Nobody's ever given me a clear answer on this...

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What exactly do military nurses do???

Of course, like all nurses, I've been heavily recruited all through nursing school and ever since I've graduated, but nobody's ever given me a clear answer on how military nursing works. It's not something that I've ruled out.. you might even say I've considered it seriously. But to me, it doesn't make sense to join the military to continue doing the same thing I'm doing now, which is work in a hospital, taking care of the same types of patients. The only difference I see is that you make less money, are commanded where to live and what to do, and work in a structured environment of superiors, etc.

If I were to join the military, I'd want to do it all out... I wouldn't want to be on some naval base in the USA. I'd want to be out in a desert in Iraq, for example, taking care of injured soldiers. Why join the military to be stuck in a hospital in the country for a few years? Who are the guys out there in the war working as nurses? How do you get that job? Maybe if I get some clear answers I'll stop throwing out a mail flyer from each branch every day. Thanks!

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What exactly do military nurses do???

Of course, like all nurses, I've been heavily recruited all through nursing school and ever since I've graduated, but nobody's ever given me a clear answer on how military nursing works. It's not something that I've ruled out.. you might even say I've considered it seriously. But to me, it doesn't make sense to join the military to continue doing the same thing I'm doing now, which is work in a hospital, taking care of the same types of patients. The only difference I see is that you make less money, are commanded where to live and what to do, and work in a structured environment of superiors, etc.

If I were to join the military, I'd want to do it all out... I wouldn't want to be on some naval base in the USA. I'd want to be out in a desert in Iraq, for example, taking care of injured soldiers. Why join the military to be stuck in a hospital in the country for a few years? Who are the guys out there in the war working as nurses? How do you get that job? Maybe if I get some clear answers I'll stop throwing out a mail flyer from each branch every day. Thanks!

As far as how military nursing works, there is much more to it than just coming to work performing your job and going home. As a military RN, you are an officer and leader first and foremost. As a new grad you must juggle the learning curve constantly improving you leadership and nursing skills. You will take classes and have mentors to assist you in this process. You also play a vital role in training and preparing the hospital corpsmen(or medics depending on branch of service) to be ready provide care to marines and soldiers out on the frontlines. There are collateral duties which are assigned to you which must be done in addition to working on the unit/floor,(ie. education and training officer, safety officer, etc). This is just as a junior officer. Your role will change as you become a more senior officer. As far as pay is concerned and if you make more than your civilian counterparts, it depends on where you are stationed. But keep in mind, you don't join the military just for a paycheck, but also a sense pride and patriotism that comes with the job at hand. If you want to get deployed to serve in Iraq, once you join and make your wishes known, I'm sure your chain of command will be more than obliged to assist you in the process.

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As far as how military nursing works, there is much more to it than just coming to work performing your job and going home. As a military RN, you are an officer and leader first and foremost. As a new grad you must juggle the learning curve constantly improving you leadership and nursing skills. You will take classes and have mentors to assist you in this process. You also play a vital role in training and preparing the hospital corpsmen(or medics depending on branch of service) to be ready provide care to marines and soldiers out on the frontlines. There are collateral duties which are assigned to you which must be done in addition to working on the unit/floor,(ie. education and training officer, safety officer, etc). This is just as a junior officer. Your role will change as you become a more senior officer. As far as pay is concerned and if you make more than your civilian counterparts, it depends on where you are stationed. But keep in mind, you don't join the military just for a paycheck, but also a sense pride and patriotism that comes with the job at hand. If you want to get deployed to serve in Iraq, once you join and make your wishes known, I'm sure your chain of command will be more than obliged to assist you in the process.

That sounds exactly like what people always tell me about military nursing - a lot of vague quotes about patriotism and excessive use of miltary jargon. I have "collateral duties" at the civilian hospital where I work now, and I follow a similar "chain of command". Instead of "safety officers" we have a "fire marshall". "More senior officers" are resource nurses or clinical supervisors. I train "corpsmen" - or as we call them, nursing students or CNA's. What's the big difference save the fact you're in the military? And the pay is the last factor I'd consider before joining, not an issue. I guess my real question should have been how to become a medic... it sounds like they're the ones doing the job I described.

