Meco

The Guard is very limited for nurse. In the reserve you can specialize in many different areas, in the guard you do not specialize... all nurses are considered med-surg nurses and are basically used as clinical nurses. One thing to considered is that the Army National Guard can get you into a PA (Phisician Assistant) program if that interests you. With a PA degree you can then specialize and even compete with CRNA in the OR if that interests you. My friend works in the ER in my Town and makes well over six figures as a PA in the ER. The sign on bonuses are equal. Right now they are offering $30K sign-on and $50:cheers: K student loan repayment incentives. I am currently pursuing the Army Reserve NC, my packages is just about complete and I have already passed the MEPS portion. I anticipate being commissioned soon!!!

I live in Trenton and Work in the CVICU at Baptist Memorial Hospital. :balloons: I plan on working also as a flight nurse with the Tennessee Air National Guard.

[The web site to the accelerated BSN school I attend is http://www.uu.edu. It is a great program. They are extremely student friendly!!! The name of the school is Union University and it is located in Jackson Tennessee. Ask to talk with Mrs. Kirk, she is the dean.

Are you really from Hawaii?

It's kinda a long story. I was in a ADN program and hated it! It was while I was in that program that I got a job as a "Health care tech" at Baptist and when I heard about this accelerated program I transfered, what a great change! Not all nursing schools are a like and I recommend to anyone who is in a program that is poorly run to try other schools, it made all the difference for me. I am now an Intern and they pay me $15.63/hr with weekend diff. and shift diff. I can work as much as 40 hours a week but who has the time. I hope that answers your question.

Hey dawneyes, I am also looking into a crna program. I graduate from an Accelertaed nursing(BSN) program in Dec. 2004. The school I am attending is starting an CRNA program and so I plan on doing a year in CVICU at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis and then apply to the program. I have been at Baptist for 2.5 years so I have good clinical skills. I am looking at joining the AF also but thought I would get my education out of the way before I commit. But maybe if I was accepted into the CRNA program I would enlist and let the AF pay for my education. I don't think I would join until I had at least applied for a CRNA progam because they may send you out of the country and thus make it hard to get back into the swing of things. The AF sounds great to me and I look forward to serving my country after I get a good education.

Thanks for the reply. I have recently talked with a recruiter and he has answered all my questions. I would like to reaffirm his words with others who have been or are currently in the airforce. I have also found http://www.military.com to be very insightfull. They also have a discussion section. That has allowed me to talk directly to people in the service, especially the airforce. In fact yesterday I was conversing with a airforce personell who just got his BSN and now is going to COT. Thanks again, I love this great country of ours and would love to serve in this capacity. PS My wife as a flight attendent and has been able to give some info. from the first officers and captains that have served in tha Airforce. :D

At Baptisit Memorial Hospital in memphis Nurse Interns make $15.16 per hour. New grads I think make $18.75 and if they have pt. bed side they get another dollar, so most new grads here start out around $20.00/hour. Considering the cost of living here that is not too bad considering some of the other numbers I've heard. Our weekenders-night make $40.00/per hour, that comes to about $50,000.00 /year for 96hours a month. They also have differentials for shifts and weekend, plus they have great benefits, they will match every dollar you put in with 2 dollars. Of course you can only put so much in a year. I am currently a nurse intern their and I am looking at possibly joining the Air force when I am done in Dec. 2004.

Check out this web site I thought it was great! http://community.nursingspectrum.com/MagazineArticles/article.cfm?AID=7906

HOW FAST DO YOU MOVE UP IN RANK IN THE AIR FORCE. IF ,LETS SAY, YOU ARE A RECENT GRADUATE LIKE I WILL BE. CAN YOU PICK YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT? AND WHAT IS THE PATIENT TO NURSING RATIO USUALLY. CAN YOU RECEIVE ICU OR ER TRAINING AS A SECOND LT. OR DO YOU HAVE TO DO THE MED. SURG. STUFF FIRST? THANKS!!!

Can you pick your first assignment after OTS and have it placed in your contract when you sign up? Do to certain circumstances, it would be in my favor to go to Eglin AFB for my first assignment. Anyone have an input. I have yet to ask a recruiter for fear of being led on by false hopes, if that makes sense? Also the Army, not Air Force will pay a $5,000.00 sign on bonus and pay up to $26,000.00 of your school loans whereas the Air Force will only let you pick a $10,000.00 bonus or $26,000.00 in Nursing school loan repayment. I hope that changes by the time I am ready to join!

The latest info. I received from a recruiter was that the age limit was before age 40 and the Army is 46.5, but they may be flexable with such a nursing shortage in the USA. I would like to converse with others who have served or are planning to serve in the armed forces as a nurse. Thanks!!!