Rizzo02481

No not for AF. I was pursuing flight nursing in the Air Force reserves, but not active duty so have no up-to-date information on that!

It’s been insanely hard. I’ve had everything ready to go for two years. The first year, my packet wasn’t finished in time to submit before the billets were taken. Last year, there was only four spots available and they chose people who had been rolled back from the previous year. so, we’ll see. I have a lot more experience now and have trauma experience which puts me at the front of the pack (hopefully!). So we’ll see!

OK military nurses! What are your favorite bases? For nurses especially, in the Navy preferably but curious where you all have been and why are you love or hate where you are! if I get it in, I have my sights set on a few bases that are hotspots and super hard to get in to, but a girl can dream ? where do you love? Where do you hate? I fully understand that I only get a little saying where I am placed, but I’m still curious where everyone has been and if there are any places that you should super avoid.

No, navy. They didn’t need ER nurses. Each year there have only been like three or four billets. I’m only joining as an ER nurse, I refuse to go in as anything else. Now with trauma experience I moved to the front of the pack Thanks! Only 4 spots so who knows if I’ll get in but I’m gonna try

I am submitting my packet for the navy this week or next. Been waiting 2 years, for the ER.

Thank you. Yes the website isn’t very helpful and I’ve combed through it. Was looking more for info on day to day life. Appreciate the info on how demanding it is.

So I’ve been been applying to military branches for the past 2 years — I wanted the navy initially but they didn’t need me. Now I am going back to the Air Force flight reserves but I just recently discovered SOST — their special ops surgical team. I contacted them and they apparently take ER nurses. I had never heard of them and my boyfriend, who had 20+ years in the navy, had never either. There isn’t a ton of Info on them and I’m wondering if anyone here knows anything about it. Training? Work life? Super interested in them and would love any more info!

I passed my CEN this past July! When I was studying for it, I found very little resources online about how to prepare the best, what was the best study tool, and how to be sure I passed on my first try. It was not like NCLEX where there was a 1100000 resources out there, so I wanted to share my experience and what helped me succeed. I started with the ENA online course, and bought that. I went through all the modules, printed out all the pdfs and took notes and made flash cards of stuff I needed to memorize (cranial nerves, anyone?) I initially was only going to do that, but read some places that it was not enough for people who had taken their CEN, and that the ENA modules didn't cover anything, which seemed odd to me since they are the governing organization. So, in a panic, I bought an app ($50!) called Nurse Study Prep. I bough the lifetime access version which has 900 practice questions. I did every single question, all 900. Now, looking back, I do NOT think it was necessary to buy this app; some of the things on there are not even mentioned in the ENA study guides, and that freaked me out. while I passed the ENA practice test with a 90%, I was getting 50-60% on the app practice tests. Yikes! I was a nervous wreck. I took my CEN, and passed. And it was MUCH easier than the app's questions and there was soooo much on the app that was not even remotely on the CEN exam. The one good thing about the app is that many of their questions had references to Sheehy's Emergency Nursing manual. Not all quesitons did, so I only paid attention to the things that did (I have heard that some apps get info wrong). So, for anyone looking at preparing for their CEN, this is what I would recommend: -ENA modules, going through all of them and studying from those and then cross-referencing all topics in Sheehy's Emergency Manual. Sheehy's is very thorough, and if there is a subject or something that doesn't make a lot of sense or you want more info on, it's a great tool. I think if I had just done the ENA modules and then read the manual, I would've been fine. I don't think the app helped me all that much. Anyways, I hope this helps someone!

yeah cost of living is a factor too. I'm at a point where I've done the "living in a box" thing in new york and don't really want to go back to that haha. I'm also applying in the mid west where the cost of living is way less. I'm kind of concerned about working at a non unionized hospital especially in a busy ER. I was curious what the environment is like at either one, especially coming from such an atrocious staffing situation In Brooklyn (ER nurses at my old hospital had like up to 10 patients).

RN with 4 years of experience, 2.5 in Tele/ICU stepdown/med surg, one in ED. I am applying back east to move, and have promising options in the ED at Mass General and Johns hopkins (bayview) so far. I worked in new york, not in the ED, and the staffing issues were horrendous. I have also never worked at non unionized hospitals. I was wondering if anyone here at worked in the ED in any of these hospitals, and if you could give me in some insight. I am coming from an ED in the Seattle area. Or, if you would have any other suggestions at places to apply to.

So helpful thank you!

That’s super cool. My assistant manager also did forensic nursing when she was in the navy. do you feel like you have enough free time or no? Or do you always feel like you’re working? Do you have to rotate day/night shifts?

What’s your day to day life like? Do you rotate days/nights? I’m sure it’s different being at a small ER but would love to hear about what your day to day life is like right now

Oh wow! I’m applying for ER. Would love to chat more about your experiences as an ER nurse if you’re up for it.

Wait it out likely. May do some travel nursing. Wanted to relocate to San Diego. My refruiter is hopeful that not spots will open up during the year