Question about Medics/Nurses

Darlene K. · May 12, 2004

A friend of mine was trained as a medic in the Navy and worked as a medic in a Naval hospital in Texas. He is now working on his nursing degree. He had to start from scratch. His G.I. bill is paying for his education, but he didn't get any credit for his on the job training.

Darlene

zenman · May 14, 2004

I was an Army medic (91C) back in the early 70s. We were able to get licensure as LPNs. In addition, I challenged the CA state boards and passed. Worked as an RN while going to RN school! Had to retake the boards again when in Louisiana. Did worse after attending school, huh?

debRN0417 · May 16, 2004

Thanks for your help.

zman · May 17, 2004

debRN017,

New medics in the Army initially undergo 10 weeks of 'Health Care Specialist' training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. This course is a broad overview of the entire spectrum of Army health care, from routine clinic care to inpatient hospital care to battefield care and evacuation. At present the only civilian certification one receives from this course is EMT-Basic. I attended this course in December 1991. I have worked with recent graduates of the course as recent at Dec '02.

The Army does offer LPN training, though normally the training for LPN is offered to active duty soldiers after completing at least a portion of their first enlistment. Reserve units, however, are common to send troops to LPN school as their initial training.

Zenman (not to be confused with me) spoke about being a 91C, which is the previous designator for an LPN. The new code is 91WM6 (91-medically related field, W-hands on patient care designator, M6-LPN).

In brief, with the training and experience of a basic 91W 'medic', you would need to complete an entire LPN program. If you attend the Army's LPN program, well, you would be an LPN.

Check out the official Army LPN school page at: http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/dns/m6/index.htm

debRN0417 · May 17, 2004

Thanks. This is what I was looking for. My son is presently at Fort Leonard Wood...heading to Fort Sam Houston as a medic. If he has to go overseas (uknowhatimean) wonder if he will have to be on the front? :crying2: Any ideas?

Thanks

UOTE=zman]debRN017,

New medics in the Army initially undergo 10 weeks of 'Health Care Specialist' training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. This course is a broad overview of the entire spectrum of Army health care, from routine clinic care to inpatient hospital care to battefield care and evacuation. At present the only civilian certification one receives from this course is EMT-Basic. I attended this course in December 1991. I have worked with recent graduates of the course as recent at Dec '02.

The Army does offer LPN training, though normally the training for LPN is offered to active duty soldiers after completing at least a portion of their first enlistment. Reserve units, however, are common to send troops to LPN school as their initial training.

Zenman (not to be confused with me) spoke about being a 91C, which is the previous designator for an LPN. The new code is 91WM6 (91-medically related field, W-hands on patient care designator, M6-LPN).

In brief, with the training and experience of a basic 91W 'medic', you would need to complete an entire LPN program. If you attend the Army's LPN program, well, you would be an LPN.

Check out the official Army LPN school page at: http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/dns/m6/index.htm

zman · May 18, 2004

debRN0417,

The probability that your son will be in Iraq or Afghanistan in the near future is really random at this point. Once he is done with training he will arrive at his permanent duty station. It could be a large fixed hospital like Walter Reed in DC (where he is unlikely to see the desert), or he could be in an infantry unit in Texas (where he is likely to see the desert), at this point the only thing to do is send him care packages and wait. Final unit assignments sometimes aren't made until a troop arrives at a post and is inprocessing. Rumors and hopes will always be plentiful so please be patient.

This may be more information than you might want, but the idea of a 'front line' has evaporated for all intents and purposes. A more realistic analogy would be to picture your local community/county/state with Army bases taking the place of community colleges and a few high schools, some large, some small. From those dispersed bases, the Army sends out patrols to stay visible and keep roads open, maintain (hopefully) friendly contact with locals, and facilitate the accomplishment of building and rebuilding projects.

Medics are an integral part of all operations, right down to small unit patrols of a handfull of people and a few vehicles. Medics are also in larger field hospitals that take up acres of space, an area from which they might not venture very often during their tour.

This all may be more information than you may want; sometimes less is more...

Z

debRN0417 · May 21, 2004

I appreciate your candor. Moms just worry. He ranked 6th out of 240 in marksmanship....good thing....bad thing....I guess it depends on how you look at it.

debbie

UOTE=zman]debRN0417,

The probability that your son will be in Iraq or Afghanistan in the near future is really random at this point. Once he is done with training he will arrive at his permanent duty station. It could be a large fixed hospital like Walter Reed in DC (where he is unlikely to see the desert), or he could be in an infantry unit in Texas (where he is likely to see the desert), at this point the only thing to do is send him care packages and wait. Final unit assignments sometimes aren't made until a troop arrives at a post and is inprocessing. Rumors and hopes will always be plentiful so please be patient.

This may be more information than you might want, but the idea of a 'front line' has evaporated for all intents and purposes. A more realistic analogy would be to picture your local community/county/state with Army bases taking the place of community colleges and a few high schools, some large, some small. From those dispersed bases, the Army sends out patrols to stay visible and keep roads open, maintain (hopefully) friendly contact with locals, and facilitate the accomplishment of building and rebuilding projects.

Medics are an integral part of all operations, right down to small unit patrols of a handfull of people and a few vehicles. Medics are also in larger field hospitals that take up acres of space, an area from which they might not venture very often during their tour.

This all may be more information than you may want; sometimes less is more...

Z