Military Nurse, Military Nursing Schools, Training, Jobs, and Careers

What is a Military Nurse?
A military nurse is one who serves in the military and she holds military rank. All branches of the service have nurses and this group is called a corps. In the Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard the common mission of the corps is nursing.

When working in the inpatient phase, the one who spends the most time with the patients is the nurse. The military nurse is not only responsible for carrying out her own duties but the interventions that are ordered by other members of the team. These are some of the duties of the military nurse:

1. Monitor wounds for infection

2. Provide pre- and postoperative care

3. Monitor the pain medication so that it remains at a level in which the patient can withstand the rigorous rehabilitation process

4. Provide emotional support to patients and facilitate peer visitation

5. Prepare patients for surgeries and debridements (the procedure of cutting away contaminated or dead tissue or of foreign material from a wound)

6. Check the efficiency of the method that is being used for the reduction of postsurgical swelling I the patient's residual limb and reapply it when appropriate and necessary

7. Teach the injured patient how to do self-care

8. Help the patient with daily living activities

9. Accompany her patients when they learn how to use their assistive device(s)

How to Become a Military Nurse:
There are two main ways of becoming a military nurse. The first is to be a graduate from an accredited nursing school and earn your BSN. Next, you must pass the NCLEX-RN exam. That will give you the license to practice nursing. Then apply to be directly commissioned into a branch of the military and become a military nurse.

The second way of becoming a military nurse is to become a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps better known as the ROTC. The ROTC will help with college tuition and pay you a small stipend while you attend college. Additional coursework will be needed in military history, leadership and for the four years of your college education, you must attend the ROTC summer camp. When you have received your Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing or BSN, you are commissioned into the branch of service through which you were enrolled in the ROTC in college.

Requirements of a Direct Commission Process:

• Must have a BSN degree from an accredited nursing school *Note The U.S. Army Reserves accepts an Associate Degree or LPN but you must have your BSN before going up before the promotion board to be considered for the rank of Captain.

• Be a citizen of the United States.

• Have your license as a Registered Nurse in all of the U.S. states as well as such territories as Guam, Puerto Rico or District of Columbia.

• Reasonably clean criminal history with no felony convictions; it will probably not pose a problem if you have a minor infraction or a speeding ticket or two. However, you will not be commissioned if you have about thirty unpaid traffic tickets.

• Meet the weight and height standards for the branch of service you plan on entering.

• Pass a medical physical.

• Meet the proper age requirement of the branch of service you are going into.

• Pass a background check in order to be cleared for secret clearance.

• Apply for a direct commission for the branch of service you want to enter through a military healthcare recruiter.

There is a variety of places a military nurse can work:

a. Hospitals
b. Ships
c. Clinics
d. Airplanes as flight nurses
e. Tents when the soldiers are at war

Military Nurse Salary:
These nurses make very good income. The national average pay is $67,000 per year. This salary is fairly consistent. This is because it’s a government job. Most government jobs have the same pay scale.

Military Nursing School:
As stated above, there are two ways to become a military nurse. If you wish to become one by attending nursing school first, we have the school for you. The school is University of Phoenix. They have campus and online programs. Some of these schools are in your area. University of Phoenix is regarded as the leading innovator in distance learning. Follow this link to visit and get their free and no obligation information.

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