Hi, my name is Dani and I have been very interested in the Navy to pursue my nursing career. However, I have some questions. My boyfriend and I have made it clear to each other that we intend on getting married. He is an architectural engineer who likes to focus in construction management. That being said, he is very concerned about finding a job wherever I would be stationed. I am aware that you are expected to move around every 2-3 years and that the Navy always comes first as a Navy Nurse but I am nervous for my future husband. He doesn't know if he would be able to get a job with a company that would be "okay" with the fact that moving in a couple years is very possible but he doesn't want to not work. Does anyone know if areas around military bases are really accepting or accommodating of military families and their spouses working for them?
Also, when do you find out where you will first be stationed? My recruiter said you are able to pick three locations you prefer and they either pick from that or elsewhere depending on where the Navy wants you so when does that process take place?
Specializes in Pediatrics, Ambulatory Care, Military.
The Navy does have a designation for pediatric nurses, the designation code is 1922. I actually started out for my first two years working on an inpatient pediatrics floor, and eventually moved to the pediatric ICU for about 9 months before I transferred. The peds floors only tend to be in the bigger hospitals, so if you end up in a medium-sized facility or clinic, then unless you work in the peds clinic, you don't necessarily get to stay in peds. They also have programs for pediatric nurse practitioners, although they are competitive. So, it's not impossible, just luck of the draw.
My question is, are those designations binding or not? Or, are they just a signalling tool that you know how to take care of kids? I just want this person to know what they are getting themselves into. Is it something your personnel people can choose to ignore when filling assignments?
The AF nursing specialties actually lock you into that population until you are released from it, which can be difficult to do in some cases. If you you are a 46P (psych), you can only go to 3 floors on 3 bases. That's why we don't have one for peds nursing, because only one AF location has inpatient peds: SAMMC in San Antonio Texas.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Ambulatory Care, Military.
My question is, are those designations binding or not? Or, are they just a signalling tool that you know how to take care of kids? I just want this person to know what they are getting themselves into. Is it something your personnel people can choose to ignore when filling assignments?
The AF nursing specialties actually lock you into that population until you are released from it, which can be difficult to do in some cases. If you you are a 46P (psych), you can only go to 3 floors on 3 bases. That's why we don't have one for peds nursing, because only one AF location has inpatient peds: SAMMC in San Antonio Texas.
-No, the designations are not binding. You can hold up to three subspecialty designations at one time, but the detailer/assignment officer/senior nurse can and often does ignore them when it comes time for your placement. I agree that an advantage of the Air Force is you get locked into a specialty, but that's only an advantage if you know what you want to do, you don't get tired of that specialty, and you don't want to explore other areas. In the Navy, I've found myself working in areas I never thought I would, and really liking them, so personally I like the way the Navy does it.
SallyA781
12 Posts
The Navy does have a designation for pediatric nurses, the designation code is 1922. I actually started out for my first two years working on an inpatient pediatrics floor, and eventually moved to the pediatric ICU for about 9 months before I transferred. The peds floors only tend to be in the bigger hospitals, so if you end up in a medium-sized facility or clinic, then unless you work in the peds clinic, you don't necessarily get to stay in peds. They also have programs for pediatric nurse practitioners, although they are competitive. So, it's not impossible, just luck of the draw.