Military reserve nurses!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi there.

I am a BSN RN working in the ER. Due to economic difficulties, I am considering enlisting as a reservist in the US military. Anybody with experience tell me what to expect?

I've heard of bonuses, student loan repayment, etc. Can anyone tell me terms of committment, ballpark bonus/wage, do I have to do bootcamp?

I want to be semi-informed before I speak with a recruiter.

Thanks so much!

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Specializes in LTC, geriatric, psych, rehab.

You will go in as an officer. 48 is the cut off age for nurses. They will not offer you a bonus unless you have a speciality that they are presently looking for. When I joined, the only speciality was ICU, and it was $15,000. Keep in mind, that if they do give you a bonus, they take a whole lot of taxes out of it first. They will repay loans only if it is your first BSN. When I joined ('00), officers signed up for an "indefinite" period of time. That means when they get tired of you, or no longer need you, they can discharge you. Also, if something changes in your life, you can ask to resign your commission. (They can say no). I spent 5 yrs in and had to get out when my husband was dx with terminal cancer. You will have to go to officer's basic some time during the first 2 yrs. That is at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Tx. Prepare for ungodly heat if you go in the summer, getting lost in the sticks at Camp Bullis (they will come looking for you when it gets dark), getting your finger stuck in your weapon during the test (they will get your finger out and tell you to continue...ignore the heavy bleeding...they are), getting your hand caught in the obstacle course and having it break in two places (refuse treatment, or else they will send you home), and having to jump off a tower while praying the rope holds.

Having said all this, I absolutely loved my experience. I learned many things and met many wonderful people. I had wanted a military career, and had not been able to join until in my 40's b/c of my children. Was very disappointed when I had to resign. My hand healed just fine, as did my finger. I passed both the obstacle course and the weapons qualification. I discovered that I am an expert marksman. I crab-walked and army crawled under the hot wire faster than anyone else in my unit. So, if you are up to some challenges, you'll love it.

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Specializes in ER, ICU cath lab, remote med.

There's an entire section of allnurses dedicated to military nursing. Check it out here https://allnurses.com/military-nursing-uniformed/

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