Navy Reserves vs. Active Duty advice

[L&DinOregon]

I graduated in may of 2014 and have been working in home health and ambulatory care setting since graduation. However my dream is L&D as I hope to become a CNM.

I have looked around at the different branches and for a multitude of reasons have decided that the Navy is the branch that will best fit.

I thought that I had basically decided that reserves were what I wanted (I love my coworkers, where I live etc.). My thoughts were that I would be able to begin working on my masters and stay at home and keep my current job while serving in the military. Getting into L&D where I live is highly competitive and despite multiple attempts and getting close I have not been able to.

However after meeting with the recruiter and beginning paperwork I am reconsidering active duty. My recruiter made it seem that L&D may even be possible as a first station because from what they had seen there is definitely a need in the navy but if not transferring in after 18 months would be highly likely.

I want to see if others in the navy had any thoughts or advice to add to this while i discuss this with my family.

[Don't Tread On Me]

The Navy is in great need of L&D nurses because you are dealing with a healthier population of service members and their partners that that have a bunch of sex. In fact there a number of hospitals that primary focus on L&D; like the new Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital that has 10 L&D rooms. I have heard from current navy nurses and prior enlisted classmates that the amount of experience that you will receive on active duty surpasses what the civilian sector offers. But of course everyone has there reasons for why they want to go either AD or reserves. Just keep in mind that the military as a whole is filled with nurses and the military is in the process of downsizing, so they are very selective on who they select to fill there billets.

[rachingram1220]

I'm an L&D nurse in the Navy! (In Europe!)

The reserves are good for the items you mentioned, but if you are not already in L&D, you cannot go into L&D as a reservist. They will put you in with your current specialty. You could go in the reserves, and work on school like you mentioned, but most CNM/ OB related higher degrees are looking for some experience in L&D, obstetrics etc. The up side is that you only have to do a weekend a month and 2 weeks a year vs. a full time commitment!

I came in through NROTC and as a new grad I was able to go to the high risk OB ward/Antepartum ward and was then able to move to L&D in under 18 months. I was also able to cross train to the NICU and help on L&D when we were slow on the Antepartum ward! But a lot of my coworkers got "stuck" on postpartum or med surg for 2 years or more before they could move to L&D. The Navy's big 3 hospitals-San Diego, Portsmouth and Walter Reed, are great options along with the medium sized hospitals like Camp Pendleton for L&D. I've greatly enjoyed my time as an L&D nurse in the Navy, and there are a lot of opportunities for the Navy to pay for your CNM which I think now is only as an DNP program, or other degrees you may want!

However being active duty, you will move every 2-3 years, you may be deployed, and you are at the military's beckon call when they need you. With any job it has it's ups and downs. Talk it over with your family, be honest, and list your pros and cons. Joining the military is a big decision! I've been active duty for six years now, and I've enjoyed the experience and lessons the military has taught me. I'm getting out of the military soon (just because I want to settle down a little bit but I'm leaving the military with 6 years of nursing and leadership experience, which has already translated into a civilian job!

Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have more questions! Good luck!