ArmyKitten

There are several classes held throughout the year.

Yes, but in reverse of what you are doing now. I was a phlebotomist while working on my RN. I worked where you describe- mobile drives and in the center. I absolutely loved my job. Donors are generally happy people- they want to be there, they want to get stuck, and they have wonderful healthy veins. The center I worked for was great to it's employees, and we all believed in the mission of supporting our community. As much as I absolutely loved it, that job is not for everyone. The hours were very erratic. Some days were 4 hours, others 16. Our mobile drives were sometimes 3 hours away, so you would go to the center, get on a van, drive 3 hours, do the drive, then drive home 3 hours. Granted that you were paid for your travel time it was nice to be paid to nap on a van....but still. If I was married at the time the job would have been much more difficult and I would never do it if I had children. My favorite part was the variety of people and places. High schools, churches (everything from Baptist to Amish), dental clinics, factories, Walmart parking lots... every day was a different place with different people. Once you stick your donor, you have 15 minutes or so to chat with them...so for people that love to hear stories and talk you will think you are on vacation. The downside (or upside, depending what you are wanting in a job). It is not hard...it is not mentally challenging. The rules for donation are very clear cut and highly regulated by the CDC and FDA. The use of critical thinking skills is incredibly rare. As a charge, you are responsible to get your team there on time, set up equipment appropriately in the area provided, ensure your team performs their job per protocols and that no donors are injured in the process. As much as I loved working for a company that was so positive, so encouraging, and with a job that was fun- I would never, ever, ever work there as a new RN grad. The clinical skills that you have learned will be gone, and returning to any type of clinical job will be difficult. With that said- I want to return to blood banking after I am tired of bedside nursing. My ideal new job would be an assistant director of nursing at a blood center...and eventually move up to DON. Good luck with your decision and on NCLEX results...hang in there, I know waiting for results can be tough!!

The 67-9-1 and 67-9-1a? I didn't have mine ready when I reported for my first assignment- which was fine. My head nurse provided me some copies of examples from previous staff to assist in completing mine. It seems as though the 1LTs and the CPTs give copies of their old forms to the 2LTs, but the catch is that you have to ask. I have aquired a folder of 10 or so examples of clinical nurses, PROFIS nurses, and PROFIS during deployment. I gladly pass off copies to anyone that wants them. Ask around on your ward to see if you can find a similar situation.

I was 25.

I forgot to add- I often chart a FLACC score along with the pt's verbal reply to 0-10 scale. This covers me, and gives better info to the next nurse when evaluating the pts pain. They can say they are a 9/10, but if they are smiling, talking on their cell phone, eating a double bacon cheeseburger and watching TV- that extra bit of documentation is needed.

When asking about pain, I normally word the question this way (keep in mind most of my pts are soldiers): "What is your current pain level, on a scale of zero to ten, with zero meaning pain free, and ten meaning the absolute worst possible pain imaginable, such as a jeep parked on your kneecaps". Most of my pts rate their pain number high too- so I will look at the charting from the previous shifts to see what they have been rating their pain over the past day or so. It isn't so much about what the number is as it is if that number is increasing or decreasing, and if that number is considered to be "tolerable" to the pt or not.

I was not aware that ROTC commissioned new nurses are still not attending BOLC II. When I commissioned in 2005 I was told that they (nurses) would start attending in 2006. Obviously this is not happening yet. ROTC requires that ALL cadets participate in "Warrior Forge" summer training at Ft Lewis, WA. This occurs between your junior and senior year of college, obviously prior to commissioning, and is considered part of BOLC I. Gennaver, our OBC 2 week nurse track included TNCC, but the TNCC course is only 2 days. What other trauma courses are they giving you during your nurse track? I had heard a rumor of nurses attending TCMC, but after going through the course as a nurse it really doesnt apply to us as much since we are Level III and not providers. Then again, the training was excellent and is great for any soldier- provider or not.

ROTC and OCS are two different methods of obtaining a commission as an Officer. You do one or the other, but not both. BOLC I: Your ROTC program, including summer training at Ft Lewis Washington. BOLC II: Training after commissioning, but before OBLC. BOLC III: AMEDD actually calls this OBLC, and not BOLC III. Takes place at Ft Sam Houston for 7 weeks. Nurse Track: 2 weeks at the end of your OBLC course at Ft Sam Houston. I have not heard of 66N, most new grad nurses (if not all) are 66H (Med/Surg). As far as if your relationship will work- depends on how much you are each willing to tolerate and how you handle the situation. It works for some, but not all.

