't be waived because they aren't the ones who grant waivers. Which branch's recruiters have you spoken to so far?

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I need waivers for things like childhood asthma (no problems anymore and willing to do a pulmonary function test to prove so), low Von Willebrand factor, and flat feet (with no problems or corrections needed). I have a friend who just got in with the Air Force and she has had plates and screws in her leg and she didn't need a waiver. I've spoken to the Air Force and Army so far, but more extensively with the Air Force.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Just a heads up the Air Force tend to be the pickiest with that kind of stuff.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I need waivers for things like childhood asthma (no problems anymore and willing to do a pulmonary function test to prove so), low Von Willebrand factor, and flat feet (with no problems or corrections needed). I have a friend who just got in with the Air Force and she has had plates and screws in her leg and she didn't need a waiver. I've spoken to the Air Force and Army so far, but more extensively with the Air Force.

There is a big difference between surgery/plates/screws and a factor deficiency, so you're kind of comparing apples and oranges. If you don't ask the answer will always be no, but I doubt they will grant a waiver for the vWF.

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