Want to 'rejoin' Army Nurse Corps

olderthandirt2 · Apr 23, 2009

So let me see if I got your message straight............Recently you were in a Rotc nursing scholarship which you stopped because of life situation. You are now graduating and want go back to nursing school, but an accelerated program.

You are commissioning and are worried you will deploy while in nursing school.

Hummm,

Lets see. You are not going to be deployed until you have completed BOLC.

I think you need to speak with a healthcare recruiter about the possibilities of the Army paying for your school. The economy is tight now, and the nursing qoutas are filled for this year (accessing as an ANC). I know you aren't accessing to the ANC, but incentives and education also have yearly budget limits. So, check with your recruiter.

As to an accelerated BSN program. Yes, you would qualify if you have all the nursing preqs. But, I HIGHLY suggest you look at your life and the ability to add a fair amount of stress to it. Accelerated programs are just that. And if you ever plan on "continuing to graduate school" using your BSN, you will want to make good grades. Why the big rush? just do a traditional BSN and use your prior Undergraduate degree to fulfill the non-nursing portion. That way you are doing the BSN over 2 yrs not 1 yrs........adding more experiences/training. I went the accelerated route with NO healthcare background...........very hard, in fact it took me years to feel like I knew anything.

After you graduate, Nursing is no slouch job.....I would say it is one of the most stressful jobs I have done.

good luck,

c.

just_cause, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2009

Bluesky,

If you want you can PM me for additional info. Yes you can do an accel BSN program and join the Army Nurse Corp. You are able to submit your packet 12m prior to graduation date.. so you can backdate from your grad date for a submission date and then look at your other materials required ie letters of rec, personal state, physical,... first thing is to get into an aBSN. So most programs are 14 or 16m in length a few 12m and one 11m program... also key is to know that you will need some of your nursing instructors to be on the Letters of rec.

I was admitted into an 11m accel program - I found the admission process quite easy - on the flip side it (and they in general) are more $ intensive. I opted to conduct a 2 year standard BSN despite all of this.... the bottom line is get your BSN and you can always join the army at a later date. I think people get bogged down when specifically looking at the ARMY and BSN as one goal... establish your goal of getting your BSN.. and when you do so the ability to get into the Army will work itself out along the way... when you start making key decisions for the Army to get your BSN.. and if it doesn't work out - then that can be painful/setback/expensive.

v/r

MyBlueSky · Apr 23, 2009

olderthandirt2, I did think about doing a 2 year program but to be honest I have already done 2 medical surgical rotations, 1 ob rotation, 1 psych rotation, etc. I've already completed 3/4 of my nursing program so i've still retained most of that knowledge. The only area of difficulty I had was pharmacology. Since I already graduated from college I don't think I can apply to an undergraduate program. Also the army paying for my schooling would be a plus but it isn't something I'm looking for plus I don't think they would do it since i'd be in the guard. And yes I do realize nursing is definitely not a slouch job.

I just want to get it done asap because

1) I think that after a certain number of years your undergraduate courses do not count anymore and you have to retake them

2) I don't want to wait too long to go back to school

3) I still want to pursue a masters degree (later in life)

just_cause, I don't think the army will let me push my graduation date any further because I already pushed it back one year. They need me to graduate by 2009; migration to another year would not be possible (I don't think...) Also if I was applying to an ABSN program would I really need a letter of recommendation from my nursing professors? Also how are they more money intensive? I actually found them to be cheaper but that might just be my misunderstanding. Also what do you mean a two year bsn? Can you please advise me on this I have no idea what you are talking about. Aren't the choices accelerated bsn or undergraduate bsn (which requires four years of college) also if I want too long will I have to take the pre-reqs over again (i.e. bio, chem, etc)

Thank you both very much for your input I really appreciate it.

just_cause, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2009

olderthandirt2, I did think about doing a 2 year program but to be honest I have already done 2 medical surgical rotations, 1 ob rotation, 1 psych rotation, etc. I've already completed 3/4 of my nursing program so i've still retained most of that knowledge. The only area of difficulty I had was pharmacology. Since I already graduated from college I don't think I can apply to an undergraduate program. Also the army paying for my schooling would be a plus but it isn't something I'm looking for plus I don't think they would do it since i'd be in the guard. And yes I do realize nursing is definitely not a slouch job.
I just want to get it done asap because
1) I think that after a certain number of years your undergraduate courses do not count anymore and you have to retake them
2) I don't want to wait too long to go back to school
3) I still want to pursue a masters degree (later in life)
just_cause, I don't think the army will let me push my graduation date any further because I already pushed it back one year. They need me to graduate by 2009; migration to another year would not be possible (I don't think...) Also if I was applying to an ABSN program would I really need a letter of recommendation from my nursing professors? Also how are they more money intensive? I actually found them to be cheaper but that might just be my misunderstanding. Also what do you mean a two year bsn? Can you please advise me on this I have no idea what you are talking about. Aren't the choices accelerated bsn or undergraduate bsn (which requires four years of college) also if I want too long will I have to take the pre-reqs over again (i.e. bio, chem, etc)
Thank you both very much for your input I really appreciate it.

Are you in a contract already w/ the Army? -you mentioned you didn't know if the army would let you push your grad date back...

I thought you were contract free, with pre-reqs for nursing done, with a prior Bachelors degree.

Is that correct?

MyBlueSky · Apr 23, 2009

No, i have a contract because as i previously mentioned I was on a nursing scholarship for 2 years and then I had to leave the nursing program. I am commissioning in may as a 2lt in the Qm corps which I have no complaints about but I still wanted the opportunity to complete my nursing degree. I will have my bachelors degree in about a month and the prereqs are done along with nursing courses (up to but not including 400 level courses) Thing is though i'm in the guard and my bolc dates are not until august of next year. Not sure if that's workable or not. I think it is possible to go to school while doing reserve in the army because I know one girl in the guard who is still going to school getting her masters.

p.s. I couldn't figure out how to pm you, lol.

olderthandirt2 · Apr 24, 2009

Yes,

You would DEFINITELY need letters from your previous nursing instructors, UNLESS you restart your studies at your previous nursing school....Which I might suggest.

You can call other schools to find out their "stance" on transferring nursing classes, but I am betting that will not go over well. You may have to retake all your nursing classes/clinical hours at your new nursing school....I don't know.

The reason the Letter of recommendation is important to future schools, is because you dropped out once. Nursing schools are competitive and have plenty of applicants, you need to prove to them you can finish this time........it is not like any other university degree where you can stop/start with no harm done. You need to sell your self to them.......

And NO I would NOT advise even thinking of going to BOLC during nursing school unless it is a traditional program where you have the summer off and can go then. In my accelerated program if you missed 3 weeks "you were out of the school".

Otherwise, drilling and school are fine, I'll been doing it for the last year.

good luck,

c.