Nursing School for Veteran Medics and Corpsmen

[androo001]

There is a national shortage of health care providers, nurses and other professions. There is about to be a HUGE influx of medical personnel trained and experienced in the health care field. They are called Army Medics, Navy Hospital Corpsmen, Air Force Medics and Coast Guard Health Specialists. Very few nursing schools have reached out to these well trained personnel who are more than "ready, willing and able" to take on the new mission: making access to care easier for the millions who need it the most. Imagine making a course of instruction to "pipeline" these personnel to becoming registered nurses and eventually, leaders in the nursing field. From staff nurses in hospitals to nurse practitioners providing care in urban and rural patient settings on the front lines where the need is the greatest. The nursing profession is missing an entire generation of potential nurses as it watches from the sidelines. I've seen "very few" VBSN" (Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing) programs, nor crossover programs to develop programs to get these future professionals. They need jobs and are hungry to do whatever it takes to help others. What is the nursing profession waiting on? Step up to the plate and get it done!

[RunBabyRN]

As a former corpsman, I can tell you that there are other ways aside from VBSN. If you contact programs directly, you may be surprised how many actually offer a veteran's preference. What that preference is varies widely, but for my program, as long as I qualified, I was accepted. Now I have my BSN. This was not limited to prior military medics- any vet would have qualified, but my HM experience allowed me to waive the CNA requirement prior to starting. Additionally, because I am a disabled vet with a high enough disability rating, the VA paid for a year (actually more) of schooling on top of my GI Bill through the vocational rehab program.

You might be surprised at the LACK of a nursing shortage, but more areas than not have a surplus of nurses, particularly NEW nurses. Even experienced nurses are having difficulty finding work in many areas. I graduated in May, and I have yet to find a hospital job. Not for lack of trying- I have applied to over 2000 positions in total. Tell me there's a nursing shortage.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Is it possible we're misinterpreting the question?

Does the OP want a fast track option like LPN to RN.

Military medic experience supplanting some of the basic nursing courses?

[caliotter3]

My school touted special preference for veterans. I found it to consist of the veterans liaison hounding me about my course schedule in attempts to find reasons to refuse payment of my GI bill funds. When this happened, I told them that I was pursuing a double major, was adult enough to decide what courses I needed to take, and that dictating to me my course load made no sense because the semester tuition allowed for X amount of credits, no matter what those "credits" were. My GI bill funds termed out soon thereafter so I didn't have to continue dealing with this office. I never saw any need to seek or need "special" treatment, especially of this condescending variety.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Some states (New York is one) allow military medics to be licensed as LPNs without additional education.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

There are a ton of veteran-friendly nursing programs... especially those in areas that have a significant military presence (like my state). A bit of Googling will turn them up.

There is no room for 'customization' when it comes to nursing/professional standards. Licensure is a function to protect the public, not members of the professions. This means that "RN" or "MD" mean the same thing across the board. Schools just don't have the funds to create customized programs for everyone... they are struggling with shrinking budgets also. The only credible approach on the horizon is the newest trend toward "competency-based" education, but it's getting off to a very slow start. We'll have to see if it is going to be successful.