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That sounds exactly like what people always tell me about military nursing - a lot of vague quotes about patriotism and excessive use of miltary jargon. I have "collateral duties" at the civilian hospital where I work now, and I follow a similar "chain of command". Instead of "safety officers" we have a "fire marshall". "More senior officers" are resource nurses or clinical supervisors. I train "corpsmen" - or as we call them, nursing students or CNA's. What's the big difference save the fact you're in the military? And the pay is the last factor I'd consider before joining, not an issue. I guess my real question should have been how to become a medic... it sounds like they're the ones doing the job I described.

What type of ivory tower answer are you looking for? That was a generalized answer to your generalized question. There is not enough time in the day to list out EVERYTHING a military nurse is responsible for. Do your collateral duties require you to come in to the hospital? The ones I listed were just examples of the many we are asssigned. Everyone is a "fire marshall", know the evacuation procedure and location of the fire estinguisher. I'm sure your not refilling them. If you want to be a medic, join the service the same way a high school graduate would, otherwise do as described in previous post.

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Still looking for info? PM me if you are.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
What exactly do military nurses do???

Of course, like all nurses, I've been heavily recruited all through nursing school and ever since I've graduated, but nobody's ever given me a clear answer on how military nursing works. It's not something that I've ruled out.. you might even say I've considered it seriously. But to me, it doesn't make sense to join the military to continue doing the same thing I'm doing now, which is work in a hospital, taking care of the same types of patients. The only difference I see is that you make less money, are commanded where to live and what to do, and work in a structured environment of superiors, etc.

If I were to join the military, I'd want to do it all out... I wouldn't want to be on some naval base in the USA. I'd want to be out in a desert in Iraq, for example, taking care of injured soldiers. Why join the military to be stuck in a hospital in the country for a few years? Who are the guys out there in the war working as nurses? How do you get that job? Maybe if I get some clear answers I'll stop throwing out a mail flyer from each branch every day. Thanks!

I would talk to one of the military health recruiters and request them to put you in touch with a local base where you can talk to the military nurses there.

Good Luck!

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CPT Jana,

I am a civilian contract nurse with the Air Force currently, I have worked with the Army also on contract basis....this is what I can tell you...you do have different patients and different jobs as you could say...also more things you can do, such as techniques and things...military nurses do suturing, deep nerve blocks, they will train you for anything you want to do...alot of those things in the civilian sector is not able to do...

When the mention officer, that is true...it is a def. responsibility...you are in charge people look to for direction and a high level of respect is given to you. You may think it is like being a supervisor at your civilian hospital...it really isn't your troops lives are in your hands...their behavior is your responsibility...

IMO it is cutting edge healthcare and nursing...the military recieves the new medical technology advancements...some of the things that they get are amazing I can't wait to see them hit the rest of the US. Equipment is readily available and top technology for the most part. We tend to have to work under lesser standards in the civilian world.

I know with the Air Force...officers/nurses PCS(moving to a new base) every 3 years. There is a long term deployment about a year and a short term deployment about 4-6 months. After about I would say 1st Lt to Cpt. a nurse can request a particular location or deployment he/she wants...from what I hear about 90% get his/her choice.

When the poster mentioned additional duties...it is much different then the civilian world...because these duties are almost required for you to get a good EPR (that is what we call annual review) however it is much more in depth than just a few points...it is generall very long, I saw one that was 8 pages when done it reflects everything you did. When you have additional duties it is not a small number of people you are educating..I have seen the AF nurses educating close to 100 at a time...and developing his/her education tools, that was really cool I think.

One thing that just occured at the base I work at is...the AF Rodeo..that is where AF from different countries compete with different things like flying particular planes and what not...the Nurses where there first hand taking care of any health related problems, nice change of pace if you ask me.