Yes, same course. The Docs and PAs would attend this course while the Nurses attended TNCC. The current PAs in your course probably have not attended yet since they are new to the Army. Thank you though, I am looking for those that have already attended. Good luck on finishing OBLC. That was the most fun 4 months of my life! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

You do not need a license for the same state you are practicing in. You do have to be familiar with the board of nursing rules and regulations for the state you are practicing in though, and not practice outside of the scope of practice limited for that state. Wow, how many times can I use the word "practice" in one post...

Anyone attend the Tactical Combat Medical Care Course (TCMC) course at Ft Sam? The course is normally for PAs and Docs, but as a soon-to-be-deployed RN I was able to get a slot for next weeks course. If you have taken the course, any suggestions/advice? I admit I am incredibly excited to get to practice things that RNs dont normally do- like inserting a chest tubes. Goat lab should be fun :)

Thanks for the great book suggestion and advice...I will certainly look into it! It may be on a "simple" level...but sometimes it is the little basic things that we need to remember the most. Thanks again!

Even if you have your RN license, if you are enlisted you are only allowed to practice within the scope of practice for LPN/LVN. Personally, I wouldnt sign anything that didnt say you would be allowed to be a 68WM6- because they may make you just a medic, and not allow you to be a nurse.

I wish you all the best of luck in obtaining a position there. I hear it is a wonderful hospital to work at- in a great area- so much so that it is one of the most requested by Army Nurses. I know that my facility (Not Madigan) does not hire civilian new grads- but for your sake I hope that MAMC does. If you have spoke with the nurse recruiter and she is aware of your GN status, you may be okay. Good luck to you!

I graduated with my BSN 19 months ago. I work on a busy Med-Surg, Tele, and Ortho ward. I have around 120 hours of CEUs since I graduated, from ACLS, PALS, TNCC, EKG classes, inservices, etc....yet I feel that I am loosing much of my nursing knowledge. I remember being told by a nursing instructor that when you take the NCLEX is when you have the greatest amount of nursing knowledge (book knowledge, obviously not skill knowledge). I now feel that is true. When I float to work in the ED, pts there really give my brain a challenge. Obviously as nurses we can not work *everywhere* to maintain knowledge in all areas, so we must suppliment it somehow. I also can not change the area that I work in (military)- so what CAN I do to keep up with everything? I eventually want to go into ICU (specifically trauma/neuro)- so how do I keep from loosing what I have? Am I just not challenged enough? I would love to start my MSN, but because of my current job I can not for a while. Any suggestions on what else I can do? Book suggestions? I will soon have LOTS of time to read.

I love having students; then again I am starting my Master's in Nursing Education because one day I would LOVE to teach and have my own clinical class. Here are a few tips from someone that loves to precept: 1. We often have little or no notice you are going to be there. While students are not a problem, it often can cause massive changes to our schedule and to-do list that is already 9 million items long. 2. Keep up with me. Yes, it feels like we are running. From the pt room to the pantry to the supply room and back again. This is my entire day...laps around the ward. Just join in to what seems like the never ending game of tag, and follow along. Besides, you are there to learn to do nursing things, not for me to show you where things are in the supply room. Let me grab what we need so we can spend more time doing the lab/procedure/etc. 3. If there is something for you to do (IV, lab, EKG, etc) and you are not around, I don't have time to find you. Nothing personal, but I MUST get the task done in a timely manner. It will already take me twice as long (or longer) to allow you to do it (and that time I can afford), but I can't go find you also. I know the care plans suck, but if you spend your entire clinical with your head in your book in the break room you are going to miss out on the skills practice. 4. Ask questions. Lots of questions. Big questions, silly questions, just because you are wondering questions. Questions let me know that you are wanting to actually interact and learn. If you don't ever talk to me, I probably won't say much either- and I don't know what to teach you. 5. If you do something stupid or unsafe, I will stop you. Instead of getting upset, figure out what it was that was wrong and WHY. Learn from it and move on. It isn't personal- I was just looking out for the pt (or yourself). We all make mistakes, so don't let it kill your motivation for the day. 6. If there is a skill that you really want to do, let me know- and I will try and find it for you. Want to put down an NG tube? I can set you up with another RN for that skill so you can do it. Communicate what you want and need, and I will try and accommodate.

