Military nurses serve in an essential role by providing preventative and emergency care to service members. As a military nurse, you can expect to enjoy a rewarding career that can take you all over the world. Several branches of the military actively recruit family nurse practitioners and other specialized NPs. In the United States, you may help to care for both service members as well as for veterans and their families. As an active duty military nurse practitioner serving overseas, you may treat wounded soldiers, set up triage stations and provide care to people living in developing nations. After your service, you can still continue to serve your community as a civilian nurse practitioner. The path to becoming a military nurse requires you to complete the following general requirements.
Each branch of the military has specific requirements for NPs, and you will want to make sure that you know them when you choose where you want to serve. All NPs will have to become officers by going through officer training programs. NPs can join the Army Nurse Corps, Air Force Nursing, or the Navy Nurse Corps. There is also plenty of educational assistance for military personnel if you have joined the military before obtaining your nursing license.
The Army Corps especially looks for family nurse practitioners to provide support for adults and children during humanitarian missions and during peacetime, for active duty and reserves. To join the Army as a NP requires a completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited program, a current NP license, status as a US citizen between the ages of 21 and 24, and the completion of a basic leadership course. Working in the Army Corps will provide you with paid educational opportunities, vacation, travel opportunities, and health professions loan repayment programs.
The Air force also seeks family nurse practitioners who work in bases around the world, but they also recruit nurse practitioners from other specialties, including pediatrics, critical and emergency care, and mental health. They require NPs to have a master’s degree in nursing practice, 12 months experience as a registered nurse, 6 full-time months experience in your specialty, and a completed commissioned officer training course. They also require you to be between the ages of 18 and 47.
To join the navy as an NP, you must attend the five-week officer development school in Rhode Island. The requirements are similar to that of the army. They recruit family, pediatric, psychiatric and women’s health NPs between 18 and 41 years old, for active duty and reserve options. You may work in naval medical facilities, refugee camps, serve marines as well as navy reserves, and in other places.
The desire to serve as a military nurse is admirable, and you can anticipate enjoying a career that could take you anywhere in the world. While becoming a military nurse practitioner does require you to accept a high level of responsibility, seeking the best educational opportunities that are available will help you rise to the task whenever you are called for duty.
About the Author: Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan.