Military Nursing

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Hi all

I am a 1st year student at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, and I am curious about nursing in the military. I have looked at the thread entitled military nursing, but it seems to be aimed at people in the States.

My question is to all the UK Nurses, do any of you have any first hand experience of military nursing, or know anything that may be helpful to me.

My first interest would be the RAF, and I have spoken to a recruitment officer, but he didn't seem to know much about the nursing aspect. Also I know recruitment officers will say anything to get you to join.

Any info would be great.

Thanks

Summer

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Hi,

I work in a military hospital i am not military but know lots of nurses who are in the forces, ask me what you want or need to know and I will find out the information for you :)

By the way welcome to allnurses

kay

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Hi,

I work in a military hospital i am not military but know lots of nurses who are in the forces, ask me what you want or need to know and I will find out the information for you :)

By the way welcome to allnurses

kay

Just any information at all really, I can only find basic stuff on the web.

Firstly although military nursing interests me, I'm not too sure I could handle going to places like Iraq. Is there any way to join the RAF without having to be deployed in the Middle East, or is that a given?

Also what are the salaries?

I hear there are good benefits for working in the military, if so what are they?

Is there more chance to work your way up in the military? Is the morale as low as it seems to be on the wards?

Most nurses I have talked too, seemed fed up, and anxious to move up, but there didn't seem anywhere for them to go here.

Is there any chance to live abroad? My fiance is very interested in moving to either Australia, Canada or the U.S when I graduate, I take it there are no UK bases in any of these places?

Is there anything I could be doing now to increase my chances of acceptance? i.e is there anything in specific they look at?

I'm sure there loads more questions, but this is all I can think of, off the top of my head.

Thanks again :)

Summer

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

one of my best friends trained in the army as a nurse and I was in the TA for several years.

Unfortunately if you join any of the military services you are at risk of being deployed anywhere in the world whether war deployment or not.

Wages where a bit better than in civilian hospitals but military hospitals especially in the UK have been disbanded and like Kay says have wings in their nearest hospital.

Have you tried enquiring to whether you join one of their voluntary sections like the TA (territorial army) it would give you a good idea what life would be like and you would be paid the same as the regulars so would also give you an idea on pay.

There are good benefits mainly education and travel. Courses tend to be paid by the services

Moving abroad. There are no bases in Australia, USA or Canada but there will be chance for you to travel to these areas as there usually have combined manovures/exercises.

http://www.ta.mod.uk Army

http://www.rafreserves.com RAF

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/static/pages/2414.html Navy

just a couple of links that might help

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