ldshaw

Hospital corspman getting out of the Navy will find that it is not all that great. If you live in California (which I do), you can challange the LVN board and get your license. Most states only let you become CNAs. If you know any corpsman, you know that we do FAR more than a CNA. You do not get your license in the military, unless you challange the LVN board in California while you are active. It is not automatic. The recruiter lied to you. Funny how they can do that. It is worth every minute to be an HM. My eleven years were the most valuable to my career now in nursing. ldshaw

Former Navy HM as well, 11 years. Now an LVN in California at the Sacramento VA Hospital. LOVE IT!!!

Yes...The traffic is pretty bad. NOT LA BAD...but bad enough. I leave early to avoid it. We have heard that the schools in Elk grove are better than other cities. Our son is 22 months old, so I cant say that I know this first hand. The kids seems to test higher than the other schools around here and I have only heard good things in the paper about Elk Grove. I have been to San Francisco twice. That would be a heck of a drive everyday. It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes to get there on a weekend. You would probably have to leave here at four in the morning or so. When I first got here, the Jobs that stood out the most (other than the VA) was Sutter Health. They had good pay and benefits. I honestly dont know much about the hospitals around here. Kaiser is a major hospital, also UC Davis medical. They have web sites you can look at to see what they are hiring. Also SACBEE.COM is the newspaper web site here and they also have nursing jobs online. Hope this helped LDSHAW

Hi there! I have recently moved to Elk Grove from Rhode Island. Yes...the cost of housing is high and going up all the time. We love it here though. I recently got a job at the VA hospital and the pay and benefits are great! I am an LVN and starting at 21.40 an hour. I am not totally sure what the RNs make, but I am sure it is really good. Good luck with your move

Sacramento California here...I start my new employee orientation on Monday. I will be in the Primary care clinic.

They go through JCAHO inspections like most hospitals. I have to think this is one bad place, I dont think they are all this terrible.

Oh I dont think there is any need to be offended. Many people have never even heard of Hospital Corpsman. Honestly, I did not know what a Hospital Corpsman was till I went to Boot Camp. Perhaps people think they are similiar to Nursing Assistants because they dont carry a degree. The thing is...because they dont have a degree, they are unlimited in what they can do. With the exception of passing IV meds. I sutured patients every day. You will not see that in the civilian community. I did minor procedures for my Doc when he was busy. Again, that would never happen in the civilian world. I loved being a Corpsman and learned so much. I took the NCLEX-PN in California and passed the first time. I passed that test due to my expierence as a Corpsman.

84 is just fine to be a corpsman. If you want to go into the field, you would go to Field medical school right after Hospital corpsman school. When you go to Meps, dont let them try and sway you as far as picking schools. Tell them you want to be a Corpsman and you wont join unless they give you that school. You will often hear, "that school is full, what else do you want to do"? Just say, I will join when it opens up. You will get your school, but you have to deal with these guys hard. They want to send you to the schools that are wide open and the ones that no one wants. Just stick to your guns and you will get it. Once you get to HM school, then you can tell your instructors that you want to be a field corpsman. You will almost always go to field school anyway, all corpsman now go to field school after HM school. Hope this helped.

I was in the Navy for 11 years, nine of those years I was a Corpsman. Depending on where you would get stationed, school can be hard at first. Most Hospital Corpsman dont go to ships right away, most go to Hospitals. Again, depending on where you work, school can be hard. I worked in a small clinic for five years and school would have been easy. Honestly, with the current mess our military is in right now, you may end up in a great place like San Diego Medical center or a place like Cuba taking care of the terrorist prisioners. I would not totally agree with the last post that Corpsman are like nursing assistants, we were far more. In the Navy you dont have a license, so you are allowed to do as much as the RN or Doctor let you. In my last job, I did surgical (minor) procedures on my own. Removing skin cancers and suturing. I loved it. In the emergency room we were allowed to do anything except pass IV meds. It is a very exciting and wonderful job. I got out for a few reasons, Cuba being one of them. Just not for me. Now the last post was right, you can get out and become an LVN in some states with out taking any further education. To make a long story short, if you want to become a Doctor, just go to school now. That way you wont have to worry about where you work or where your stationed. If you have any other question please PM me. LDSHAW

One thing I was thinking about regarding this story was... What if her religon had something to do with her decision, would they still charge her with murder? I dont know if that was the case at all, but just a thought.

My mother lives in Palm Springs and let me tell you...they do not pay well at all. You would probably be taking a pay cut to move there. Eisenhower is a great hospital, I am not sure about the others. The problem with Palm Springs is...One, the cost of living used to be low, not any longer. They are still paying for that low cost of living, though it is not cheap to live there. Are you an RN? I am not sure what you are making now, but of all the areas in Southern California, I would bet that Palm Springs is the lowest pay scale. Hope this helped some. LDSHAW

Hello there...I was wondering what life was like at the Sacramento VA Medical Center? Is it a nice place to work? Thanks

Could someone give me some insight into the average pay scale for LVNs in Sacramento? I have had two job interviews and the pay seems SO low. Per Diem is high of course, but I was looking for full time. With the cost of Daycare, why work if my whole check will just pay for daycare? If I could know what some of the others in the LVN field are getting perhaps I can have more fuel in the interviews. Thanks LDSHAW

