Navy Nurse Questions

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I'm sure this question has been asked more than once, so please bear with me. I've been sifting through all the information I can find, but I still don't quite understand...

I've just started toying with the idea of Navy Nursing. I graduate from a BSN program in December. But have very little knowledge about the military in general, less about the Navy specifically, and even less about Navy Nursing.

Specifically, I'm wondering about the following:

1.What are the requirements for being accepted?

2.What is the minimum length for which you can sign up?

3.After being accepted, what happens as far as training? (What kind, where do you go, how long etc)

4.After training, then what? What kind of setting do you start off in, how long will you be there, and do you get any real choice at this point in where you'll be?

5.What about deployments? How often and how long? Do deployments differ for nurses and if they do, how so?

6.What other things do I need to know but I don't know enough to know that I need to know them? :bugeyes:

Thank you so much for any insight. I'm planning on speaking with a recruiter soon, but I want to be a little more informed first. You know... wouldn't want to have “sucker” written on my forehead.

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Hello LCDR Dan and ESN PM,

I am in the process of joining the NNC (doing physical and interviews March 7th 08) and have read all your threads. I have been working as a Nurse Extern for 8 years and as an RN for a year as a pediatrics and rehabilitation nurse.

All I can say is that in my world (civilian in Chicago) pretty much sucks, there are very few programs where they pay for your continuing education, traveling is dependent on if you have PTO time and money to go, I have to pay for medical insurance and pricey copays, don't get BAH, and student loans are killing me!!! Yes I make more as a civilian world but believe me I have calculated how much I pay for insurance, student loans, certification class etc.. and I am making less then being in the military. I want to persue my education and obtain my masters degree free or charge as a PNP, do voluntary deployments on the Comfort and Mercy and just get as many experiences as I can!! My husband was in the NAVY for 10 years and had noting but good experiences so I decided why not join. I know where ever I get placed my experiences will be what I make them to be not the other way around I know what I want and I will not let any bad apples in the bunch get to me. How much harder can it be then dealing with the BS I already deal with? With this being said I would love to have positive mentors as yourselves and I am very intrested in speaking with you both personally. I will be going to visit the Naval Hospital in SD on the 19-21, are you still stationed there?

Let me know how your interview process goes. I am working on my app at this time and am planning on commissioning in Sept if everything works out.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, and Mother Baby.

I'll keep you posted...

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

PEDS-

I'm stationed at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, I'm the Division Officer in the ED. I'll PM you my phone number and would be happy to talk with you. As a side note, I used to be stationed in Great Lakes in 2000-2002, when the hospital was still a hospital, loved the Chicago area. I used to live by Gurnee Mills Mall. Sending you the PM now.

LCDR Dan

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Hi guys! I'm kind of on the fence about the Navy Nurse Candidate Program, and I made a pro/con list and everything (i'm the organized type) but I'm still not sure because it is such a life altering decision. (Background info: I am a female sophomore in the NYU college of nursing which is of course, in new york city and my hometown is Bethesda, MD)

There are many more things in the "pro" column than the "con" column (the "con" column consists of "4-5 year commitment--what if I get there and hate it, I can't just quit like a regular job" and "chance I could get deployed and die"

I'm not worried about deployment because if I am deployed, well, it's the military. Duh. That's not holding me back.

The time commitment is long, but I feel as though I'll be working any other hospital job because my only practical, valuable skill will be nursing once I graduate in 2010. I can't see myself changing careers, and I and not concerned about making more money than everyone I know (I just want to live decently).

Every time I get apprehensive about making the final YES decision, I review my pro/con list and see that it has everything I wanted to accomplish on my 10 year plan (I told you I was the organized type!) This includes: master's degree, world travel, meet a potential husband. Yet I am still apprehensive. I know that I am rambling and not asking a question, but any comments or insight would be valuable to me. Thank you.

