Military Nursing Offers Incredible Rewards
There are many different venues in which a registered nurse can utilize his or her talents. One area that many nurses are pursuing that they find incredibly rewarding is military nursing. This high demanding, often stressful area of nursing is fascinating. Nurses in the military receive incredible educational opportunities as well as the ability to work in fast-paced environments. There are a few things to consider before deciding whether to pursue a military nurse job.
Before someone can qualify to become a military nurse there are a few requirements that must be met. The first deal with the subject of education; army nursing careers require that the applicant have already earned a bachelor's of science in nursing degree or a masters degree in nursing. They must also pass a required physical and medical examination. In order to become part of the United States military, the applicant also has to be a citizen of the country and be authorized to work as a registered nurse.
Becoming a part of the military grants the RN some special and unique privileges. In addition to receiving financial assistance with their training, the nurse can expect to receive some very specialized training as part of their ongoing work. There are four different types of training that are available as part of a military nurse job. One is a critical care nursing course. This course prepares the RN for working in an environment where there are life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Another choice is a gynecological and obstetrical course. This is an incredible opportunity for a RN who plans or working in the labor and delivery area of a hospital after they've been discharged. For a nurse who has an interest in surgery, he or she may want to take the operating room nurse course. This prepares them for becoming a surgical nurse which is both a lucrative and incredibly interesting career choice. The last option is a mental health nursing course. Each of these courses is available to those in a military nurse job who have worked in that capacity for at least a year.
When a nurse signs up with the active duty nurse corps they may be eligible for a signing bonus. This bonus is $25,000 and specialty nurses such as family nurse practitioners and nurse midwives may receive even more. For those individuals who are still earning their nursing degree, they can certainly become a military nurse as well. The requirement are a bit different than for RNs but the most important criteria is that the individual be currently enrolled in school and studying towards a degree in nursing. In this case the nurse-in-training can expect to be paid on average $1,000 a month and a $5,000 bonus after acceptance. Nursing students considering this must also be fully aware that they will be required to make a long-term commitment to being part of the military.
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