Military Medic Licensure by Examination

Guest374845 · Oct 30, 2017

Your question has come up before, but mostly from 68Ws, so I'm interested to see how your case might be different. Couple of questions: when do you estimate separating/retiring? Do you currently have a degree? What certifications/licenses do you currently hold (EMT)?

If you really want to be a nurse, read on. But PA almost sounds more aligned with your current practice... just a thought.

The only shortcut to RN that actually makes sense for someone with your expertise and experience would be paramedic with a bridge to 3rd semester in an RN program. Not all of those programs are viewed favorably by a lot of major hospitals though, so that's the downside to the shortcut. Long-term, your best bet is probably just to bite the bullet and take a spot in the first RN program that accepts you, be it ADN or BSN.

Scope out some programs, time it so you start pre-reqs when your terminal leave starts, and use your GI bill and retirement income to be a full time student without any distractions.

Alternatively, you may also be interested in looking at ED tech positions at level 1 trauma centers in your area (or retirement AO). Working there even part-time during school would get you a foot in the door for a new grad job. Not for nothing, but a little delayed gratification in getting your license would allow you to retire to basically wherever you want rather than looking at places solely on the basis of bridge programs.

Good luck, stay safe. Hope I never see you on my litter.

chare · Oct 30, 2017

I do know that WV allows veterans to write either the NCLEX RN or NCLEX PN based upon specific MOS and years of service; I am unsure as to either the CA or VA options, so am unable to speak to them. When I worked in WV, I worked with a few prior service members issues or problems in obtaining employment, and doubt you would have any issues with employment if you were able to do this. I think where it becomes problematic is when you attempt to endorse your license to another state. All states, to include those with this exemption, require completion of an approved program as a requirement for writing the NCLEX. As you would not have met this requirement, you license might not endorse. Even if you subsequently complete an RN pre-licensure program, this method of initial licensure still might limit your ability to endorse elsewhere. If you remain interested in doing this, the West Virginia Code Chapter 30. Professions and Occupations, Article 24. Qualifications of Armed Forces Health Technicians for Civilian Health Occupations further addresses this. And, while I haven't had an opportunity to read it yet, you might find the following article useful: "Transitioning from military medics to registered nurses."

If you want an unencumbered license that you will be able to endorse to another state, Euro_Sepsis has given you the best advice regarding use of your GI Bill benefits. I would offer the following suggestions, if your deployment cycle allows. First, make yourself a regular at your unit/base education office and CLEP anything and everything that you can. The cost for this to you, if any, should be minimal. And while the program you opt for might take only a few, every class that you test out of is only going to help you. Second, and this might be more difficult, make use of any tuition assistance available and take as many general education requirements that you can.

Thank you for your service, and best wishes in your transition to the civilian world.

JonJohnson23 · Oct 31, 2017

Euro Sepsis, thanks for the help and the reply.

At the moment I expect to retire in about four or five years but would like to be completely done with schooling or at least the bulk of it, mostly because my endstate goal is to work as a critical care nurse and/or CRNA (I really enjoy both fields and honestly the first leads into the second so it doesn't hurt). As far as GI bill's go I have donated/transfered my GI bill to my lovely daughter, not that I wouldn't be able to find other scholarships or assistance so I am not ruling it out just prefer to be done with as much schooling as possible.

I don't have a degree currently and am trying to work on that now. I just recently switched over to being an instructor so I have a few years where I won't be on a constant deployment schedule so I am hoping to get things done while I have a more office like job.

Licenses are where the Army and specifically Special Forces Medical Sergeants really struggle.

