I'm interesting in long-term career in the Air Force, but I know that 10 - 15 years down the road, my body might not tolerate bedside nursing as well as it used to. I can tolerate the back pains from constantly pulling up heavy patients now, but it's hard to imagine doing so in my 40's - 50's.
I would like to pursue to a graduate degree but I'm not interested in NP or CRNA. Maybe something along the lines of case management, utilization review, informatics, etc.
I'm an ICU nurse with over a year of experience. From what I've read, the AF is resistant to release ICU nurses due to the demand in this specialty. Realistically, what are my options long-term?
Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.
Hiya Luna! Yeah, it's been awhile. I've been really busy here. There's a tradition of going crazy here in ones last few months of fitting as much in as possible. So I've been traveling every bit of time off. I leave England next month
This is my 2nd assignment as an ICU nurse and I've been granted the opportunity to leave my identifier field of ICU even though it's still critically manned. I've been pushed away from bedside - which is a mixed bag. Learned loads, but do miss patients. I find that AF nurses do not often have the critical patient load I was used to as a civilian anyway. When deployed we do get real patients, but then they have to scramble to get their skills back quick.
midinphx, BSN
855 Posts
Hiya Luna! Yeah, it's been awhile. I've been really busy here. There's a tradition of going crazy here in ones last few months of fitting as much in as possible. So I've been traveling every bit of time off. I leave England next month
This is my 2nd assignment as an ICU nurse and I've been granted the opportunity to leave my identifier field of ICU even though it's still critically manned. I've been pushed away from bedside - which is a mixed bag. Learned loads, but do miss patients. I find that AF nurses do not often have the critical patient load I was used to as a civilian anyway. When deployed we do get real patients, but then they have to scramble to get their skills back quick.
next stop - Scott AFB, IL