Hello everyone. I am a new nurse in the Navy reserve. If you are interested in Navy nursing or have any question about application process, testing, medical exam, background verification, selection board, accession process, Package preparation, MEPS, quota, credentialing, interviews, drills or units, just ask and I will do my best to answer them. I am not recruiter and my posts are based on my personal experience and may or may not reflect those of the Navy. Thx.
congrats man! how long did the process go for you?
I contacted a medical recruiter/started the paperwork in Oct '22. Turned in my packet in Oct '23. Received decision Jan '24. Quite a long process to be honest.
Hello! I just got word today that I was selected for the Navy nurse corps. I have 7 years of experience as a nurse ( ED and Cath lab). I was told I'd go in as an 02, then promote to 03 after a year. I was credentialed as a 1910 Med surg speciality.
They wouldn't count my ED experience since I left the department in 2021 and transferred to cath lab.
my question is: how long will it take if I request transfer to ED? What is the process of doing that?
It would depend on your chief nurse. It would help but not guarantee a switch to ER. It could be as long as 2 years if you're dealing with a real hard ***. That seems to be the usual time frame for transfers for people without any ER experience.
Certs can't hurt but definitely won't guarantee you anything. I can't read your future chief nurses' mind so honestly my guess is as good as yours.
This right here. If you get a chance, sit down with your DNS and have them show you where they have space. At my MTF there are 1960s and 1945s working in other units because of staffing.
I submitted my package to the board two weeks ago (08/05/2024) for 66S.
Background: BSN in 2014, MSN in 2023, and MBA in 2024. I am currently doing my DNP. I have the following board certifications; CCRN, CVRN, CMSRN, Pain specialist, TNCC.
Experience: 2 years in management (manager, supervisor, director), 2 yr in IMCU/Tele, 4 ICU, 2 years in ER and Med/Surg. Most recent is ICU.
I also have prior military experience of 5 years in the army reserves as enlistee.
Questions:
1. What will be my potential rank?
2. How does the schedule work in military hospitals?
3. I know I will be doing a pay cut (doing it out of passion), how much of difference will I be seeing? Note I am married with 1 child.
4. What is the time frame from packet submission to receiving orders?
5. Will I go to BOLC straight or I will have to do DCC?
In general job changes in the guard/reserves of any military branch are totally a matter of luck, timing, and your willingness to move/travel. If you graduate NP school (and attain 1 year of full-time experience) and there happens to be an empty NP slot in your unit, then you're good to go. If not, you're going to have to either wait until someone leaves/retires or move to another unit.
That's really how promotions work too. You can't promote if there are no empty spots in the unit for your new rank. You have to either move units or wait.
I submitted my package to the board two weeks ago (08/05/2024) for 66S.
Background: BSN in 2014, MSN in 2023, and MBA in 2024. I am currently doing my DNP. I have the following board certifications; CCRN, CVRN, CMSRN, Pain specialist, TNCC.
Experience: 2 years in management (manager, supervisor, director), 2 yr in IMCU/Tele, 4 ICU, 2 years in ER and Med/Surg. Most recent is ICU.
I also have prior military experience of 5 years in the army reserves as enlistee.
Questions:
1. What will be my potential rank?
2. How does the schedule work in military hospitals?
3. I know I will be doing a pay cut (doing it out of passion), how much of difference will I be seeing? Note I am married with 1 child.
4. What is the time frame from packet submission to receiving orders?
5. Will I go to BOLC straight or I will have to do DCC?
I assume this is active duty? Pending degrees don't count toward rank so you'll be looked as an MSN. It sounds like you have 5 years of enlisted experience and 10 years of full time RN experience. I can comfortably say you'll enter as an O-3. You'll enter as an O-3E IF your 5 years of enlisted experience was all active duty; reservists need 1441 or more points to get the "E" prior enlisted pay code.
Look up the base pay for O-3E vs O-3 on any military pay chart (use Google). You need to add BAS and BAH with dependents to that number. Base pay + BAS + BAH equals your active duty monthly pay. Because BAS and BAH aren't taxed, you need to add about 15% for the tax advantage. BAH varies by zip code. On average I'd say you're looking at $8k-10k per month (depending on whether you get the O-3E or not); inclusive of the the tax benefit, it's the equivalent of 9k-11k per month as a civilian.
Schedule is at the unit discretion. In my experience, it's either panama or some sort of 'odd-ball self scheduling thing.' The self-scheduling usually has an A and B team who alternate picking their schedule. Usually you alternate days to nights every 3-6 months. Usually you work ~14, 12-hr shifts per month including every other weekend with additional 1-2 12-hr shifts of call. 30 days vacation per year.
Process takes 12-18months from start to arrival at basic if you get it on the first time.
I assume this is active duty? Pending degrees don't count toward rank so you'll be looked as an MSN. It sounds like you have 5 years of enlisted experience and 10 years of full time RN experience. I can comfortably say you'll enter as an O-3. You'll enter as an O-3E IF your 5 years of enlisted experience was all active duty; reservists need 1441 or more points to get the "E" prior enlisted pay code.
Look up the base pay for O-3E vs O-3 on any military pay chart (use Google). You need to add BAS and BAH with dependents to that number. Base pay + BAS + BAH equals your active duty monthly pay. Because BAS and BAH aren't taxed, you need to add about 15% for the tax advantage. BAH varies by zip code. On average I'd say you're looking at $8k-10k per month (depending on whether you get the O-3E or not); inclusive of the the tax benefit, it's the equivalent of 9k-11k per month as a civilian.
Schedule is at the unit discretion. In my experience, it's either panama or some sort of 'odd-ball self scheduling thing.' The self-scheduling usually has an A and B team who alternate picking their schedule. Usually you alternate days to nights every 3-6 months. Usually you work ~14, 12-hr shifts per month including every other weekend with additional 1-2 12-hr shifts of call. 30 days vacation per year.
Process takes 12-18months from start to arrival at basic if you get it on the first time.
Can you share the extra responsibilities besides your shift? I read some like admin stuff or teaching enlisted. Hows family/work balance like what if your civilian wife work too or you have lil kids. Or you do your 3-4 shifts a week can you go on short weekend trip without using your vacay? I heard if they need you, you cant say NO. Thanks
floRNda
39 Posts
congrats man! how long did the process go for you?