Prior Service w/disability rating. Will it be a factor for Nurse Corps?

nurse2033, MSN, RN · May 25, 2012

Don't have the info you need but you might cross reference with the disabled nurse category. Thanks for your service. Good luck.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · May 25, 2012

It will depend on what your disability is and what the RE code you were given. What you can or can not get a waiver for today might change by the time you complete your BSN.

Mintyfreshness23 · May 25, 2012

Thank you Nurse2033 and Jeckrn for the suggestions! I spoke with a recruiter yesterday and they basically said the same thing. There should not be any problem getting back in the service if the disability does not interfere with being a nurse officer.

I just thought that with a disability rating it might be looked down on when it comes to a competitive program like the nurse corps.

Thank you!

armyicurn · May 25, 2012

For as long as we, as the United States of A are involved in some sort of conflict, you should not have any issues getting into the ANC. Your chances are actually good right now. It all depends on your disability.

Good luck.

Mintyfreshness23 · May 26, 2012

For as long as we, as the United States of A are involved in some sort of conflict, you should not have any issues getting into the ANC. Your chances are actually good right now. It all depends on your disability.
Good luck.

Thank you armyicurn! I appreciate the comment and the motivation.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · May 26, 2012

It is very competitive right now to get into any service as a nurse so whatever you can do to make your self a more rounded person while you are in school will help. The experience that you get while you are in a RN-BSN program will also help.

wibobr · May 30, 2012

I entered nursing after retiring from the USN. I too did the ADN program. After the service I was rated by the VA @ 60% for a variety of problems. As a nurse (ER), the only thing that has troubled me in practice is my back, blown out about a year before my retirement. I thinkm you'lle do just fine!

swiftdr · May 30, 2012

I am a fulltime ICU and ER Nurse in Upstate NY. I have Muscular Dystrophy which causes me to have a gait distubance and causes me moderate pain by the end of a 12 hour shift. I have lived with this disablity my entire life and have served as a Paramedic and Fire Fighter up to 2010.

I am also a per diem Federal Employee through HHS and the National Disaster Medical System's DMAT NY-2. We deploy to natural disasters, terrorist events and National Special Security Events (think DNC, RNC, State of the Union Address, Inauguration, etc....). All members are required to be evaluated and cleared by the team's CMO annually and prior to austere deployments. There often can be no ADA accomodations in a disaster situation like Haiti or post Katrina New Orleans. I must be able to perform all of the required tasks of my job description and function in some of the most difficult environments without any special accomodations for my disability. I am not certain what type of Reserve Corps you are looking into but you need to be able to perform your duties under taxing circumstances often with no accomodation for your disability. Please feel free to contact me via email if I can help you navigate your decision making or for moral support... [email protected]

Good Luck!

Dana

Mintyfreshness23 · May 30, 2012

Thank you wibobr for your response. I will start on the ADN program this fall semester and I hope all will go well. I was looking into the Navy for their Nurse Corps once I go after my BSN, but thanks to all the responses on this blog it makes me look at other options as well.

Mintyfreshness23 · May 30, 2012

Hi Dana! Thank you and I will definitely keep your email if I have any questions. I like the option as a Federal Employee also. Especially of the duties and events that you mentioned. The main reason I want to go the back to the military is that I would like to be deployed at natural disaster sites to help in situations like Haiti and other places. I understand that I would be required to perform my tasks without any special accomodations and I don't think I would need it, I was just curious if it will hinder me from getting into a competitive field with the Nurse Corps in the military/Federal employment. Thank you very much for the information!

Mintyfreshness23 · Jun 30, 2013

Hi Dana!

Thank you for the response about my disability concerns and the military. I like the DMAT type of job where you can be deployed to natural disasters area and help out in that specific field. I don't have any issues performing my duties but I just hope the military doesn't see it as something that could hinder me from doing my duties. I have had my high blood pressure once I was in the military the first time but because I am taking meds daily to maintain my bp, I don't want it to be a reason as to why I would not be able to become an officer. Thank you again for your message, I don't know why I didn't see this comment before.