Nurse "Officer"

Specialties Government

Published

Hi everyone!

I have a quick question:

From what I understand and for the sake of simplicity -- to become a nurse in the military I must receive my BSN from an accredited nursing program and go through the process of becoming a "commissioned" officer. **I have spoken to healthcare recruiters from each branch but what I am looking is some information/insight/experiences from a non-recruiter:

I am familiar with the basic job responsibilities of a nurse, but I don't know much about the duties/expectations from the "officer" side of nursing in the military.

Would someone please provide me with a little insight as to what being an officer is like?

Thank you in advance.

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Specializes in Plastic Surgery / ENT / Head & Neck Surgery.

The general aspect of being an officer in the military is that you will be expected to lead from the front. Throughout your career you will be tasked with many responsibilities in various ranges of importance and you will be rated on how well you do in these roles. You are expected to be the epitome of what the military is. You do this by sticking to the basics of military standards and traditions and holding yourself accountable to ensure the mission is accomplished on time and in a safe and secure manner. Each officer manages their own career. The more squared away you are and the more of a leader you appear to be, the more responsibility you will be given. Succeed and you can roll all the way to the field-grade ranks, fail and you will have a stagnant career. Best of luck in your decision, but remember, if you are not willing to be the best leader you can be (for your soldiers sake), then don't take the commission.

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Thank you so much for your answer and your timely response, Need4Speed305. Becoming a leader and bringing out the very best within myself (and others) are just a few of the many things that have drawn me in to seriously thinking about military service.

I will absolutely keep these things in mind as I continue to consider my options in the military and throughout nursing school (I start my BSN program this fall).

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"commissioned" officer

"officer" side

You may not have meant it to sound like this, but there is nothing quotation-marky or wish-washy about being an officer.

To echo Need4Speed, is a REAL commission. You are a REAL officer with very real responsibilities.

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I appreciate your feedback SoldierNurse22, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. My apologies if I denoted any disrespect.

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