Q about Navy Corpsman

DanznRN, RN · Aug 8, 2007

All depends on where you are and who you ask. Best I can give is they are somewhere between an EMT and an LPN. Every hospital uses corpsmen in a different way. In the field they are just short of God, save your life too, with a line to a doctor they can perform minor operations. However, when they get out of the Navy all they bring with them is experience and an EMT cert. It's a shame really, they are some of the smartest people in the Navy, but don't really get the recognition for it.

LCDR Dan

fielddoc00 · Oct 8, 2008

Dan- You are the man. I'm a 13 year veteran of the Hospital Corps and was an 8404 Field Corpsman. As Dan said, It gives you alot of experience, but it doesn't give you much in the lines of certifications. What it will do, is give you advance placement in college towards your nursing degree which is a plus. I'm working towards my BSN-RN and I'm receiving advanced placement due to experience and college credits earned through Navy training.

The one thing I will say, I will be the most experienced damn RN that ever graduated out of that Community College. Walking out with my RN and 13 years of advanced trauma experience already under my belt from training and deploying with the Marines for 13 years, I'll be employeable anywhere. OOORah! :chuckle

just_cause, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2008

Gents,

If I were an experienced corpsman... I would look at the path to becoming a PA as well. There are many bachelor PA programs still out there which have some serious pre-reqs...but you would be a contender with all of that experience....