The choice to be in the military IMO is good for your health also due to the physical requirements one must be able to perform.

Regarding the pay...from what I have been told and see...the base pay is about the same to a little less than civilian...but then you get a housing pay..which in this state depending on rank is anywhere from 1200 to 2000. You also recieve scheduled pay increases and when you make rank, your next rank up...I have heard like close to 1000 to 1500 in pay raises..no cost for health insurance...retirement after 20 years with a pension and health insurance...when taking that into consideration ya it is a better pay scale then the civilian sector.

Regarding the patients...lets see how to explain this..it is different in it's own way...maybe simular health problems however how they are dx and treated is differently, as a nurse you dont have the worry of a patient not getting what he/she needs regarding healthcare...unlike our HMO's. You deal with different things like yearly physical exams and particular injuries requiring special paperwork.

Another thing I noted is the friendships, the closeness of each nurse, the willingness to help eachother after duty hours...it is very family like...afterall you do put your lives for your co-workers.

It is a highly respectful, patriotic career....that you must understand...it will change you...it will make you a great nurse...it will give you respect and understanding...it is a commitment. If you want to do something that is noble, respectful, good for your family, nice chance to see different parts of the country/world..then go to the military. Those statements are not general..they are honest and true to the point!!!

I love working the AF nurses, outstanding group of people. I hope this helps.

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ummm.... I wasn't looking for info, rather was offering to provide some to RedSoxRN via PM.

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ummm.... I wasn't looking for info, rather was offering to provide some to RedSoxRN via PM.

Go ahead and copy and past to RedSoxRN in a pm then...

Annette

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

2 questions:

do actively enlisted nurses staff the VA hospitals?? Do you have to have a BSN to join? I have heard it both ways.

I was also considering the military...but wondering what exactly military nurses do, esp during peace time. Then I found out - I had never really thought of it this way. My nursing school OB instructor was a gung ho retired navy nurse who helped deliver babies for 20 years.. not exactly the type of nursing I want to do. However, it makes sense that the military would need alot of OB nurses since you are pretty much serving the childbearing (but otherwise healthy) population... there are many female soldiers now who have kids while in service and also the military takes care of the family members of the enlisted, health care wise. Mostly, I envisioned trauma nursing, taking care of wounded soldiers, but only a small fraction of the enlisted nurses do that, i am assuming. there are probably more OB nurses than any other in the military. Am I right?

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Most VA hospitals are staff mainly if not totally by civilian nurses. Some branches of the military for sure the AF, is going to utilize civilian nurses more so officer nurses can be more involved in combat medic.

Where I live there is a hospital on a base that servse the military people and their families, that is staffed by mainly military nurses..it is an Army Base,

Where I work is on the Air Force at a clinic setting again same as above...however they are looking at going to mainly civilian nurses to pull theirs out to more combat area's...but that is a good 10years away for the completion of that it is dependant on politics...particular president may or may not want it.

Hope that helps.

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As a general rule, military nurses do not staff VA facilities. VA facilities are federally operated, so many of their nurses are government employees. Some military training programs (such as those here in San Antonio) utilize VA facilities for training purposes - i.e. Mental Health Specialist course.

There are a variety of portals of entry into Army medicine. The Army requires a BSN for commissioning (and therefore full recognition as an RN). Military hospitals do employ non-BSN RNs, just not as Army RNs. Confusing, I know!

As far as what Army nurses do during peacetime - well basically they do the same things that civilian nurses do. We take care of patients with a variety of medical and surgical problems. In our stateside facilities, many of our inpatients are retirees, family members, and active duty soldiers. OB is only a portion of that mission. The Army has relatively few active duty nurses that are OB nurses ~ 137 (and ~38 CNM) of our total corps strength of ~3500. Actually, if you were to walk into a military medical facility, outside of the uniforms, it would look very much like any other medical facility.

Hope that helps. Good luck in your future career!

Jana

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