What does each branch have to offer for a new grad?

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 19, 2017

The Army is looking for two years of civilian experience, last I heard from the recruiting perspective. You might try the Navy or Air Force, they might still be taking new grads. But really, you need to flip your question around these days when it comes to the military: what do you have to offer them? The military is full of nurses, often overstrength to the point of reducing its ranks, so the services are very competitive right now. You need to have a stellar GPA and really stand out on paper. Any medical conditions requiring a waiver would probably knock a person out of the running.

By the way, there are officer positions with MEDEVAC. As an ED/Trauma nurse with a forward surgical team (FST), I worked very closely with many awesome flight nurses in Afghanistan when I was active duty in the Army. You usually have to go the ICU route for some time prior to getting such an assignment, though.

In the military you aren't likely to go directly to the ED or critical care as a new grad, even with your paramedic experience. If you get some civilian ED experience first, that might help you go that route faster in the military if you are selected to commission at some point down the line.

First steps: contact a healthcare recruiter for each branch. They can give you an accurate picture of the current recruiting climate. But don't be surprised if you don't hear much from them until after you have graduated and are an RN - right now you are not as alluring to them because you are not ready to go. Unfortunately you missed applying prior to the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1), so you might not get a chance to apply until next year. But this would give you time to get some civilian experience. You get 50% credit for civilian time when it comes to determining rank and whether or not you are considered "experienced," so 1 year is worth 6 months to the military.

If you want to serve, it's an awesome experience! But getting in is a very long process; sometimes I wonder if they don't use that to weed us out, haha. Best of luck in the remainder of your program!! :)

aferg002, BSN, EMT-P · Oct 19, 2017

Thank you so much for your advice and input. I never heard of army flight nursing and working in a forward surgical team seems something appealing. From what I gathered of what you are saying, is that it probably would be best to get some civilian nursing experience first before applying? I talked to some recruiters as well, who said that most of the military is full of nurses and most of the new grads would go to med surg floors. But thank you for this and I would use this to guide what I will do now. Thanks again.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 19, 2017

Thank you so much for your advice and input. I never heard of army flight nursing and working in a forward surgical team seems something appealing. From what I gathered of what you are saying, is that it probably would be best to get some civilian nursing experience first before applying? I talked to some recruiters as well, who said that most of the military is full of nurses and most of the new grads would go to med surg floors. But thank you for this and I would use this to guide what I will do now. Thanks again.

I think the flight nursing in the Army is probably purely in the deployed setting, but I am not sure; that is the only place I've really seen it in action. There is a course call JECC - the Joint Enroute Care Course - that is for these types of missions in the Army: U.S. Army Medical Department Center & School Portal

Yes, you'd likely be assigned to a med/surg floor as a new grad, and you'd probably stay there for your first 2 to 3 years. Civilian experience would be good if you really want to stay in the ER setting (I started as a paramedic too, I get it). If you get some ER experience and also obtain the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential, that will be helpful in steering your application toward ER nursing.

You would probably love being part of an FST. I was very fortunate to be chosen to deploy with one. :)

aferg002, BSN, EMT-P · Oct 19, 2017

Thank you so much for the link and advice on continuing education and certification. And yes, Im sure with the troop withdrawal, theres no need for these kinds of nurses. But it'll still be beneficial to have that experience and training.

Thank you for suggesting to get the CEN credential. I'll haven't looked too much into other specialty credentials, but its something I would definitely like to obtain as well.

Once again, thank you so much for your time to explain to me a little of your experiences and what Forward Strike Teams are, I haven't heard too much in the way of them from my readings, but it sounds like a great place. And lastly, thank you for your service and helping me to advise me where to steer my career. I appreciate it.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 19, 2017

I had to LOL at "Forward Strike Team" - it's actually Surgical, not Strike, but your version sounded infinitely cooler! :)

There is actually a Wikipedia article about FSTs:

Forward surgical teams - Wikipedia

aferg002, BSN, EMT-P · Oct 20, 2017

Haha, thanks for the correction, I guess I got a little too excited. I appreciate all of this and looked into every link you sent me.

I know this is the nursing path that I like to look more into and would try to do it step by step.

You have been so generous with your time and explanations, do you mind if I message you throughout my journey to ask for you insight and advice?

Thanks

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 20, 2017

That's fine, feel free! :)

aferg002, BSN, EMT-P · Oct 21, 2017

Thank you very much. Im working on a new grad app as we speak. Thanks for putting the spark into me again and show me that theres a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel. And what possibilities are out there.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Oct 23, 2017

The Air Force offers the Special Operations Surgical Team (SOST). They send out teams with a surgeon, an OR tech, and ER or ICU nurse, and an anesthesia provider that set up makeshift hospitals in remote environments to support special operations units. Their PT requirements are far above the typical AF PT test and involves a significant amount of swimming. It's really nice, because you work full time at civilian level 1 trauma centers through military-civilian partnerships (in Birmingham, Miami, and Tampa) when you aren't deployed.

The Navy and Army don't currently offer a similar thing, but I've heard they're jealous of our idea and are looking to create something similar.

The Air Force also has flight nursing, which transports stable med-surg patients by air. They have critical care air transport teams (CCATT), which transports ICU patients in fixed wing aircraft long distances. And we have the trauma critical care emergency teams (TCCET), which transport trauma patients short distances in helicopters.

The Air Force has pretty much all the patient aerovac capabilities. I have heard of Navy flight nurses, but they are so rare that they have to use our flight nursing training pipeline.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 23, 2017

The Air Force offers the Special Operations Surgical Team (SOST). They send out teams with a surgeon, an OR tech, and ER or ICU nurse, and an anesthesia provider that set up makeshift hospitals in remote environments to support special operations units. Their PT requirements are far above the typical AF PT test and involves a significant amount of swimming. It's really nice, because you work full time at civilian level 1 trauma centers through military-civilian partnerships (in Birmingham, Miami, and Tampa) when you aren't deployed.
The Navy and Army don't currently offer a similar thing, but I've heard they're jealous of our idea and are looking to create something similar.

Our FST was actually attached to a SOF element (ODA team) and we had a small team that split off on separate missions to remote areas. There was an article about it here: Small surgery team from Fort Carson filled in as big hospitals were leaving Afghanistan | gazette.com

I like the SOST model, ours was not so formalized!

aferg002, BSN, EMT-P · Oct 23, 2017

Awesome, thank you for this insight! It sounds pretty cool! But, what kind of path would I need to look for to get into this MOS? Would it be the same standard of being an ER and or ICU nurse to be part of this group? And I love the idea of working in remote environments. So far, Ive been volunteering at the California fires evacuee centers and large free healthcare clinics in my area. I feel that is where theres more direct involvement between nurses and patients.

And the PT sounds intense. What kind of swimming are they looking for? I was a distance swimmer in college. And I like how they set you up in a civilian level 1 hospital.

Thank you for explaining the Air Force flight nursing a little bit more. The CCATT and the TCCET sounds really interesting. The helicopters you mentioned that the TCEET uses, are like chinooks or like Blackhawks?

But thank you again for your insight and for your service. I have no idea as to what the possibilities are to military nursing and everyone's insights are invaluable to me.