From Army Medic to Civilian Nurse: How the Military Influenced My Nursing Career

• Rashida Holliday, a former Army medic, shares how working in the medical field in the military helped her advance in a civilian nursing career. 
• The Army equipped her with most of the tools she needed to be successful as a civilian nurse. 
• Serving as a military nurse and a nurse in the civilian sector gave her an advantage in providing care and shaped her perspective of nursing. 

My experience in the military prepared me in so many ways to navigate my nursing career. It gave me a solid foundation, unique hands-on experience, and professional skills that helped propel my career forward.

Nursing in the military before moving to the civilian sector is like preparing for a test by practicing countless hard questions day after day. You take the test and find out the questions are not as difficult as you thought. The test is working on the civilian side of nursing.

That type of preparation allowed me to handle everyday things in nursing without unnecessary distractions. I served eight years in the Army Reserve in a Combat Support Hospital. I spent a great deal of that time learning to treat casualties in field conditions, working with disabled veterans, conducting preventative missions, and learning to improvise while working in places with limited resources. I am grateful for that experience because it gave me an appreciation for nursing. 

Becoming an Army Medic

My military and nursing career was a two-for-one deal. I joined the Army just after high school and qualified for a job (Military Occupation Specialty, or MOS) as a medic with a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) component attached to start my career.  

Later, I obtained my Registered Nurse license on the civilian side. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my nursing journey. I don’t think I would have lasted as long in the nursing profession if I had gone the traditional route. I really needed the structure and experience that the Army gives, especially at that time in my life.  

Army Medic Training

 What I gained from my time in the Army has opened doors to experiences I never thought I would have.

The Army equipped me with most of the tools I needed to be successful in my nursing career. It gave me a work ethic, which was a great quality to have when it came time to work on the civilian side. I was able to work cohesively in a team, listen to others, be self-motivated, and organize tasks to stay focused. 

The Army nursing training instilled the importance of finding the “why” in what I do to maintain my motivation and give my work purpose. The Army provides many opportunities for professional advancement, and I carry that expectation into every role to broaden my knowledge and skill set. The hands-on experience is unmatched and ranged from performing IV insertion in the dark with stick lights to invasive airway placement to learning to stop bleeding with tongue depressors and scarves. I became proficient at improvising with limited supplies.  

Military Leadership Training

Leadership training prepared me by giving me the confidence to advocate for others and myself, take initiative, and solve problems in less ideal situations. Being in the Army is understanding that there’s a great level of unpredictability and that has taught me to be adaptable and how to manage expectations when conditions change. 

This very skill has lessened my stress and allowed me to order my thoughts and act swiftly if needed. I learned great lessons on professionalism in appearance and conduct and how to communicate effectively. These valuable skills made my transition into the civilian sector of nursing relatively seamless.

I will note that with the military background, employers see you as an asset because of the wide range of professional and clinical skills you gain while serving. 

Military vs. Civilian Nursing

Nursing in the civilian sector versus the Army has some slight differences. In the Army, you must follow the standards of nursing and the military. For example, I may have a Physical Fitness Test, formation (when soldiers gather for instruction), or meet criteria to move up in ranking. The options on what setting you work in are out of your control. You can request a particular duty station or sign up for a mission but ultimately you go where the Army has needs. 

The patient population is different, and the hands-on experience is one of a kind. LPNs operate as medics in field settings but work in clinics and hospital settings. RNs operate under their scope in all settings. Independence in decision making is strongly encouraged but you still follow a provider’s guidance to not practice medicine. There is always a chance to be deployed on the frontlines during times of conflict. However, some nurses may not ever deploy, as I did not.

The Bottom Line

Being an Army nurse was a great experience and a major steppingstone in my nursing career. I gained professional and clinical skills that made learning and nursing practice easier. I have been able to tackle many challenges in nursing based on the experiences I’ve had. The lessons I’ve learned will stay with me for as long as my nursing journey continues. Serving as a military nurse and a nurse in the civilian sector has given me an advantage in the type of care I can provide and has shaped my perspective of nursing. 

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