vls09

Congrats asilv :) I've also been accepted and will be going. Everyone reading this who is part of our cohort has probably already noticed the mass email from the program yesterday so now at least we have each other's email addresses, though I'm sure we'll also get to meet at next week's orientation.

Sw88tpea, thanks so much for starting this thread - it's been a huge help for me, and I'm sure countless others, who are considering Navy nursing. Also, glad to see another Oregonian on here right now :) I'm currently using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to go back to school for a bridge MSN at a large brick and mortar state/public university. I've got about 10 years in the military, both enlisted and commissioned, the majority of it active duty, but none of it in the Navy so this is all new to me. I assume I'd be a new grad RN in the Navy because most of my healthcare experience as an RN is part time (less than a year cumulative, all prior to BSN/MSN). Can anyone tell me if I can apply for the USN NC and ODS while I'm still a student in my nursing program? Because my bridge program is only two years long and the USN only reviews nursing applications once a year in September, if I don't apply by the September deadline this next summer (2013) I will have to wait until I've already completed my degree and been a practicing MSN/RN for a year. I'd do this anyway if I don't get picked up the first time around, but obviously I'd like to be able to go to ODS and start my NC career as soon as possible after I finish in June 2014. So, long question short: Can anyone tell me if I can apply while I'm still a student? In my case, I'd be half way through my degree program, applying for the Sept 2013 board while expecting to graduate in June 2014. I DID ask this question with a Navy recruiter and he seemed confused, and told me he'd "get back" to me. Haven't heard back since then. Also, second question - does anyone know how the Navy determines prior service for someone in my situation? I have 6 years as an officer and 4 enlisted. I'm currently an O3E and I'll be in zone for O4 around the time I finish my MSN (I just turned 30 recently). I am guessing I'll have to take a demotion to O1E (rest assured, I'm totally willing to do this!) but can anyone tell me if I'll promote to O2E any faster? Thanks so much! If there are any NC folks on here that have the time right now, would you mind if I message you with some other questions?

I'm also an American RN and after visiting Australia twice in the last few years I have been considering emigrating and living somewhere in Oz for a few years; not a permanent move, mind you, but a few years living and working in a new place with some new perspectives and experiences. I've encountered a LOT of anti-Americanism overseas (particularly in Europe, which was the worst) but I didn't encounter any in Australia, although I was only visiting for 10 days each time. I must admit, reading through this message string and seeing other people's comments and experiences makes me a little more concerned about going to Australia for a few years as an RN. I don't expect Americans to be loved anywhere (heck, I live in America and sometimes I get sick of Americans) but outright hostility towards Americans in the workplace and discrimination when it comes to things like renting a flat sound totally ridiculous and disappointing. The true shame is that I have worked with Aussies in the US and overseas in other countries and we all got along great. I'll end with this - if what nursegirl62 says is true, I completely understand her apprehension. If a physician screamed "YOU AMERICANS ARE RUINING THE WORLD" to me in front of patients, randomly, I would be just as horrified and disgusted. Contrary to the implications of some posters on here, nursegirl62 never once stated or implied that 'merrica was better than anywhere else, and despite the common stereotype and misconception I've found a lot overseas, not all Americans think they're better than everyone else. Nursegirl62, I'm sorry you experienced hostility and stereotyping in Australia AND on this forum - the reactions and mannerisms of some of the posters on here make it clear that what you experienced probably wasn't unique or a fluke.

This just keeps getting weirder and weirder...

kmcg, thanks for the info - that explains why I have not heard anything. I hope the first person who actually hears something definitive (reject or accept) will post on here; I think it is fair to say everyone on here is in a similar situation. Good luck again to everyone :)

Congratulations for at least getting on the waitlist and good luck - all the best :)

crs, you are not alone. It is now Feb 18th and I still haven't received any word at all; I called the graduate school yesterday and was told that my decision letter had not been mailed and had not even been scanned yet by the school. At the time I did not understand what "scanned" meant and I had assumed they would snail mail me something - since the last few years it appears they sent snail mail letters and I'd not heard anything about emailed decisions. I am guessing initial decisions were made and went out several weeks ago. I mentioned I knew someone who got in as early as 3 weeks ago. It is very odd that no one on this board has heard anything - I am just as confused but it appears if accepted/waitlisted decisions have gone out, those of us who haven't heard anything by this point have been rejected.

Not a word. And yes, it is very strange - no update on their website, no email update, etc., even though decisions were made 3 weeks ago at the end of January (according to their timeline). But I figure no news is better than bad news. It is possible they have admitted a "first round" and are waiting to find out who declines before they reject or waitlist everyone else. Who knows, they might have even interviewed this year, just not anyone posting on this board since none of us have heard anything. Just a guess.

Last year decisions went out on Feb 11th and there was a status update posted on the MEPN website once decisions were made. So, I keep checking the website, but nothing so far. I don't want to call the office to ask because that seems counterproductive if they are this busy. Given that last year they didn't use the CAS and they did conduct interviews, I guess we can't really go by anything that happened last year in forming our expectations.

Haven't heard anything yet; tomorrow is Feb 15th so we've now got two weeks left in the month. I did notice some minor aesthetic changes to the MEPN website, although I expect more changes this spring with the DNP requirement for new NP's effective in 2015 and the MEPN being a 3 year program. The FAQ reflects some new changes but it still says that interviews are required for admission and only the "top 30%" will be initially contacted for an interview. I sure hope that isn't true!

I guess this wasn't the week.. I'm hopeful for next week!

Wannabe - no idea on most of that and I know they'd rather not have most of that stuff published in public for privacy reasons - it wouldn't be that hard to figure out who is who if/when we all matriculate in the summer or fall. I'll send you a private message.

wannabefnp: I agree about postbacs maybe finding out sooner. I wonder how that guaranteed interview part for postbacs worked out given that the MEPN program didn't have interviews this year. Still no news on my end either. I wasn't aware that mid-feb was the expected date, sounds like it could be any time in the next week or two; the only info I got was that decisions are made in january, sent out in february. At this point I would just be happy to get wait listed.

Any news? Nothing on my end so far.

Decisions have already started going out... I'm out of town and won't be home until mid-week, but I just heard from someone who found out at the end of last week that they got into the MEPN program. Has anyone else heard? Not sure how it is being done - whether all decisions are being mailed at once or whether it is on a rolling basis. Either way, if you haven't heard yet, you should soon - good luck to everyone!