options for older nurses?

Hi, I'm completely new to the forum and know very little about military nursing. I'm a second career nurse (44 yrs old) with an ADN in Dec 04 (passed boards in may 05) and will graduate with a BSN in Dec 06. I'd like to get a masters or maybe CRNA. Is the army reserve my only option given my age? (I'm only interested in reserves not active duty). Some of the nurses I work with are in the Army reserve but they keep telling me not to join. I'm really interested in the extra money for school. Could someone address the money available for continuing education/loan forgiveness in the reserves and if there is a need for nurses my age. thank you! robin

Robin,

I am a prior enlisted medic in the ARMY. I have been an RN for about 18 years now. I have recently become interested in the ARMY'S graduate program for nurse anesthesia. Having said that, I want to give you my most sincere opinion. IT IS NOT WORTH IT TO JOIN THE MILITARY FOR EDUCATION, DEBT FORGIVENESS. It is worth it if being in the military and getting the BEST nursing experience available is something you are interested in. The general concensus is; and I agree with this, that you'll end up working so hard and so many hours when you are deployed/active that you could have had a full-time job while going to school, or a higher paying job to cover your debt. Forgive me, I am very pro-military but I have to warn you all. I've posted this before and it's true. Most of the MDs I knew when I was in really regretted going that route. There weren't any programs of that nature for RNs other than ROTC that's why I'm telling you about the docs--but same expenses apply now. I was considering a commission for anesthesia training because frankly the Army school is the best. When it was confirmed that you now have to join and THEN APPLY TO THE SCHOOL--well lets just say that I know better than that. Nothing is guaranteed unless it is in your contract. It is a much better option to just get the loans and pay them off when you graduate. For both active Army and the reserves you'd have to take the commission AND THEN apply to graduate schools. Training and experience in the Army IS exceptional in and of itself may be worth it to you--you just really need to think about it. The reserves will help you get your BSN if you are an ADN and give you a stipend as well--since you are almost done--I'm not sure it would be worth it to you. There are bonuses for certain specialties--which I'm assuming you don't have because you are a new nurse. You can talk to a health care recruiter. Remember, if it's not in your contract--IT AIN'T HAPPENING. The Army--active and reserve will take you up until you are 46.5 years old. I think it's very telling that the reserve nurses you work with recommend against it; another thing about the military is that your experience (positive or negative) can be VERY unit dependent. For instance--I loved the Army until I was sent to a poorly run unit. When that happens, one becomes acutely aware that your life is literally in the hands of these people that you may not have much respect for. THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is your freedom for sale; because you'd be selling it. What is your motivation for joining? Make sure you're clear with yourself FIRST. To address your last question. The money available for schools--the liklihood of you getting into schools, etc changes from time to time and is unit dependent. Soooo you see you are finding out what I found out---YOU HAVE TO JOIN TO FIND OUT. Sorry:uhoh3:

And aside from all that, sometimes people in the army get sent places where people, like, shoot at 'em and stuff. Or just blow themselves up and take you with 'em.

Just thought it worth a mention.

Thanks so much for the replies. Why is the likelihood of getting accepted into grad school dependent on which unit you are in? Also, when you say if it aint in your contract... do we negotiate a contract with a recruiter? (sorry to be so ignorant about the whole thing). You've given me great advice and I do have to think about my motivation. I already have lots of school loans but I thought there would be some kind of bonus or loan forgiveness. I would like to get some exceptional training, but what exactly do nurses do in the reserves? I know it's a once a month commitment and then two weeks a year? Would I be working in a local hospital like a VA? ( I'm in Wisconsin if that helps). Thanks again! robin

Thanks so much for the replies. Why is the likelihood of getting accepted into grad school dependent on which unit you are in? Also, when you say if it aint in your contract... do we negotiate a contract with a recruiter? (sorry to be so ignorant about the whole thing). You've given me great advice and I do have to think about my motivation. I already have lots of school loans but I thought there would be some kind of bonus or loan forgiveness. I would like to get some exceptional training, but what exactly do nurses do in the reserves? I know it's a once a month commitment and then two weeks a year? Would I be working in a local hospital like a VA? ( I'm in Wisconsin if that helps). Thanks again! robin

Robin

Reserve nurses have been "staffing" the deployment to Iraq, Afganistan etc. I don't know if you subscibe to military.com but maybe you should. They have a lot of this information. If you are in the reserves you have whatever civillian job you want as a nurse and typically the commitment IS one weekend a month and 2 weeks of active training a year. The reserves have seen some of the longest deployments in the war. You can be deployed at ANY time for however long (it seems) they need you. I say that the schools you may be approved to go to can be unit dependent because for instance: if your reserve unit already has 3 or 4 CRNA's, you probably won't get a spot in school; on the other hand if they don't have any critical care nurses, they may be motivated to send you to a clinical nurse specialist program--you mentioned that you were interested in a masters. I said that if something you want isn't in your contract don't expect to get it because you don't have a recourse if your unit has other plans for you--i.e. it's your worst nightmare to be a med/surg nurse but that's what they need--so that's what you'll do-- if it's not in your contract to do otherwise--so yes, you negotiate these things when you take a commission or renew if you want it in your contract; otherwise you take your chances. I'm not a recruiter and I don't pretend to know everything. I recently got an email from an Army Healthcare recruiter that I will try to cut and paste. Maybe that person can help you out. BEWARE that's all I have to say. In short, the nurses in the reserves get deployed just like active duty. What they do is whatever needs to be done unless they are in their world--then it's just like your life now--except with the knowledge that you can be deployed at ANY time until your reserve commitment ends-- That's a great thing to some people--and to some people it isn't. WHICH OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE YOU? Here is the email of the recruiter.

Good luck,

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