Military nursing, please help!

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Hello, all, I have a few questions regarding military nursing and would love some help! My dream is to be a Navy flight nurse. Yes, I know it is rare and difficult to achieve, but that would be my ultimate goal. I love nursing and the military and have wanted to serve my country for as long as I can remember. I have just a few questions.

1) Which branch would I most likely be able to get a flight nursing spot? Navy or Air Force?

2) Would trying to get a college ROTC spot help my chances?

3) I have graduated nursing school and I am now finishing basics for my bachelors, is it too late to inquire about the Navy nurse candidate program?

4) What are my chances of being selected without any of the above? (NCP, ROTC, etc)

5) Is it possible to get flight written in your contract for military nursing?

I also have a concern that does not involve nursing. I am with a guy and we plan to get married. The only snag is that he is currently a naval aviation rescue swimmer. If I were to join I would be an officer. I know the Navy (and all branches I'm sure) has a Fraternization policy. How would that work if we were married beforehand? Equally, how would it affect us if we weren't married beforehand? I am just curious to know. Please note that the answers will in no way influence our decisions about marriage. I just like to be educated and know what to expect.

Also, I am a very dedicated hard worker who can work autonomously but is very good at working in a team setting as well. I love a challenge and excitement as well as helping those in need. By the time I plan to join I will have a year of ortho/med surg nursing and a year+ of emergency nursing under my belt. I will have BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications. I would have very high recommendations (if needed) from employers, educators, service members, etc. I am 21 and very much in shape and would have zero problem with any physical or mental challenges. Also importantly, I am in good academic standing and have been all throughout college.

Honestly, any help would be so appreciated. Thank you for your time!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Government / Military Nursing forum

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3) I have graduated nursing school and I am now finishing basics for my bachelors,

what !

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I finished an ADN program and am currently working towards my BSN.

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

If you get married to an enlisted service member before you commission, it's fine. They actually encouraged people dating enlisted soldiers to "break up or make it official" when I was at officer basic. :D

You are going to need critical care experience if you want a critical care role. Yes, some ERs are critical care, but you'll be competing with nurses with ICU experience and certs like the CCRN. Have you contacted a recruiter?

Bear in mind that all branches are cutting their numbers, and that definitely includes nurses. Gone are the days of being wooed with courses written into contracts. I would advise you to keep your grades as high as possible because GPA matters, and don't be deterred if you don't hear from a recruiter until you are much closer to having a BSN.

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Specializes in ICU, Military.

I'm currently a Navy nurse. I can tell you there are only 2 flight nurse billiets in the navy, one of which is only a 1 year tour in Diego Garcia, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean. You must be a critical care nurse to apply for the billet, which is considered "operational", and you are basically limited to 1 operational tour during your career. Flight nursing is not at all common in the navy. They expect you to be bedside, or in a managerial role once you pick up rank.

I am only speculating here, but I would assume the Air Force Nurse Corps would have more flight nurse billets available.

Speaking from experience here - your job as a navy nurse is not to take care of active duty folks but mainly you will be taking care of old retirees. I joined the navy thinking it was going to be action and saving lives and taking care of active duty guys and gals who go to war. In reality that is only a teeny tiny component of the job. You will mainly take care of retirees. I did deploy to Afghanistan (6 months) and I'm now stationed on a ship. My job on the ship is training, not patient care and certainly not flying medevacs. That's what the flight surgeon is for.

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