Need at least 6 months experience to be Army RN?

[_Skittles_]

I talked to a recruiter back in December and was told that you need at least 6 months experience to join the army as an RN? Is that right? I'm a new grad with my BSN and am a little disheartened to hear this. Does that even sound right or do I need to talk to a different recruiter?

[williams84]

I was told 6 months experience for reserves, 2 years for active.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

Yep, that sounds right. The navy and air force both still take small numbers of new grads. However, it's so competitive that your best bet is going to be working as a civilian nurse for a few years first and then applying later.

[Dranger]

2 years at least for active and they prefer specialties like OR or OB. Even me being critical care with outstanding OERs and 1080s wasn't enough too bring me from reserves to active

[CNASuzy]

Do they require you to go thru basic training? Or can you join and be hired as an RN and start work at a base hospital?

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Do they require you to go thru basic training? Or can you join and be hired as an RN and start work at a base hospital?

Being hired as an RN and joining the military as an RN are two entirely different processes.

When you're hired, you come in as a civilian RN. That still requires experience at this point as the GS is getting more and more selective with budget cuts, just like the military.

Army nurses go through officer's basic, which is entirely different from the basic training that enlistees attend.

[Dranger]

****Sorry correction, DA form 1059...

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

Yeah, the military hires a small amount of civilian GS nurses to supplement the active duty nurses in their hospitals. You basically do the same job when not deployed. However, military nurses generally do all the 'extra duties' (infection control, new employee orientations), overtime, on-call, etc. You also will never deploy or be a manager as a GS nurse (unless you're at a joint VA facility---but that's another story).

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

You also will never deploy or be a manager as a GS nurse (unless you're at a joint VA facility---but that's another story).

Deploy, no--but we do have GS managers at my MEDDAC.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Deploy, no--but we do have GS managers at my MEDDAC.

Yep, same here. Lots of management opportunities in the GS system.