Well to be totally honest, I had some GREAT Officers and some well....:chair: not so great. I worked in the Emergency room for two years and the reason I left was because I had it with some of the nursing staff. SOME of the nurses were the type to let the corpsmand do EVERYTHING. Now, I didnt really mind this, it kept me busy. But when I needed help, it was not there. For example, I had a patient who was Mentally handicap and also physically handicap. She was 38 and her elderly father was her main care giver. She had not gone to the bath room (stool) for three weeks and he brought her in to the ER in the early morning hours. I came on to work at 7:00 and after many stool softners, she was ready to go. At the time she was my only patient. I walked in to introduce myself and get vitals when she "exploded" all over the place. I got ready for business. After cleaning her up and the area, she did it again. Well I was covered as well as the curtains. My nurse walked in and read me the riot act. He said "why have you been in here so long?" Two patients had been placed in our area, non emergent patients at that. He was mad that I had not gotten initial vitals on them. I was standing there in crap and he was upset with me. All the while he was eating breakfast with the other nurses. After two years, that was it, the last straw. I went to Dermatology and no nurses. I will say that most Navy Nurses are better than that. Some just take advantage that Corpsman can do so much. Corpsman dont have a license and can do just about anything. wow...I went on and on...sorry

Just out of curiosity, does your son know what he wants to do after boot camp? I made the biggest mistake when I joined in 1992, in not picking out a school right away. I was a non designated seaman for two years then went on to Hospital Corps scool. I really feel like I wasted that first two years. They made it sound so great (hehehe), but how terrible it was. I cut grass and painted the CO's fence. In order to go to HM school, I needed 90 hours On the job training. Of course my LPO would not let me go during working hours (too many lawns to cut), so I had to work in Medical during my lunch break. It took me forever! SO to make a long story short, picking out a school when you join is the way to go. I hope he does well and makes the best out it. Ldshaw

Thank you so much for the great advice. I actually have nine years experience in nursing, but I was active duty Navy. This civilian stuff is all new to me. Thanks again! Ldshaw

I have recently passed the NCLEX-PN exam and have been looking for work. Lots of jobs state...Per Diem. One person said it was where you dont get benefits, but you set you own hours. Is that correct? If I wanted to work one hour one day and 8 the next, no restrictions? Could someone please explain how this works? Thanks so much!

Rollingstone...Did you become a nurse after you got out of the Navy? Did you become an RN or LVN? Honestly, I love that fact that California allows us HM's to become LVN's with out going through civilian college. I would love to go back to school and become an RN, but it is just not the best time. I need to work right now and school will have to be on the back burner for now. I have to kick myself for not going to school while in the Navy. I certainly had the time, no excuses, just not interested. Now that I am a civilian, I really regret not going to school. I was in the Navy for Eleven years and worked in a clinic for seven years. I could have easily taken classes after work. Well, not much I can do about it now right. I am glad to hear from so many Corpsman, makes me feel not so alone on here...:)

I was stationed in Seattle from 1992-1994 as a seaman then went on to HM school in San Diego Oct 94-Feb 95 I was stationed in Portsmouth VA from Feb 95-Sep 98 Then went on to Dermatology Tech C School I was stationed in Newport Rhode Island from Feb 99-Sept 03. Now here I am in Sacramento as a new LVN. Civilian life took some getting used to, but I love not having duty and being away from my family. This is great!!!

Hello there! Nice to know that some Navy folks are on here. I got out of the Navy in September as an E4 HM3. I actually got pushed out the door because I didnt make E5 in 10 years. The advancement system in the Navy is terrible and the HM rating is the worst! I was really nervous at first and not sure what would happen in my future. Passing the NCLEX-PN exam made me feel at ease. I am now able to get a job and see how things work on the civilian side. I am excited about my future now and ready for it. Most of my friends in the Navy are now getting deployed and leaving their families. I am really glad I am out and able to take care of my 20 month old son. This is the best for us all! I am new to the Sacramento area, and not familiar with the cities around it. I have heard of Auburn, but not sure where it is. I am from Southern California, so this is all new to me. Northern California is so different from the south. It could be its own state. I like it tough. Thanks for the Welcome. Ldshaw

I was just wondering if any Navy Hospital Corpsman were on this site. I just got out of the Navy and have passed my NCLEX-PN exam. I would love to talk to any current or former HMs that have passed their test, and what they are up now. LDSHAW

Just so you know...They have changed OIS in the past year. It is not as easy as it used to be. I was stationed in Newport Rhode Island for the past five years and know an Officer who is in charge of the OIS students. They have made the training much harder and no more liberty weekends. I just would hate for you to go and then be in shock when you realize it is not going to be a walk in the part. OCS is still much more difficult than OIS. Just FYI Good Luck

That is a great question! I too just passed my NCLEX and am searching for the right path. I was a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy for 11 years, but civilian nursing is all new to me. Perhaps some of you more expierenced nurses can give some advice. Thanks

It took me two weeks to find out the results of my NCLEX-PN exam. I too checked the on-line verification. I am still not on the on line verification site. When I found out I passed, I had to send 100.00 dollars and this paper back to get my license. That was just last week. So in short, you may have to wait it out for a few weeks. The computer wont help you much. I know how you feel.

Thank you so much!! You have been more than helpful. I drove to Vacaville (Correctional Medical Facility) and it took me over an hour to get there. I dont think I want to drive that far everyday and deal with prisioners on top of it. I dont think this is for me. Thanks again!