cardinal14

I had a poor experience with Navy Nursing. I was an ACLS instructor and worked 6 years as a civilian RN in a level 1 trauma ICU and was usually charge nurse. Had done 4 years enlisted in the Navy many years before and went back in to get 16 more and retire. My goals on entry were to make 05, complete my APRN or CRNA. Recruiter said all easily do-able with my experience and grades. But, when I got to my duty station and reported in, I was told that A) Only Navy ICU prepared nurses work in ICU. B) Only Navy prepared ACLS instructors were recognized and allowed to teach and these people must be 0-4 and above. C) I had to get the chain's permission to enter into an advanced program and they would not agree to it until I was at least an 0-3. D) I would "start" my Navy nursing career on the general med/surg unit like a nurse with 0 experience. So for me it was a step backward career wise. Your life is not your own in the Navy Nurse Corps and I got the distinct impression that the NNC was always trying to impress everyone with the way they controlled their nurses more than attempting to foster an atmosphere of cooperation and collegiality. I head more than one 03-04 say "You got to squash a few ensigns to get up the ladder!" (Luckily, I came in as an 0-2 but even so had several major battles-mostly about standards of care and HIPPA- with mid-rank officers.) The NNC drop out rate is horrendous with over 40% leaving each year, mainly due to backstabbing and in-fighting. Of the 12 junior officers who arrived with me or within 3 months of me, none stayed in the NNC after 4 years. And, the pay is comparably low. I also found it to be very, very cliqish. The blacks took care of the blacks, the hispanics took care of the hispanics, the philippeanos took care of the philippeanos, the gays took care of the gays, and so it was sort of like jail. You had to join a group to survive and the bigotry went all the way up the chain. I also saw nurses who were blatently incompetant, injuring patient even, getting promoted and others who were bright shinning stars get knocked down until they left. I saw nurses grossly overweight get passed in PRT and others who scored high but were unpopular get low evaluation. Our own CO, an 0-6, was morbidly obease. Never saw him do a single push up. I can count on one hand the NNC officers that truly lived up to the values of Honor, Courage, Commitment and there were a few really good nurses. I debated for months before leaving the NNC. By then I had 8 years in. I got out, got my CRNA, (VA paid), and am a much happier person and better AP nurse with more freedom. What I would tell people about the NNC? If you are a backstabbing, vindictive, undercutting individual who has no qualms about devoting most of your waking hours to the NNC and squashing others to get ahead and don't mind starting your nursing career in that type of environment, then go for it.

Hi, I am an experienced Endoscopy/Moderate Sedation RN who has worked at 4 diffferent places over 15 years that did moderate sedation for upper, lower, bronch. The sites were both civilian and military/fed gov. facilities. In all facilities I was ordered to and was used to hanging a bag of IV fluids to KVO and act as a carrier for the sedation drugs as well as to be handy for hypotension. Now I have started to work in another state and the practice is to NOT hang fluids on any mod sed. cases. I tried to find literature but there is nothing there. I would like to do a comparative study and ask you what you do in your facility. Just a type: civilian, government, military etc and a hang or don't hang answer is fine. Thanks. (This is also posted in the GI Nurse section but crosses to Ambulatory Nursing too)

Hi, I am an experienced Endoscopy/Moderate Sedation RN who has worked at 4 diffferent places over 15 years that did moderate sedation for upper, lower, bronch. The sites were both civilian and military/fed gov. facilities. In all facilities I was ordered to and was used to hanging a bag of IV fluids to KVO and act as a carrier for the sedation drugs as well as to be handy for hypotension. Now I have started to work in another state and the practice is to NOT hang fluids on any mod sed. cases. I tried to find literature but there is nothing there. I would like to do a comparative study and ask you what you do in your facility. Just a type: civilian, government, military etc and a hang or don't hang answer is fine. Thanks.