patrick1rn

Do some research and contact the active army medical recruiter. Here is a secret of you.. The Army is always changing. Nothing stays the same. Regarding this Infantry friend of yours, without specifics I have no idea what he is talking about. If you want to be a nurse in the army, go for it. Personally, I chose to stay in as a medic, evern after my BSN and then earning my MSN, FNP. I have my own perception of Army nursing, but since I was a combat medic in the army and not a nurse, I only have a distorted outside view of them. Some favorable, some not. Some nurses just couldnt stay in their lane and wanted to go out with infantry units so they could "get" the combat medical badge from doing a patrol. Just for fake bragging rights from what I saw. Others were good nurses and cared for the men and women in their lane. I guess it takes all kind.

Here is an update.. My self published book was picked up by a publishing company last December and it is coming out as a E book nxt month. It has been re edited and I am satisfied with the work. It sure beats doing the self publishing route, that was a major headache considering I work 2 jobs. I still advocate for the book because it is about my experiences as a combat medic and I write about important issues such as dealing with ptsd. Its nice to see my book at big places like random house, barnes and nobles , etc.. I am working on my next book slowly .. I have learned my lessons in self publishing and it is best to avoid those scams that advocate for it

I really like the comments everyone has made in this discussion. I dont really like some of the things some folks have said but they are entitled to their opinion. I just find it a bit ironic and sad that the institution created to take care of veterans has a law in place that limits veterans preference. I know some non veteran health care professionals have hinted dislike that a veteran will get preference. Another commented about how veterans cause trouble and so are not reliable. I speak for myself. Sure if you want to push a broom, the VA would be more than happy to apply veterans preference. To me it just proves further how veterans are discriminated in the work place. I dont care if I offend someone with my statements. It makes programs like VA for Vets a big joke.. Why waste the money..

Hello BVFD 333 Thank you and thank you for contributing to the discussion. I want to clarify that it is not about getting a position just because I served in the military. i know about the point system. I also know that the person who did get the job that I did not get was a brand new NP with no experience at all. I have been told that if all candidates are equal, the one with veterans preference should get the position. I have been told this by a hiring person at the VA. I know this is a big lie because of my experience in applying. I was and am certified in the position that I applied for and I have experience working as a NP. You are free to believe what you want to believe, and maybe at the VA you work at is different, but at the VA I work at, it is fairly blatant.

I want to clarify several points: 1. I am a veteran, a combat veteran and retired from the Reserves and served active duty and I have a 10 point veteran preference. 2. The statue that I quoted is true. The VA hospital system has discretionary authority in ignoring veterans preference when hiring qualified health care providers such as a nurses ( RNs and Nurse Practitioners) MDs and PAs and some other health care positions. I did not make this up. This does not mean that someone who is not qualified for a position can apply for the job. That is not the reason for veterans preference at all. 3. I have worked at the VA as a RN and still do part time as a RN, but not as a NP even though I have applied many times to work in positions that I was qualified for. I have worked full time as a NP in primary and urgent care, so I know what I am doing. 4. In any other federal health care position, veterans preference would apply such as working for the military as a civilian nurse or MD or nurse practitoner. Fed bur of prisons, Dept of state, etc. but the va has " discretionary" authority in hiring. 5. I have been told by hiring authorities at a VA hospital if two applicants seek a job and both are equally qualified, then the candidate with veterans preference would get the position. I know that this is a lie since I applied for a position and the lesser qualified candidate got the position. I know this person who applied for the same job as I did and she was a brand new NP and I have had several years experience as a NP 6. This is not a pitty party posting for me to feel sorry for myself.. I know that life sucks and I drive on.. I was a paratrooper medic who served in combat and this isnt anything.. 7. I do want veterans preference to be applied equally when applying for healthcare positions in the federal govt esp the VA and I want this discretionary authority to be changed.. It does not mean that a position will not be filled when non veteran applies for a job at the VA as a MD, NP or PA or RN. I do want veterans preference to apply though.. 8. Sorry Non Veterans, but I served in two wars.. and some other things, Veterans Preference is a benefit for guys like me who served in the military and want to cont to work doing federal service. If your mad that we have veterans preference then I dont know what to tell you. 9. Veterans Preference does not mean that the least qualified candidate gets the job... In order to even apply for a job as a NP or PA or MD or RN, you have to be certified or about to be certified.. as least for RN s and NPs I know this to be true. They dont just hire anyone.. 10. When I say nurse here I mean RN, not LPNs.. LPNs are entitled to the full veterans preference when applying. I just wanted to clarify where I was coming from when I posted the original posting. I enjoy the debate and comments and welcome it. Ultimately though I want this discretionary authority that the VA has to be changed legally. I am a realist though, they are going to hire who ever they want to hire and stack the odds against you if they dont want to hire you.

