ROTC and nursing, seeking advice!

[Viola5271]

I'm currently a prenursing student at Henderson State University. I joined the ROTC program as a non-contract cadet to get some experience with the program and to see if it would be something I would enjoy. I did enjoy the courses, PT, and training events it has been challenging at times, but I can confidently say it has improved my leadership skills. At first, I was offered a three year contract but I could not accept it because it did not gaurantee a nursing position. I figured I would finish my semester and call it quits with ROTC. Recently, a nursing contract has come available. The cadre has made it clear that while in ROTC and school I will be pursuing the nursing degree first and ROTC second. As in if there is a schedule conflict, nursing will be prioritized. I'm struggling to decide if I should accept it. I currentlly have school paid for through academic scholarships and FASFA. My ideal goal is to become a CRNA and from what I've read the army has a top program I could apply to after my contract is up. I'm considering this because I've also read how hard it is to get an ICU position as a new grad. I'd like to know what is your experience in nursing with the army? Did you pursue a higher education with financial assistance from them? Did you have to wait the full four years of your contract to apply to graduate/docotral programs? Does being a nurse in the army gaurantee ICU experience? I have talked to several nurses active duty and nurses who have gone back to a civillian setting. The general concensus is that they loved it and had no regrets. I would like to hear your experience the ups and the downs. This is my first post, any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Welcome to allnurses! No, being an Army nurse does not guarantee ICU experience. However, you may have the opportunity to go to the critical care course, then work in an ICU. The Army's CRNA program (Google "USAGPAN" for information) is a top-notch program, and you would need ICU or critical care experience to qualify. I know several Army CRNAs who were ROTC, were selected for active duty (this is not guaranteed either, by the way — you might end up with a Reserves spot instead), ultimately worked in ICUs, and were then selected for the CRNA course. The nice thing about doing the CRNA through the Army is that you are paid as an officer while doing the course, you have ZERO student loans, and you come out with a DNP at the end of it. A friend of mine just graduated, but he was a direct commission — came into the Army as a civilian nurse with ICU experience. But he had to apply twice, I believe, before he was accepted.

There are no sure things, of course, but the Army is a fantastic route for new grads — if you have a desire to serve. If you don't feel strongly about serving your country, I would hesitate. People I know who are/were in the Army more for what it could do for them rather than vice-versa were pretty unhappy.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I think you need to ask yourself if being in the military is more important to you than being a CRNA. The clinical acuity of the military ICU setting is far less that most civilian ICUs. Clinically, you get better nursing experience at a level 1 civilian trauma center. Many university medical centers have a new grad ICU fellowship comparable to the military's ICU fellowship (ex. Vanderbilt's program is excellent).

There are a lot of travel/leadership opportunities in the military that you don't get on the civilian side. My opinion is that if you have school paid for, get a civilian job first. You could become a CRNA far faster by simply getting ICU civilian experience and applying to a CRNA direct commissioning program when you get 1 year of ICU RN experience. There are military programs that pay your tuition and a stipend while in CRNA school and guarantee a Reserve or Active Duty commission upon graduation. You could also go to CRNA school on your own dime and get loan repayment after the fact.

I think the worst case is you do civilian med-surg RN for 1 year and then have to get a new job as a civilian ICU RN before applying to CRNA school. That sounds a lot better to me than being a med-surg RN in the Army for 2 years (2 years of time on station is required to apply to ICU), doing the 1 year ICU fellowship, doing 2 years of military ICU (2 years of time of station is required to apply for CRNA), and then applying to the military CRNA program.