TBROOKS550

Thanks for everyone's replies. I get discouraged easily. I have wanted to be in the Army since I was a kid, but other things always got in the way. Now I am ready and the weight issue is looming over me. I'll just keep trying and keep my fingers crossed. I think that if I can get back in shape and join, the Army is a pretty good way to make sure that it stays off!! :wink2:

Thnaks for the replies. My biggest concern is whether or not they will completely turn me away if I am at all over. The requirements for my height (5'6) is 150 with my age being 32. If I were to, hypothetically, go into MEPS and be 160, for instance, what would they do? Hopefully this won't happen, but I just want to be prepared incase I can't get it all off before it is time for me to go. Thanks again!

Hi, I am currently an LPN and will graduate with my ADN in May. I would like to join the ANCP after completing my ADN while I finish my BSN. My question: I have had some issues with my weight (big issues!) I am working hard to get the weight off, but I want to know when would be appropriate to talk to a recruiter? I don't want to go in overweight and have them laugh me away. If you are AT ALL overweight, will they send you away, or is there some leverage. I have heard about the "fat boy" stuff from my Army brother-in-law, but I don't know what that means!! Help!!!

I have been a hemo nurse for 10 years. The staffing that you guys are discussing is appalling. I would not put myself into a position to work for a clinic with such negligent patient staff ratios. Regardless of whether or not the nurse manager is in the unit (they usually don't count in clinical staffing numbers) the clinic should not be staffed with only 1 nurse for that many patients. Max patient staff ratio should be 4:1. In my clinic there is 1 nurse and 1 tech for 8 patients. We also have the clinical manager and a charge nurse. If you are unable to get satisfaction from your manager regarding your concerns, I would go over their head. Also, it doesn't hurt to talk to the nephrologist that is in charge of the patients. They have alot more pull in the units than most people think. Also, for the person that remarked that they are "really good" in emergencies: there is nothing like a code in a dialysis unit. That is the best time for other patients to go bad. You may be able to handle the patient that is having an emergency, but can you handle the other 20+ patients who are freaked out by the situation? Good luck, makes me feel lucky for the clinics that I work in!

I agree that the SC salary seems kind of low, but it will depend on the cost of living for that area. I live in the Kansas City area and some agency nurses make up to $50/hr. The cost of living is pretty low here. Dialysis nurses generally make decent wage here (at least $24 depending on experience)

Hi, I am currently an LPN and I will be graduating from my ADN program in May. I have been talking to a cyber recruiter about the Army Nurse Candidate Program that pays you a stipend while you finish your BSN. Does anyone know how that works. Do I go to the Healthcare recruiters to sign up right after I finish my ADN or before? What do they look at when you sign up besides your education level and physical fitness? How long does the process take after you meet with the recruiter to get the ball rolling? Do you swear in before the BSN is completed or after? I am so confused. I feel like I am driving the recruiter crazy. I am just trying to get my ducks in a row before I apply to the RN-BSN program. Thanks!

If you are squeezing the bag, does that mean that you aren't returning the blood through the air detector?