Not sure if they changed it in the past year, but as of March 2006, 60 was still the minimum at OBC.

That isnt the ONLY way. I took the courses through my local Jr college and obtained my Phlebotomy certification back in 1999- and still hold the title of CPT even though I don't need it as an RN. We practiced on each other in class until we had the basics down (probably around 5 sticks each) and then we were sent to do "clinical" time at local labs. We were not supervised by instructors- we just helped out what ever lab tech was working at the time, and through a few hours each week we eventually obtained the # sticks we needed (I think back then it was 125?). There must be labs/hospitals/sites willing to work with students so they do not have to practice that much on each other. 70 sticks per person? That is uncalled for. No way would I have let myself be stuck 70 times for a certification that doesn't even help someone obtain a higher pay grade.

What questions do you have?

For the Army you will probably be required to start out in Med-Surg, but this isn't always the case. After a year or so you can apply for a specialty course of your choice; in your case ER. The Army does not require you to choose a particular specialty- you are free to choose yourself.

As a new grad with your BSN, it would greatly benefit you to work in Med-Surg for a year or so to gain experience, work on your clinical skills, and start learning real-world nursing (vs. the way you did things as a student). At my hospital, after a year or so if you wanting to go into a specialty area you can transfer if there is a slot available or you can apply for a specialty course such as Critical Care or ER. Ultimately the Army will put you where they need you to work when you are first starting out, but if you voice your desire to ultimately be a CRNA I doubt that they will force you into L&D or Mother/Baby. Be vocal and persistant about what you want. When I showed up at my first duty station, they wanted to assign me to Mother/Baby because they were short LTs on that ward. I stated during my interview that I was interested in Critical Care; I also gave several good reasons why it would be more beneficial to be assigned to Med/Surg. My tactics worked- and I was assigned to the ward I wanted. My advice is to not present it from the angle of "but I hate L&D!!!" and instead tell them why they should put you in another area. You can take the GRE at any time...don't start worrying about it now :) You need to get through your NCLEX first, and then you can start prepping for grad school. CRNA schooling, just like every other Army schooling opportunity, will require additional committment time (most likely Active Duty time, but I am not certain of this). My knowledge on the program is very limited, so I can only advise you to check out the AMEDD's website on the program. Good luck to you.

Med/Surg-Tele floor. Ortho: We get knees, necks, backs, shoulders, simple ortho stuff like I&Ds all the way to replacements and fusions. Medical: Everything you could have under the "internal medicine" department and not need to be in ICU- DKAs, cellulitis, pancreatitis, CVAs...this list could go on forever. Cardiac: R/O ACS to actual MI. Surgery: Everything. No, really. Total thyroid/adenoid, chole, speen, appy, iliostomy, colostomy (and reversals), gastric bypass. OB/GYN: TVH, TAH, post-op c-sections, post delivery moms (we are overflow and for moms that give their babies up for adoption), fetal demise pts, oophrectomy....this list could go on forever. We literally do everything except L&D pts. I love it! Ratio: My hospital is wonderful. 1-5 ratio on days, 1-6 on nights. When I am charge nurse I normally never have to take pts on days and only a couple at night. Support from the nursing supervisors is great too...they back us up when we need to refuse pts from ED (or just need a little bit of time to get things settled down before accepting a new pt).

If you have a steth that you can't hear well with in school, it will be very difficult for you to learn with. I used a Littman Classic and did just fine...I have since upgraded to the Cardio III so I can hear better in loud environments. Then again, not everyone does flight nursing or trauma nursing. You don't need to spend a ton, but I don't recommend one of the $20 ones either.

