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Discussion

Navy Nurse Candidate Program

Hello,

I am in a nursing program right now, I will graduate in May of 2015. I will take both my NCLEX and state boards before I join a BSN program due to the fact that I still have a few semesters worth of basics to finish. I have been researching about joining the Navy. Honestly, the more I research the more excited I get. I can't think of a better opportunity to advance my experience/career than becoming a Navy nurse. I have been wondering an awful lot about the nurse candidate program. I was planning on contacting a recruiter after I graduate with my associates degree and inquire about the program seeing as it is hard to find information about it.

Is that too late to contact a recruiter?

If anyone who is applying or has been accepted or has gone through the program and has any advice or information I would extremely grateful for any help/information you may have.

I know now the program is highly competitive but I am very athletic so the physical aspect is no problem, and by time I apply I will be an RN with a years worth of experience with a good GPA and with high recommendations (I saw somewhere that we needed recommendations?) and I have such a strong passion for nursing, do you think that will help my chances of being accepted?

Once I am accepted into a BSN program I will only have 3 semesters and then I will graduate and I want to sign for 8 years if I get accepted to the program and am able to join the Navy. 8 years is the minimum amount of years I want to serve, but the only way I would serve that few of years would be if something happened to where I was no longer able to serve (such as an accident or something like that). Do you think that would help my chances at all as well?

Any information would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you.

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    • Author

    Also, I plan to advance my education to a Doctorate degree, do you think that would matter at all?

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    • Experts

    I'm AF, but military nursing in general has certain common denominators. They want everyone to serve 20 years (make it a career) and they want everyone to pursue graduate education; the DNP is becoming required for many nursing careers in the military anyway (anesthesia, NP). If you don't at least say something to that effect, it's unlikely they'll accept you at all. Anyway, talk is cheap (cliche I know). Your current behaviors would indicate your intentions. Your long term goals should include the military in them, and you should be getting as many extra certifications as possible (ACLS, PALS, TNCC, specialty certifications, etc).

    Contact a healthcare recruiter once you're in your last year of your BSN. You need 6 months to apply, and an extra 6 month cushion would be helpful. Apply for multiple branches to increase your chances. Honestly, military nursing is 75% the same in any branch. They all beat the hell out of the civilian sector in most cases. There are differences in both culture and some special assignments, but many times you work together on the same unit.

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    I'll tell you this, unless things change, getting into the Navy as a nurse is nearly impossible. They only offered 25 ROTC Nursing scholarships this year….compared to the 225 the Army offers. I'm not sure about the Air Force at this point.

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    I'll tell you this, unless things change, getting into the Navy as a nurse is nearly impossible. They only offered 25 ROTC Nursing scholarships this year....compared to the 225 the Army offers. I'm not sure about the Air Force at this point.

    The NCP program currently has 70 spots from what I've been told by multiple recruiters. At least for my year.

    from what I was told your interviews, and motivation statements matter the most. They mainly use GPA to weed people out and anything above a 3.5 is good enough.

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    • Author

    Thank you for your responses!

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    NCP is a very competitive program, usually it opens and closes very fast... for those of you graduating in 2017/2018 you should start asking your local recruiters at the earliest convenience in spring 2015

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