I am currently an EMT (I held a paramedic license for a while but about 6 or more years ago I ended up letting it lapse due to deployment schedule and military courses and at the same time we had switched over to the "Advanced Trauma Practitioner" and so I foolishly never bothered going back) I also am BLS and ACLS instructor qualified. On the same note I do procedures well above theses skill sets. For example I not only do things like Chest Tubes, Central Lines, Crics, Blood Transfusions (both using blood provided to us and direct person to person), and fasciotomy but I also run anesthesia and do extremity surgeries such as debriedment, delayed primary closure, and amputations. In all of the above situations I am often the only medical provider for anywhere between 1 and 24 hours with the skill set and expectation of being able to do so for up to 72 hours (thank goodness I have never had to hold and care for these types of patients for more than 12 hours thus far)

On the topic of degrees and if I am interested in PA I do have a few PA/Pre Med options that are surprisingly way more openly available to me but honestly I really prefer the BSN with eventual CRNA route. This is likely heavily influenced by my multiple experiences in Prolonged Field Care where I had the opportunity to do long term care to very sick patients some from combat related injuries and some from all kinds of other issues, in austere environments and really enjoy the long term care and critical thinking skills it takes to track, trend, and adjust accordingly.

Other factors that are difficult to propperly reflect in a license or experience format is that I routinely work in hospitals for 80 to 160 hours in a span of a few weeks, during this time I fullfill both nursing duties and do things like present during rounds on the ICU/SICU/Trauma Ward, scrub in and assist on surgeries, and do patient assesments.

As a whole that's what has lead me to trying to find out the best route to challenge the NCLEX RN or PN, honestly I am impartial to which one I am allowed to challenge as I am not afraid or opposed to paying my dues in studies and classes I just am not going to be able to do any courses that require me to be in a brick and mortar classroom. I know that online programs like LPN to BSN or RN to BSN or Paramedic to BSN are not as preferred in general I feel it is currently my best option. The struggle I run into is how to best display and explain my nursing expereince to the boards that decide whether or not I qualify to challenge the exam. My most recent deployment I did over 2000 hours of nursing care (as well as the orignal point of injury care) to just under 1000 patientes in an extremely austere environment. I also recently worked in the SICU at WVU for 5 straight days of roughly 12 hour shifts where I worked with/as both the nurses and the med students/residents. So although I know its not exactly the same as what nursing students do I feel its pretty darn close.

I hope that helps give a good overview of qualifications, expereince, and current goals. I apologize if it comes of braggy, I hate talking about myself in the "look what I do/can do" format but also have realized that in this case I kind of have to find a good way to truly express what I do because all of the programs I can find out there that reference miitary medic to BSN type things really only focus on 68W which is a great job but it just isn't a good reflection of what I do/my scope of practice is.

Thanks again for your reply and help and I hope that neither of us ever end up on eachothers litter.

JonJohnson23 · Oct 31, 2017

Chare, I will read the article you hyperlinked and hopefully find a good option within it. I recently wrote WV's Nursing Board funny enough it is their response that lead me to this board. They were very polite in their response but basically told me that army training doesn't have a reasonable equivalent to offer enough training to challenge the NCLEX RN. I would like to write them back and ask that they relook at it but want to do so in a more informed and explanitve format mostly because the response they gave me only referenced the 68W course that is again a great job but one that has a drastically lower amount and level of scope of practice than my MOS. If their answer is still no after I form a rebuttal based on conversations, comments, and suggestions from this board than I will go ahead and move on and see if WV will allow me to challenge the NCLEX PN and from there apply to some of hte programs that allow LPN to BSN. Bottom line is I just need someone to help me find a good way to get licensed, that appears to be the magic speedbump I have to get over so that I can then apply to an online course that will lead me to my BSN. If it helps you or Euro Sepsis or anyone else on this board I can pull up my Joint Service Transcripts tomorrow and post what the American Council of Education has decided my training and expereince equivilate to.

Thanks again Chare and please if you have any suggestions of how to propperly present my rebuttal/request to the WV Nursing Board I am all ears.

(also please feel free to see my reply to Euro Sepsis to get a rough overview of my scope of practice, training, and expereince.)

Thanks so much and honestly serving our great country has been my pleasure.

JonJohnson23 · Oct 31, 2017

Euro Sepsis, I also forgot to mention I am a Dive Medical Technician as well.

Guest374845 · Nov 4, 2017

Honestly, the LPN-RN bridge might be the route that has the highest yield of "fast" and "safe". With a medic bridge or direct-to-exam option, while "fast", you risk losing the "safe" part: graduating from an accredited (or desirably accredited) program. If you challenged the NCLEX PN and bridged into a BSN program, you'd still be 'graduating' from a BSN program and be on your merry way to any state in the union.