am i being unrealistic?

ArmyKitten · Jun 29, 2007

I can tell you about my AO. I was given deployment notice when I had been on the ward 6 months. By the time we leave I will have had over 1 year on the ward. One of the other nurses deploying with me was given notice when she had only been there 3 months. We are both 66H working on a MedSurg ward. For the nurses working L&D or Mother/Baby, they were moved to MedSurg for 6 weeks to practice up on their skills before they left on deployment.

Theoretically (as best I can explain what we were taught at OBC, and this knowledge is over 1 year old and may not still apply): all 66H have 6 months before they are added to the list of potential deployable nurses. Newbies get added to the top of the list. Once you deploy your name goes to the bottom and gradually with time your name floats up to the top again (in other words, deployments are rotated throughout the entire corps based on your MOS).

When they make PROFIS assignments for a CSH, they are pulling people from all over. 1 or 2 from this region, 3 from this region, 2 from this region. You may be the only 1 person in your entire post assigned to that CSH, or you may be one of a dozen. Just depends.

As far as getting experience: request to do all you can. Even though I work on the MedSurg ward I have cross-trained in my hospital to work in ICU and ER. I float to those units as often as they will let me. I have taken advantage of every training class I can: ACLS, PALS, TNCC; even courses that are TDY.

The bottom line: even as a brand new nurse do not assume that you are non-deployable. Instead assume that you are, and prepare as such. Practice, keep learning, train on everything you possibly can and you wont have to cram anything in before you go.

Gennaver, MSN · Jun 30, 2007

ok, i know there are no guarantees, things can be hit or miss in the military. i keep having people tell me that the army likes to give their new nurses at least one year of experience before deploying them. i have read on this board where some nurses are posting they have deployed as early as 6 months. i'm prior service and have deployed before so its not that i am joining the nurse corps with the idea of not deploying, i am just worried about my skills and being ready. i am a brand new nurse with no experience, not even as a cna. i want to know if i am fooling myself to think that i will even get 1 year of experience before having to deploy? do they take into consideration if you have nursing experience when you come in as a direct commission or do they just stick all new nurses in the same pot and go down the list? is there anything i should be doing to help myself out with my skills so if i do have to deploy i will be better prepared? i have already been told that i will probably be in L&D when i get to my permanent duty station.

Hello,

I read from one post here at allnurses that the new nurse had six weeks bedside. Then again, it is hard to tell from what I hear, it depends on where your brigade, (I think that is the proper term) is slotted in line for deployments.

Gen

p.s. I've been a cna(emt-a) for 18 + years Rme and I think that your clinical experiences and nurse training were highly likely sufficient, nursing is nursing...you passed, you succeeded you are qualified. :) edit to add: Now 'our' nursing learning can really begin...thank you Army Kitten for the encouragement to take all the classes we can get, even TDY ones!