Navy DA nursing

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Aug 14, 2017

Yep, the Navy is pretty dumb (no offense) in this area. To the Navy, RN experience is worthless if you didn't earn it with a 'BSN' behind your name.

That's why I tell people in your situation to join the Army or Air Force. Either of those branches accept diploma/ADN full time RN experience. They just require that you get your BSN before you can join. I'm sure both would love to have an experienced OR nurse.

I would look at the Army and AF, because it could be a sizable difference in your pay with that experience. For example, if you have 4 years of full time RN experience (and at least 1 year in the OR), you would enter with the OR specialty code (locking you into OR nursing) and get bumped up a rank (from O-1 to O-2). That's an extra $500 per month in your pocket. Not to mention that without the OR code, they'll almost certainly make you do a few years of med-surg first.

schertz7 · Sep 18, 2017

I just finished my packet - it took from last Thanksgiving until the end of August of this year in total. Part of the delay was that credentialing would not even begin their process until I had completed my clinical orientation period + 90 days. So yes, it is true that none of your experience counts until post-BSN, but they also do not count your new grad orientation period either or the first 90 probationary days. I had to get a letter signed by my Chief Nursing Officer stating that I had sucessfully completed 90 days post-orientation before they would start validating references, etc. Maybe it depends on who gets your paperwork over at BUMED, but that delayed my packet from end of April until late July. Once that part was over, credentialing took about 2 weeks total - the biggest delay being getting my references to return emails. If you stay on top of your people it may go faster. I'm supposed to go to the board in October so fingers crossed..

As far as where you are stationed, you will still likely be considered a new grad nurse even though you won't be part of the NCP and from what I've been told the "Big 3" are your most likely options for duty station. I've seen posts from other people who have gone to different hospitals but I've seen varying feedback on the outcomes - 1) It can be better for your career to start at a Big 3 depending on your goals - especially if you want to do ICU, OR, ER, etc. 2) if you start at a smaller facility you may end up pigeon-holed into delivering babies or something along those lines for a better part of your Navy career since those facilities often don't have ICUs or critical care floors. I read a blog about a new grad who went to Japan for her first duty station (which I think is not common) but ended up hating it and not signing back up after her first tour was up because she ended up stuck in an OB ward for the entire 3 years. I think you have to ask yourself what your long term goals are and go from there (are you going to go for 20, what specialty do you want to aim for, etc.). I personally plan on starting at a Big 3 regardless of other options given to me because long term I plan to go for 20+ yrs of service and I want to be an ER/Trauma NP and I think that's my best course of action to get there.

There is a US Navy Nurse Corp Facebook page that has been a good resource for me during this process as well.. Might be worth looking up.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2017

Yep, the Navy is pretty dumb (no offense) in this area. To the Navy, RN experience is worthless if you didn't earn it with a 'BSN' behind your name.
That's why I tell people in your situation to join the Army or Air Force. Either of those branches accept diploma/ADN full time RN experience. They just require that you get your BSN before you can join. I'm sure both would love to have an experienced OR nurse.
I would look at the Army and AF, because it could be a sizable difference in your pay with that experience. For example, if you have 4 years of full time RN experience (and at least 1 year in the OR), you would enter with the OR specialty code (locking you into OR nursing) and get bumped up a rank (from O-1 to O-2). That's an extra $500 per month in your pocket. Not to mention that without the OR code, they'll almost certainly make you do a few years of med-surg first.

As a Navy vet (enlisted) this made me chuckle because its so true.

texlak · Sep 24, 2017

It does stink that your experience is not counted as I had over 3 yrs experience with an associates but it is what it is. I was offered five different locations that were not the big three, so yes you definitely have other options, including overseas. Quite a few of us decided to go overseas. All of the new nurses did go to the big three( mostly Portsmouth and Walter Reed).