Military member seeking nursing career

Nurses Career Support

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Hello,

I am active duty Military desperately seeking a career in nursing. I have a strong desire to finish school and pursue my nursing career as a future LPN/RN. I have been having a very difficult time locating a school in the DC area (residing in MD). Are there any schools that provide evening/night and/or weekend classes? I work full time so that's my only option.

Hopefully Future Nurse

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Stop by your on base education office. They have tons of info and would be more than willing to help you locate a school.

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Not sure where in MD you live but UMD has a part time BSN program, CCBC, Howard community college and Montgomery college all have part time ASN programs and possibly LPN as well.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

THANK YOU! Just wanted to get that out of the way first and express thanks for your service.

I agree, check in with base education. I am not familiar with that area of the country, but in San Antonio TX (another area with strong military presence) most of the nursing schools have special programs for vets & offer them priority status on applications.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

If you're wanting to stay in the military, have you considered the Army Enlisted Commissioning Program? The other services have comparable programs, if you're in a different branch.

Here's info on the Army version:

The AECP allows active duty enlisted soldiers to obtain a scholarship to attend college in a full-time student status while still receiving full pay and benefits in their current grade. Application to the AECP is open to all active duty army enlisted soldiers, regardless of MOS, who are able to gain acceptance as a full time student to an accredited nursing program with an academic and clinical curriculum in English; and graduate within 24 calendar months. Soldier applicants must have a minimum of 3 years and maximum of 10 years of active component enlisted military service at the time of commission. Time in service waivers will be approved or disapproved by PERSCOM on a case by case basis. Applicants must extend or re-enlist to have at least 36 months of time remaining on active duty after graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, based on projected date of graduation.

Upon earning their BSN degree and successfully completing the National Council for Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN), these soldiers are commissioned second lieutenants in the Army Nurse Corps (active component). Selected soldiers will have an ADSO after commissioning. For more information contact your local Army Education Center or Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) Education Department. You may also see the AECP website at http://www.usarec.army.mil/AECP/.

So, you'd be reassigned to your nursing school, and that would be your duty station, if my understanding is correct. That might be an easier road than trying to do nursing school part-time while on active duty.

All the best to you, and thank you for your service!!

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery; Orthopedics.

You may also want to check out the Government/Military Nursing forum on this site for more information.

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Thank you all very much for all you inputs and guidance..I really needed it. And I do plan on submitting and Officer package (MECP) while still active however i wanted a jump start before that goes through.

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