Public Health Nursing-Lots of questions....

[bluemorningglory]

I am a nurse yet but am hoping to begin an ADN program in 2010. I have a lot of questions about the Uniformed Services/Public Health Nursing:

1) Is a situation offered where my schooling is paid for and I owe the government a certain amount of service?

2) I will be 37 when I start the ADN program. Will I be too old for government service?

3) Is Uniformed Services Nursing where I commission in a branch of the military? I am a little confused as some of the placements upon graduation are in VA hospitals or prisons and not MTFs.

I would appreciate any and all help!

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

First off you need a minimum of a BSN to become an active duty nurse corps officer in any branch of the uniformed services. Uniformed services is all encompassing label, that when you are talking about medical service, it includes the Army, Navy, AF, and the USPHS of these only USPHS is non-military. Even though USPHS is not military it offers the same basic pay/rank structure/benefits as its military counterparts. You can google each branch and determine the requirements for each one services/USPHS.

No, you wouldn't be too old once you graduate, but again you will need your BSN not your ADN for active duty. The Army reserves does take ADNs. Also, pretty much all of the uniformed services offer somekind of loan reimbursement for nurses (the qualifications/amounts/availibility changes from year to year) in return for AD committment.