Work, get experience, get some primary care experience, focus on your weak points and make them stronger and look for the next best thing.

Thank you TraumaRUs for sharing what veteran preference is. You are correct, the VA --- a federal agency whos mandate is to take care of veterans does not have to count veterans preference when it comes to hiring of nurses, doctors, NPs or PAs. I should share that this veterans preference applies only towards veterans when they apply to federal jobs. It is hypocritcal that the one agency charged with caring for veterans is the same institution that does not have to enforce this preference to qualified candidates. I suggest you look at VA for Vets traumaRUs

We need to get a law changed. Title 38 USC 7401 (1) lets VA Hospitals ignore Veterans Preference for health care professionals. If you served as a medic or corpman and want to continue your medical career as a MD, PA , Nurse or NP etc, at the VA hospital, They DONT count your veterans preference. The VA has DISCRETIONARY power to appoint regardless of veteran status. YOU MUST CONTACT congress, the VFW, the DAV and the Legion and both houses of Congress to get this law changed. CONTACT the POTUS also. JOIN me to get this law appealed for fairness in hiring of qualified veterans to work at the VA. Only TOGETHER will our voices be heard. Thoughts ?

Hi Yiggs, The copyright of my book is still in my name. I did not pay this company to pick up the ebook at all. I have an ebook of my book made before , but it was a copy of the same soft cover book. They are changing the cover art and treating it like any other work. I have learned the scams that so called publishing companies charge self published authors and I have learned my lessons.

William75, the Journey was hectic and full of disappointments. I had the idea to write my 1st book based on my multiple combat tours as a combat medic. No, not as a nurse but as a combat medic. I went to a local company her in Indianapolis that also has a self publishing section. I hired two book editors /proofreaders and paid them for their work. I paid for everything: to get the book published, to have it proofread and I paid to have it publicized. I know the story of the self published author, they rarely make money on selling of the book. So I sent the book to several publishing companies. One company that specializes in the genre that my book is in likes my work and they picked it up. They want to sell it as a E Book with a decent percent of the profits going to me, but more to them. I am cool with that. Here is what I would suggest Williams75, transform your ideas into writting, dont worry about spelling or grammer initially, but write down the ideas, then go back and make order out of the chaos. Then go back and clean out the grammer and in correct spelled words. Start finding publishing companies that accept unsolicited authors.. unsolicited because you dont have an agent representing you. Or find a book agent.. what ever you do.. dont self publish. It is not a good way to make money. The company that is publishing my book has the machine in place to market and publicise way more than me. if you dare to self publish, be wary for book distributors that want to scam you. I was ripped off by a company out of ohio that seems legit. The self published way is the hardest way to go. I am lucky I produced a peice of writting that made it !

Maybe nursing is not your calling if you score low on a standard test and that you are being realistic, which is a good thing. In my associates degree program we almost a 50 percent fail rate.

Maybe a spelling error caused something bad to happen

Max66.. Your comment is racist and full of bigotry. As NP you should be better than that.. I assume that your a NP anyway Zenman.. I dont know what theory, I dont give credence to nursing theory.. I should have been a 2 hr lecture class and be done with it.

Thats a lot of work I dont know that your certification as a NA would make you an expert either, have you considereded going for your Midwife ?

Hello Irishman, Thanks for responding. I was a paratrooper also. I earned my EFMB back in 1990/ Sept with the 75th Rangers at HAAF. I retired back in Jan 11. Its also good to know that there are other soldiers who work as RNs in their civilian job and do something other than being a RN in the military. I was a medic, I was a good medic , so why rock the boat..

Another area I am looking into "exploiting" are catalogs.. People like catalog,people buy stuff from catalogs.. it is a win win situation

Hello Yiggs, Regarding content: I will send you an email to answer your queestion , I dont want to violate the comment policy on this place

Get your BSN then join the military

start running, doing pushups, pullups, dips, laying leg raises and situps and get your BSN and you will be fine.

My book is now at the publishers. The entreprenuer in me has to come out now. Regardless of what service you have to offer the public, if they dont know about it, then they wont come to you. I am now on the marketing phase.. I guess this is the final phase because the marketing never ends. I went into the medical field because I no interest in the business world. I guess I am in the business world now.. I honestly dont know what to do. 1. Word of mouth: Doing it 2. Business Cards: got 5000 cards 3. Free PR websites: send press releases to them 4. Facebook: on it 5. Linkedin: on it 6. Blogging: Doing it, to a degree 7. Radio and Television: gonna wait till I have a good in my hand 8. Considering using a PR service: Cost $$$, but gonna 9. Amazon: gonna have my book sold on amazon, Barnes/noble, and IBook 10. Having my book reviewed by several different agencies 11. I have a website for my book 12. Gonna coordinate and do a booksigning 13. Newspaper interviews: starting local at first, I have postcards that I will make to send to newspapers to be used as a press release.. Anyone have any ideas how to get the word out about my book ?

