NaySway

Loved BAMC! Especially the cafeteria food! Much better than the MRE's they forced us to eat while we were in the field!

Oh...I was just at BAMC in July 2008 and as LPN's we were scheduled and worked in ICU and functioned as a nurse. I thought LPN's were nurses. I have battle buddies who are deployed to Germany as 68WM6 and work in hospitals and function as nurses. When they combined the medic and practical nurse courses it was to give the military more bodies to choose from to function as medics seeing as M6's can function as a line medic as well as a hospital nurse. Wow.. things change quickly in the military!!! I can't seem to keep up! I did spend time next to a BSN who received his LPN in the Army, got out, recieved his ADN and when he came back in Active Duty, they still gave him 68WM6. He has completed his BSN and put in a packet for officer. He was told he had to have a BSN on AD side to commission unlike the Reserves where you can commission as an ADN. Go figure!! Please keep me informed!!

I love life as an E-5 Army Sergeant! You can Commission in the Army Reserves with an ADN as 2nd LT. If you go Enlisted you will be a 68WM6. The 68W identifies you as a Combat Medic. The M6 identifies you as an LPN or RN enlisted.

Yeah, I know. But, they are hurting so bad that now if you are already in the Army Reserves like I am, then you wouldn't have to be released from Reserves to Active Duty for your 3 year obligation as in the past. I would attend school in an ADT (Active Duty for Training) status and I would return back to Reserves soon as I graduated with an 8 year Reserve obligation with at least 3 being in a "drilling" status and the other 5 could be IRR. Course, in reality, I would probably have deployment orders waiting on me soon as or before I passed the exam!

I will probably take the bonus cause TA will pay for the classes and Financial Aid will assist with books! I have been eye-ballin the Army Physician Assistant program as well. I need one prereq (chemistry). With this program you graduate with a Master's in PA in 24 months.

http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/Licensing/Forms.asp Scroll down to "method 4" Depending on your state, you may not be able to work as an LVN/LPN using this method but you can surely use the license to complete an LVN to RN bridge program or an LPN-BSN program. There are plenty of LVN/LPN to RN programs and here are two Lpn to BSN programs that I know of: http://www1.indstate.edu/nursing/programs/bs/lpn-bs/lpn-bs.htm http://nursing.ouhsc.edu/Academic_Programs/Undergraduate/Career%20Mobility/lpn_bsn.html

I have been an LVN since 1994. I haven't had a full-time job since 2002. What I decided to do for money and change of scenery is PRN and Per diem. I have so much work that it seems like I work full-time. I have tried staffing agencies but they always cancel you. Hospitals pay little money and want you to take their certification courses to be and LVN II or III. I currently work in LTC facilities, Hospice, and Home Health. I was fortunate enough to find a job through an on-line search where I complete Medicaid service reassessments for the state of texas. It pays 25$ PER ASSESSMENT, and each assessment takes about 10-15 minutes. It is different than home care because there is no patient care involved! Assignments are sent via email and you email or fax completed documents and time sheets in. They have continuous online and telephonic training and are available 24 hours for questions! I don't know what state you are in but this job is great and flexible. I start my LVN-RN bridge program next week and need to be flexible as well as pay the bills. If you are unhappy at your job, sign up for prn somewhere else. That way if you don't like it, you don't have to go when they call and you still have you full-time job.

Join the Army Reserves and attend their PA program. Once you have your 60 college credit hour prereq's it takes 24 months and after the first year you will be awarded a Bachelor's degree and once you finish your second year internship you will graduate with a Master's Degree in Physician Assisting. In the reserves you must make a 6 to 8 year commitment. You can join the Army with NO PRIOR SERVICE up to age 40! If you decide to go Active Duty, your military obligation in 2-3 years. http://www.usarec.army.mil/armypa/

http://www.navyadvancement.com/development/navy-programs/medical-enlisted-commissioning.php http://www.usarec.army.mil/AECP/ Go ARMY! I spent 9 years in the Navy Reserves as a Hospital Corpsman. I have been an LVN/LPN since 1994. Navy doesn't recognize LVN, LPN, or ADN RN's. You must have your BSN. I joined the Army Reserves and I am a 68WM6. The Mike six identifies me as an LPN in the Army. The 68 "whiskey" is comparable to the Navy Corpsman. As an ADN RN you can join the Army Reserves and be Commissioned as a 2nd LT (Ensign in Navy). Or if you are Active Duty, you can check out the Blue to Green program, join the Army and Apply for the AECP program which is equavalent to the MECP program. Only difference is that according to fellow military members who have applied to one or the other program, the AECP is not as hard to get into! FYI, I was just at Fort Sam Houston where the Army Medical Department is and they are preparing for the joint collaboration with the Airfoce, Navy and Army medical departments. It is my understanding that in the near future, all medical training for ALL branches of military will be held at Fort Sam Houston and governed by the Army. If anyone has any better information, please let us know. Soooooo GO ARMY!

I was just accepted into an RN transition program where it takes 12 months to complete your ADN if you are already an LVN/LPN. I spoke to an Army Medical Recruiter and he told me to submit my paperwork starting 6 months BEFORE I graduate RN school for Commissioning. I am currently a 68WM6 in the Army Reserves (E-5).