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I feel the EXACT same way! I am graduating with my BSN in May and cannot decide about the Navy. I agree that there are many more pros than cons, but like you I am unsure of the time committment and getting there and hating it. I'm not assuming that I would hate it, but what if I do??

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Specializes in Med Surg.

My spring break is coming up, and when I go home (to bethesda, md) I'm probably going to tour the Naval Hospital if my recruiter gets that set up for me. I am just worried I will ONLY hear the good parts about working there--kind of like whenever I talk to my recruiter and she talks up the Navy to me.

I know there are downsides to every job, and I just want to know what they are in advance. Maybe that tour will help me with my decision.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, and Mother Baby.

Hey Metaphoricalcoma and kashi1019,

I was in the same boat as you guys, I'm in the process of being comissioned in the Navy Nurse Corps (March 14, if all goes well) and like Metaphoricalcoma, I too made a pros and cons list and have a 10 year plan such as becomeing a PNP, makeing Commander, travel, and live decently, as well as various other educational goals. I was thinking about the Nurse Corps all through college and now that I graduated I reviewed my 10 year plan and honestly my tie breaker was that I did not want to live the rest of my life thinking "WHAT IF...". Not to mention the DUINS program (obtaining a masters degree, going to school full-time and getting your salary), loan repayment, GI bill, sign on bonus, medical/dental, 30 days vacation...etc. But thats just me, I have been working in health care for 8 plus years and have experienced how unappreciated nurses are in the civilian world and I need a change. In my point of view, why not try it. Yes its 3-5 years you have to commit to, but honestly if you think about it (I did research) if you want to get your loans paid off after you graduate by a civilian hospital you have to commit, on an average 2-3 years for $10,000 to be paid towards your loans and thats if you find a hospital willing to do so. Regarding being deployed, its a chance you have to take, I did research on how many nurse casualtites the military has had since the war begun, and the total is 1, an Army Nurse (details in Nursing Advance March edition, I believe) before that there has not been a nurse casualty since the V war. Also I found out that according to the Geneva convention nurses/mds are permited in war areas but have to be 10 miles away from the war zone and can not participate in combat (anyone correct me if I'm wrong). So there you go sorry for all the info and jumping around if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

For me it's a good choice because most of the programs I've seen in the civilian world only have LOAN repayment, not TUITION repayment. I don't have any loans, but the cost of NYU (it adds up to over 200,000 for the four year BSN program) is putting a financial strain on my entire family (I also have a brother in college). Since the military just gives the money for whatever purpose, it's a much better option. (For example, the government program only pays back loans).

I also have a question about the housing allowance for people who are in the military or know more about it than i do.

Does each person receive this allowance like cash (whatever is left over after paying rent or mortgage they keep) or must it only be spent on housing and whatever is left over the military keeps. For example, if I lived somewhere and didn't pay rent (if I lived with family) could I pocket the housing allowance?

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Metaphoricalcoma-

If you are worried about getting only the "good" stuff, let me know when you are coming and I'd be happy to talk with you. I'll give you both the good and bad. I'm the division Officer for the Emergency Department, ask for LCDR (Lieutenant Commander) D'Aurora. If you let me know when you want to come, I'll block time off for you. Let me know.

LCDR Dan

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I am about to finish my BSN in May of 2009. I've been speaking with medical recruiters for a while regarding NCP. I don't have a fear of commitment, but I do have a fear of over sea deployment. Here are my questions/clarifications:

my recruiter said you spend the 1st three years acive duty at a major hospital, does that mean you are stateside for all three years?

Is going overseas a choice or is it mandatory? for example iraq.

What are the con's of naval nursing? all I've heard are great things, is there a 'catch'?!

If any one could give me some info. I would appreciate it.

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Specializes in L& D, High Risk Antepartum.

Well do not plan on being stateside for the first three years. If you do not want to deploy or be overseas then this is probably not for you. You very well may not deploy for your first three years but there is a very real possiblity that you may deploy. If this at all bothers you than a different career path in nursing is something for you to think about.

ENS Allison

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