The good thing about being a nurse is that the more education and certifications you get, more pay, more responsibility and less strain on your back ! Get your RN, find a place that your interested in working at, scope it out, understand that some of our female coworkers will talk about you, try to belittle you, dont worry about what they think, other female coworkers are good people. Take it all in stride. Some nurses both men and women ( but mostly women to be honest) will try to make your life a living hell being a new nurse and being a male. Some of these nurses seem to enjoy making peoples lives miserable. Some of the guys are like this too though.. I would like to say that I wasnt one of those guys. I did have a reputation of being imtimidating to other nurses though.. I just wouldnt let them play their mind games on me.. As a Nurse practitioner in a clinic it is a different story now. I have to watch what I say 100 percent of the time, its not like working the night shift as a nurse. but its more of a challenge and with out challenges in life, is life worth living ? Not for me. I guess thats why I do what I have to do.

As a medic who worked in a special operations unit. You all are not the type of people who can obviously not keep your mouths shut about things... That in itself would a reason not to get selected for missions like these. You never know if someone knows someone else at Bragg, even a retired NG soldier.. It would be a good idea to delete this entire blog..

I am glad that you did not take that position why make yourself miserable ? Life is not worth it Bosses are not meant to be liked per say, but definately respected It would be hard to respect a person who know that you are in school and will not accomdate for that Continue your search till you find a position that you feel you belong.. I would recommend doing a little snooping around the floor or ward just to see the feel of the place.. One question and excuse the ignorance.. but what is a NM ?

Any RNs out there in allnurses who have earned there Combat Medical Badge ? Combat Infantry Badge or that Combat Action Badge? Share your experience with me.. on this blog.. I earned my CMB, 2nd award.. first time in Desert Storm I was with the 160th Special Operations Aviation as a teenager.. The 2nd award during Enduring Freedom as a medic with the 76th Infantry. I was an Army medic in the Guard but I worked as a RN, BSN nurse in my civvy job.. I was a NCO.. If you worked as a Army medic in the Guard or Reserve but have your RN and work as a RN and earned your CMB, share your experience, The same goes for the CIB. We might have some infantry soldiers here who are nurses in their civilian job.. or some SF people in the same boat The CAB.. I have mixed feelings about the CAB.. I saw an army nurse wearing that CAB .. ( combat action badge).. I often wondered what that person did to earn it.. I dont know.. Also, while we are the subject.. Did you earn your CMB, CIB or CAB because you were directly engaging an enemy or because the unit you were with engaged the enemy ? I know that this is a touchy subject and might offend some people who wear the awards who have not engaged directly, while soldiers who do engage directly are awarded the same badge.. Again, a touchy subject? I am retired now from the Guard, so dont try to pull any rank ! it dont matter !

I wrote a book. I feel that in writing my book it makes me an entrepreneur. I would not have the credibility and the medical and nursing expertise to write this book. The book itself is not about some new product or some far fetched nursing theory though. It is about my combat experiences as a medic in the Army. I consider myself to be an entrepreneur because I am an independent author. That is really fancy talk that no major publishing company has picked up my book for publication, yet... I have to market my book and present it to people and make it like if they dont read my book, a part of their lives is missing something and only my book can provide them with something that is missing. The marketing alone makes me a nurse entrepreneur. I wrote the book for personal reasons, Im sure if you wanted you could find a link to my website for the book, I wont post it on here because it violates the advertising policy. The entrepreneur has to take risks, my book is my product, I want the public to buy my product and enjoy it and tell others to buy my product. I had to pay for everything up front to have my book published. I had to pay to have it professionally edited and proofread. I have spent hours proofreading it myself, taking it paragraph by paragraph to make sure the reader understands just what I am trying to say. Money and Time.. Alot of money and alot of time.. The book is in the hands of my publishing company now. We are doing the final proofs where they email a PDF file to look at as to what the actuall book will look like and I go over with with a fine tooth comb and review everything. I didnt invent a new medical device per say, but I did invent a new product and I feel that after people read it, it will give them some hope and a smile. Hope for humanity that is.. I had some of my coworkers in the ICU read it blindly and surprisingly, they liked what they read. Most of my fellow ICU RNs are very critical .. they not only work in critical care.. Wish me luck in getting the public to buy my product signed Nurse Author an entrepreneur