mebamy

Problem is, they are telling me those guys only deal with recruits who are already licensed such as current nurses, doctors, etc. I guess I need to do some digging on my own and at least try and get in touch with these people.

Thanks for the response. I didn't think that sounded right either. I've tried to get some information on ROTC but from what little I have been able to gather it sounds like you have to be accepted into the school and attending for a year before you can apply? None of the recruiters can give me any solid facts though on ROTC since it's totally separate from them. Shoot, they can't give me straight facts on nursing for active duty apparently! With my money situation as it is that is the reason why I am looking to enlist in the first place. I just don't see how it will be possible to attend a university nursing program (or even community college for that matter) otherwise unless the ROTC info I was given was totally off. I do know for any university I am going to have to take alot of prerequisites I haven't taken yet. Although I almost completed an LVN course (1 semester shy), those classes aren't transferable to RN courses since they are abbreviated and not exactly the same course. Which would mean it would take me a couple years to get those pre-reqs completed while I am working full time. And I figured that's a couple years I could be getting the hands on training and education for free with active enlistment. I'm open to suggestions though if anyone sees something I'm missing! :)

Hi all, I posted here a few months back with questions on enlisting with intentions of getting my nursing license while on active duty. I have talked to recruiters from Air Force, Army, and Navy today and am feeling thoroughly confused and seem to be getting conflicting information so I wanted to ask questions of those who are living it. :) The Army is the only one who can guarantee I will even go in under a medical field MOS (68W). The Army Sergeant stated that he may even be able to get the M6 as part of my contract at MEPS through some connections he has at the base here in TX all Army medical personnel train at. I was skeptical of this but he said if they can't offer it to me at MEPS, then don't swear in or sign anything and come home and he'll work on it. So by the end of the day I was leaning towards Army. However an old friend of mine who is an AF recruiter, not the one I dealt with today, just told me to be very careful with the Army. That just because I am guaranteed the training doesn't mean I will have that job at the end of the day. For example when I get to my field station they could say they had to many medics and they want me to be an artillery mechanic until a medic spot opens up. Because (according to him) with Army you are a soldier first, then your job. So any army medics or nurses is there any truth to this? Both what my friend is telling me and also the possibility of being guaranteed a M6 education on enlistment? As for Air Force, badly conflicting info. The recruiter today tells me that they will send me to school as my full time job for nursing but I have to be enlisted for 3 years before I can apply for that. I believe he said it was OCS but I'm not certain because my brain is mush at this point. I am certain he said 3 years though. He says they can't guarantee a medical MOS either. My AF recruiter friend says he must be new because you only have to be at your first duty station to apply for the nursing program or for officer. So to my Air Force nurses, which is it? I am hesitant to enlist with either AF or Navy if I won't know my job until I'm in and could wind up pushing papers for the next 4 years. I asked to talk to a medical recruiter for better and more definite info but was told they are only for those applicants with a medical degree already. Hmph. And last but not least, Navy. This recruiter didn't tell me much. Said they also can't guarantee a medical MOS and I wouldn't know until I was in whether I would be a corpsman or a paper pusher. He stated I could apply for a Seaman to Admiral program with recommendation. Navy nurses how difficult is this to get into and are there any other routes for someone starting from scratch. My guy didn't seem to have a lot of info. Thanks guys and I really really appreciate any responses. I'm trying to make the best well informed choice I can.

FlytNrs2B...I can't PM but if you are able to please send me a message. I talked to an AF recruiter today and he told me I would have to complete 3 years of service before I could apply for the AF to put me through nursing school. Is that not right? I am leaning towards Army enlistment right now since they are the only ones who can guarantee me a job in the medical field on enlistment.

hybridboy78....If you could PM me I would really appreciate it. I am looking to enlist to get my nursing license and it's looking like the Army M6 option may be my best bet and I would like to speak to someone who's been there. What you posted assures me that the recruiter I talked to today wasn't full of it, but I'm still not totally clear on everything and want to be before I make such a commitment. I haven't posted enough to earn my PM privileges. Thanks!

