Navy Nurse and Active or Reserve

SanDgroovy · Feb 26, 2012

I'm in the Reserves, from what I've heard and experienced, both AD and Reserves nursing are competitive for all branches. I like having the best of both worlds (military life and civilian life) and I do not mind getting deployed, so I had my sights set on the Reserves. It is a long application process, it took me two years from start to commissioning. I was not selected when presented for my first board because they did not have a need for my specialty, but not everyone experiences that.

HM2Doc · Mar 13, 2012

I just submitted my package at the end of February for the March boards. I'm applying for a 2013 seat. What year are you applying for? You said you have a year and a half left, so I'm assuming you are applying for a 2013 seat, as well? I must admit, it's pretty far in the game to start applying for a 2013 seat. I'm not saying it's impossible, but given that the application process takes so long it's going to make things difficult. i started my package at the start of Nov 2011, and i finished it on the 23rd of February. I did have a knee injury that made my medical screening take FOREVER, but everything else went pretty smoothly. I would say it would take 1-2 months to complete the application if you have no medical issues and you already have your character references lined up (they need to be strong references, too.).

As far as whether to join NCP or wait until graduation? That's a tough one. What I've heard is that joining after graduation can be difficult because they prefer to accept direct accessions (DAs) that have experience in specialties (ICU and Psych are popular ones). They will actually be comparing your resume (a new graduate with no experience) to the resumes of seasoned nurses with specialty experience. You will probably NOT get picked up unless you spend a year or more getting some experience to put on a resume...and that might not even cut it. However, with NCP there is no expectation for you to be specialized because you'll be straight out of school. Plus, with NCP you will have a guaranteed seat waiting for you once you graduate. With DA, you may end up graduating and waiting a year or more to get accepted...if you get accepted. I think it's next to impossible to graduate and go straight into the military on a DA.There just isn't any incentive for them to give you a bigger bonus as a new grad when they could get a veteran nurse for the same price...and they could get a new grad through NCP for even less than that!. So, i'm sure by now you are getting the theme of my mini lecture. NCP is for nurses without any experience, and DA is for nurses who are already established in their profession. To me, it isn't worth it to wait. I'd rather get paid going through school, graduate, take boards, go directly to ODS, and then start my career...seamlessly. But, that's just me.

HeartJulz · Apr 14, 2012

A direct email I received from a nursing officer hope this helps

Thank you for your interest in the Nurse Candidate Program (NCP)! The Nurse

Candidate Program is designed for full time students at a brick and mortar

school (on-line curriculums do not qualify) within 24 months of completing

their BSN degree. It offers a $10,000 entry bonus that is paid in two

$5,000 installments, one at the start of the program and the second 6 months

later. In addition, you receive $1,000 per month given as $500 twice per

month. There are no other financial incentives for this program. It does

not cover tuition, fees, books or equipment. The maximum participation in

the program is 24 months. While in the program, you are officially in an

Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) status. You do not drill, and cannot be

deployed. For up to 12 months of benefit, you are obligated to the Navy to

serve 4 years on active duty and 4 in the Individual Ready Reserve. For 13

– 24 months of benefit, you are obligated to the Navy to serve 5 years on

active duty and 3 years in the IRR. Once you graduate and pass your NCLEX

examination, you are commissioned and attend Officer Development School in

Newport, Rhode Island for 5 weeks and from there you move on to your first

duty station. New nurses are often assigned to one of our medical centers

in Bethesda, MD; Portsmouth, VA; or San Diego, CA, but you could also be

assigned to one of our larger community hospitals. You work with an

assignments officer, which the Navy calls a "Detailer," to obtain your

assignment once on active duty. We do not often send new nurses to our

overseas hospitals.

To be eligible for the NCP, you must be a US citizen, be at least 18 years

old and able to complete 20 years of commissioned service before the age of

62 (so you must graduate from your BSN degree program and be on active duty

by the age of 42), be enrolled or accepted into a full time ( not on-line)

accredited (by NLNAC or CCNE accrediting bodies) BSN program, be within 24

months of completing your BSN, have a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale,

be a full time student in 2 semesters or three quarters a year, and must

pass the physical requirements (female standards available at:

http://www.navy-prt.com/femalestandard/femalestandard.html); male standards:

http://www.navy-prt.com/malestandard/malestandard.html). Here is the site

for NLNAC accreditation: http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm .

Here is the site for CCNE:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/rptAccreditedPrograms_New.asp?sort=sta

te .

Here is the information on our Website regarding the Nurse Candidate

Program:

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accessions/Pages/NurseCandidateProg

ram_Prospective.aspx