Speciality when joining Navy as RN with experience?

[TryingmybestRN, BSN]

Hi all, 

I’m new to the site and therefore new at posting questions, so forgive me if this is a little all over the place. I’m a new grad BSN (Dec ‘21) and have been working in a peds cardiac ICU since Feb. I have always been interested in Navy nursing and even applied as a student, but did not get it. I am looking to try again once I have at least a year or two of experience, so here’s my question: if I apply with only peds ICU experience, will I be stuck in a billet that only allows me to work with peds? I am interested in transitioning to adult critical care, either ER or trauma ICU when I join, but am not sure if they place you solely based on previous experience. Would it behoove me to switch to a civilian adult trauma RN job and do that for a year before trying to join if that’s the population I would like to work with after joining? I’m just not sure how flexible the military is as far as allowing you to change specialties. I appreciate any and all advice!!

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

None of the 3 branches of the military have a specialty code specifically for pediatrics or peds ICU RNs.  All 3 have NICU codes.  The problem with PICU nurses in my experience is there is a VAST difference in acuity from a PICU at a pediatric specialty hospital and a PICU in a small/moderate sized community hospital.  They key with the military is the ability to speak to certain required skills.  If you can get those in your current job, then you'll be fine. 

Off the top of my head those skills for the Air Force are: ventilator management, ventriculostomy (EVDs) management, CRRT, vasoactive drips, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring (a-line, CVP, flow track/cheetah/EV1000...not necessarily SWANs).

You'll need the equivalent of at least 1 year of full time RN experience in an ICU that gives you the above experience for the Air Force to let you come in as an ICU nurse.  Otherwise you start in med-surg typically.  I believe it is the same in all 3 branches.  You can re-train as an ICU nurse after 2 years as a med-surg nurse typically.