I can tell you about my AO. I was given deployment notice when I had been on the ward 6 months. By the time we leave I will have had over 1 year on the ward. One of the other nurses deploying with me was given notice when she had only been there 3 months. We are both 66H working on a MedSurg ward. For the nurses working L&D or Mother/Baby, they were moved to MedSurg for 6 weeks to practice up on their skills before they left on deployment. Theoretically (as best I can explain what we were taught at OBC, and this knowledge is over 1 year old and may not still apply): all 66H have 6 months before they are added to the list of potential deployable nurses. Newbies get added to the top of the list. Once you deploy your name goes to the bottom and gradually with time your name floats up to the top again (in other words, deployments are rotated throughout the entire corps based on your MOS). When they make PROFIS assignments for a CSH, they are pulling people from all over. 1 or 2 from this region, 3 from this region, 2 from this region. You may be the only 1 person in your entire post assigned to that CSH, or you may be one of a dozen. Just depends. As far as getting experience: request to do all you can. Even though I work on the MedSurg ward I have cross-trained in my hospital to work in ICU and ER. I float to those units as often as they will let me. I have taken advantage of every training class I can: ACLS, PALS, TNCC; even courses that are TDY. The bottom line: even as a brand new nurse do not assume that you are non-deployable. Instead assume that you are, and prepare as such. Practice, keep learning, train on everything you possibly can and you wont have to cram anything in before you go.

Wow. I have been out of OBLC for over a year now (I was in the March 2006 class), and while a few things have changed most have not. After working for a year, here are my recommendations: 4 sets ACUs minimum 8 tan t-shirts minimum 8 pair socks 2 berets- both shaved, shaped and ready to wear (what if you lost your current one...you would be screwed, so have a back-up) Several sets of ACU velcro goodies (flag, AMEDD patch, name tape, army tape, rank) 2 pair of broken in boots- continue to rotate wearing them when you get to your unit Don't forget to enjoy OBLC. I was there for 4 months, it was absolutely the best time of my life. We had a blast. Parties/dinners/BBQs every weekend, weekend trips to the beach, float trips on the river, horseback riding- I would love to go back. Some of my closest friends now were people I met at OBLC. Enjoy it, because the time goes by fast. At the end of OBLC everyone is split into their branch courses. All the nurses get together, all the MSC people, etc. You spend the last two weeks strictly with your branch. You will be given the name/phone number of a contact person at your post. Phone or email this person as soon as you can and give them the date that you will be reporting. Your contact person can answer your questions about where to report, when, what uniform, what to bring, etc. If you are a new nurse you will probably be assigned to Med/Surg or Mother/Baby. Ask what the Army nurses wear in that area (some places wear scrubs, others wear ACUs). When it comes time to inprocess, your contact person can meet you somewhere on post and guide you through the basics to get you set up. He/she cant do everything for you, but they can certainly make things easier for you if you utilize them as a resource. Arriving at your duty station...report in, start the in-processing fun. This can take days. At some point of your first week you will meet with supervisory staff for the hospital nursing department. Questions I was asked: What is your background, what career path are you looking to take, do you have a preference for where in the hospital you work. Some places that are small may already have you assigned somewhere and you may not get your choice- even if you hate L&D you are going to be stuck there. I am at Ft Hood, and I was asked my choice, so I consider myself lucky. Good luck to you on this, and remember that it is much better to say why you would be better in one section than to say why you would hate being in another. Tip: When you are learning to write the OER and OER JODSF forms at OBLC, pay attention. Your head nurse is going to expect a JODSF out of you within a week, and you can't do the same half-orificed version you probably did at OBLC just to get a grade. If you need help or want examples, ask- fellow 2LTs will help you out. You ask about deployments. Here is where the real fun begins. My notification that I was PROFIS to a unit came 6 months after I had been working on the ward. I was pulled into the hall and notified that 1. I was PROFIS to a CSH, and 2. That CSH was deploying. Fantasic! Now what? Ask tons of questions. Research the CSH on the internet, find out where they have been and where they are going. Ask what the mission is. Most importantly, talk to someone in your area at the hospital that is also preparing to deploy (there is always someone about to leave) and find out what things you need to do before you go. Start a to-do notebook because a list will never be enough. Records, shots, training...there will be a million things to do and not much guidance. You need to be able to ask questions and initiate things on your own. Good luck to you all. Luckily as a general rule 2LT Nurses DO NOT eat their young, and are willing to help out the newbie. See some of you in the sandbox.