Hello! This is one of my first posts here at allnurses but I love to troll the site whenever I have questions and could spend HOURS looking around here. Anyway, I'm 24 yrs old and desperately wanting to get a nursing degree. I've known for as long as I can remember that this is what I am meant to do and it was only matters of money that held me back as long as they have. I want to work in L&D, unless I change my mind between now and then. Ultimately a BSN would be nice but I'll even go for an LVN and work my way up at this point. My backstory Until a few weeks ago I was enrolled in a LVN program at a local community college but unfortunately with only 12 weeks to go they gave me the boot. It was a bunch of political nonsense but that's another story... I've been placed on a waiting list to finish up at another school but the way the courses are set up I will have to complete both their fall and spring semesters. For over the past year I've been staying with my folks (I have no hubby, no kids) with plans to graduate in July. That obviously did not happen and now I'm in a pickle. With loans pretty much maxed out from not working over the last year I can't imagine asking my parents to cosign on any more for ANOTHER year of school or continue to live at home rent free since they are both near retirement and money is tight. I don't know much about military nursing but have been reading up on some of the military branch sites. It seems that getting a nursing degree isn't possible without already having your bachelors or being within 2 years of finishing it. Unless I'm missing something. I've seen there's medic type positions which sounds an awful lot like nursing and I would love the experience I'm sure I gain but it's not a nursing degree. :plsebeg: Can anyone recommend how and what branch it is possible to get SOME KIND of nursing degree from scratch? I just can't imagine not being able to go back to school until I meet my dream man and get married and have someone support me through school. With my luck it'll never happen! :chuckle And with as long as I've wanted this I can't imagine giving this up but don't know how I can afford it financially on my own otherwise. Also, does anyone know why the TX state board only considers the Army to have "an approved vocational nursing program?" http://www.bon.state.tx.us/olv/faq-Endorsement.html#faq8 What military branch has an approved nursing program? The Army is the only military branch that has an approved Vocational Nursing Program. Thanks so much! Amy

I'm in my first semester of LVN school, just finishing up Med Admin which I did okay in and now it's time to learn the drugs. We were given a list of about 110 drugs and told that by January we would be expected to know by heart the drugs' brand and generic names, drug classification, usual dose, acceptable routes, priority nursing implications, indications for use/expected effect of med, common side effects/potential adverse reactions, contraindications, and teaching concerns. And all they gave us was a list of the drugs names. I know these are vital things we need to know but there's SO much info out there for each one I don't even know where to begin! I am not very good with memorization and am more of a visual learner so I've gotten by pretty well with flash cards but this is way too much info to fit on a card! I'm so overwhelmed I am just trying to figure out how to approach it! Any tips or pointers would be appreciated! :)

I second that! I'm in my first semester, just finishing up Med Admin which I did okay in and now it's time to learn the drugs. We were given a list of about 110 drugs and told that by January we would be expected to know by heart the drugs' brand and generic names, drug classification, usual dose, acceptable routes, priority nursing implications, indications for use/expected effect of med, common side effects/potential adverse reactions, contraindications, and teaching concerns. And all they gave us was a list of the drugs names. There's SO much info out there for each one I don't even know where to begin! I am not very good with memorization and am more of a visual learner so I've gotten by pretty well with flash cards but this is way too much info to fit on a card! I'm so overwhelmed I am just trying to figure out how to approach it! Any tips or pointers would be appreciated!

My school required that we get a PDA since 3 of our required books are in PDA format. They figured it's better than having us drag the books into the hospital where they seem to get lost. I agree but it wasn't cheap! They're 3 Skyscape products..."A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests", "2009 Lippincott's Drug Guide", and "Nurses' Guide to Clinical Procedures". I am only in my second month and we don't start clinicals until next week so I can't say how helpful they are, but they seem pretty informative and convienent. If money's not an issue. They ran around $50 each I think.

I have been worrying about the same thing! Starting up LVN school Sep 2 and I've panicking about if we'd be expected to pick right up where we left off in AP. Good to know we don't have to know it all.

I've been working as an MA for the last 2 1/2 years and am now starting up a LVN program in the fall. :) I am the only certified MA in the office, the other girls work as MAs but never went to school for their position. I recognize there is a big difference between being an MA and a licensed nurse and would never presume to represent myself as a "nurse". Unfortunately as someone pointed out the doctors often add to the patients confusion, "My nurse will be right in with you." When a patient calls and asks for a nurse I will always tell them upfront that I am his medical assistant and what can I help you with. I'm sure not all MAs correct the patients, but we cannot be held responsible for the dr incorrectly identifying us or patients making assumptions. That being said-no one, regardless of position, should willingly identify themselves as something they are not.