Military LVN?

sailornurse · Sep 29, 2015

Military requires BSN. You should post in the Government / Military forum. Yellow toolbar under specialties. Army trains their own medics/LVNs but you check their for details. As far as I know Navy & AF you would go in enlisted & might end up in non medical area .

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 29, 2015

The Army uses LPNs/LVNs, I believe they are the only branch who does. You might come in one rank ahead due to your previous training, but you still must attend and pass basic training. You should contact a recruiter as the Army is downsizing and they might not have a need for LPNs/LVNs at this time.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Sep 30, 2015

All branches utilize LVN skill sets to some degree. However, they may not have a separate career field for LVNs or LPNs.

For example, the Air Force 4N career field acts like an EMT-B/CNA II role when you are an E2-E4. However, it's closer to a LVN/EMT-P hybrid in the E5-E6 ranks (depending on the training you get picked-up for). Our NCOs can do almost anything that's in the LVN scope of practice; some of them take ambulance call and serve as paramedics (those who have done EMT-P training of course).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 30, 2015

All branches utilize LVN skill sets to some degree. However, they may not have a separate career field for LVNs or LPNs.
For example, the Air Force 4N career field acts like an EMT-B/CNA II role when you are an E2-E4. However, it's closer to a LVN/EMT-P hybrid in the E5-E6 ranks (depending on the training you get picked-up for). Our NCOs can do almost anything that's in the LVN scope of practice; some of them take ambulance call and serve as paramedics (those who have done EMT-P training of course).

If the person in question is already an LPN/LVN, would you recommend this as a good fit for their career?

TeeGee23 · Sep 30, 2015

Hi, I am an Army trained LPN. I joined the Army as a combat medic (68W) then after 3 years I signed up to go to the LPN program. It is 1 of the best career decisions to date. The experience gained as a LPN in the Army is immeasurable. I recent left active duty to pursue my RN as a civilian and being a LPN is greatly different in that my scope of practice is very limited (thankfully I graduate in a few months). I would recommend the Army because you will be a LPN not some other medical job that's similar with limitations. Plus you will have educational benefits and options to leave the service and advance to a RN degree or stay on active duty and complete a program like AECP and get paid while doing your RN (if that's a goal of yours, I know many ppl that are comfortable being a LPN). Whatever your decision I wish you the best of luck.

~Terri~

LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN · Sep 30, 2015

I actually just recently went and inquired information from a national guard member about being an LPN in army national guard. Essentially, as an LPN you would be given no extra credit, now this is in the national guard, not the army, so it may be different. You can choose a medic job but you will not be advanced any more than the regular joe doing it and you will go through the same training. I chose not to do it for a variety of reasons mainly because I can't leave my lpn to rn program for weeks on end to complete training. You can't be an army nurse till your BSN and with the national guard you had to re-enlist for another 6 years so that also swayed my choice, I didn't want to be in that long.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Sep 30, 2015

The downside if you already have an LVN license in the Air Force, is that you will enter as an E3 (vs. perhaps an E4 in the Army). Also, without an AFSC locking you into the LVN role, you won't be guaranteed to fully use your license. You could be taking your own patients on a med-surg floor one assignment and be a med tech in a clinic the next. Because IDMTs, EMT-Ps, LPNs, and CNAs all fall under the same career fields, you risk not fully be utilized from one location to the next.

Will the LPN help you get promoted? Sure. Will you be practicing to the limit of your scope of practice all the time? Probably not.