What Does It Take to Become a Military Nurse?

• Becoming a military nurse involves several key steps, such as attaining education, licensure and meeting specific military requirements. 
• Military nurses are commissioned officers, so that requires specific training based on the branch of service. 
• Military nurses typically possess unique experiences and perspectives due to the nature of their roles. 

Veterans Day and the Fourth of July help us remember the service and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans, including military nurses. But we don’t have to wait for a federal holiday to celebrate and honor those practitioners who also serve our country.

I’m writing this blog as I sit in a hotel room in Normandy, France, with a 100-year-old World War II veteran who was too sick to attend the ceremonies for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. I had the privilege of being on a medical team that accompanied 50 WWII veterans to Normandy for the historic celebrations.

It has been an honor to spend time with this living legend of a veteran and watch the celebrations at Omaha and Utah beaches and the American and British ceremonies on television. He first served as a radio communications specialist, and as the war continued his assignment changed to a medic. I told him I was writing this blog and asked him for advice on how best to honor our veterans. 

His first reply struck me hard as he said emphatically, “War is hell. Do everything possible to avoid it.”  

How Do You Become a Military Nurse?

“A nurse is a nurse” is a controversial statement. There are various educational and training levels of nurses, including the Licensed Practical LPN (or Licensed Vocational Nurse in some states) and associates, bachelors, and master’s degrees. 

Because there are several educational entry points, nurse titles can be confusing to the general public. The same is true of military nurses and the various titles and ranks they achieve from private, lieutenant, colonel, officer, and higher. 

Becoming a military nurse involves earning a nursing degree, obtaining proper licensure, and meeting specific military requirements. Nurses can serve on active duty, in the reserves, or with the National Guard, though each service’s commitments and benefits vary. 

Much like civilians, nursing graduates who want to enter the military medical environment must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). 

Experience as an RN prior to the military isn’t necessary but can provide practical knowledge that enhances an application for military service. Other eligibility requirements include: 

• Being an American citizen (for U.S. military branches); 
• Fulfilling age criteria (usually 21-42); 
• Passing physical fitness tests; 
• Meeting medical standards; 
• and passing background checks.  

 Once you’ve selected a branch of service to enlist in, a recruiter from that branch can help in the application process. 

Military nurses are commissioned officers, which requires specific officer training — Basic Officer Leaders Course, Officer Development School, or Commissioned Officer Training — depending on the branch of service. Military nurses can also specialize in an area like critical care nursing or surgical nursing.

After successfully completing basic officer training, including leadership development, military customs, and physical conditioning, nurses then participate in specialization training programs. After successfully completing all necessary training programs, service as a military nurse begins.  

Scholarship options, such as ROTC nursing scholarships or the Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), also are available.  

What Additional Training Do a Military Nurses Receive?

Military medical personnel, like any other military occupation specialty, go through mandatory boot camp and specialty training. The skills training can include field medical response training or clinical work in a veterans hospital. 

Like public or private hospitals, veterans hospitals have acute medical-surgical, critical care, pediatric, and women’s health units. Not everyone who works in a veterans hospital must be a veteran. 

What are the Roles and Duties of a Military Nurse?

Full-time military nurses might be able to choose their assignment location, but have additional responsibilities outside of hospital hours, such as drills commonly seen in the National Guard. 

Duties and responsibilities will depend on a military nurse’s branch of service and assignment. Clinically, they offer comprehensive nursing care, trauma/emergency response in field hospitals or combat zones, and medical evacuation of wounded soldiers before transport. Depending on training and assignment, they may also deliver specialty care such as surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics, or gynecology. 

Administratively, military nurses manage detailed patient records, coordinate medical care logistics, and supervise junior medical staff. Military nurses frequently lead nursing teams under pressure or offer expert advice to commanders regarding health-related decisions that affect the wellbeing and readiness of service members. 

In some military nursing specialties, practitioners offer counseling and support for posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. Other specialties focus on rehabilitation for wounded soldiers and contribute to public health initiatives, including vaccination programs and health education campaigns.  

What Do Military Nurses Want Non-Military Nurses to Know About Them?

Military nurses are used to working efficiently and tend to be drawn toward those who understand the military culture.

Still, Susan, a nurse and veteran, said, “We are nurses just like you!”

“We just have some extra unique military field training experiences and really love our country,” she continued.

Lisa, a nurse in Florida, said it’s important for non-military nurses to not be offended when those with a military history are “really direct and sometimes blunt.”

Kelly, a nurse in South Carolina, had a similar view. 

“We are used to taking orders and responding quickly and some people take our directness as rude, but we don’t mean to be,” she said.  

Military nurses typically have unique experiences and perspectives, so here are a few key points military nurses would like non-military nurses to know: 

1. Special Challenges and Environments: Military nurses face unique and often difficult environments, such as combat zones or field hospitals, where conditions are far less predictable and controlled than they might be in civilian healthcare settings. They must be ready to deliver quality care under conditions that might include limited resources, extreme pressure, or personal risk.
2. Extensive Training and Versatility: Military nurses undergo comprehensive training in nursing, military protocols and survival skills. Their expertise allows them to respond rapidly and adeptly to an array of medical emergencies from battlefield injuries to humanitarian crises.
3. Leadership and Responsibility: A military nurse might oversee medical teams, requiring them to make crucial decisions quickly and lead by example during high-stress situations.
4. Emotional Resilience: Military nurses frequently encounter traumatic injuries, deaths, and mental health diagnoses among service members. To manage such challenges effectively, they develop coping mechanisms and support systems. Military nurses take immense pride and commitment in serving their country and fellow service members, often at great personal sacrifice. 
5. Military Nurses Share Core Values and Ethics: While military nurses’ work environments differ considerably from non-military nurses, both groups are dedicated to patient care, professional integrity, and lifelong learning. 

How Can We Best Honor Our Military Nurses?

Honoring nurses who are veterans involves recognizing and appreciating their contributions while offering support and gratitude for all they’ve accomplished. Highlighting their stories through hospital newsletters, local newspapers, or online platforms can increase awareness of their contributions while inspiring others. Mentorship programs allow these nurses to share their expertise and support younger nurses, forming supportive professional communities. 

Assuring veteran nurses have access to comprehensive healthcare services, including mental health support, is crucial. Support groups can offer comfort and emotional stability; career transition programs aid veterans with the shift from the military to civilian life. 

RELATED COURSE: Mental Health Conditions Common to Veterans

Educational outreach efforts may involve inviting veteran nurses to speak at educational institutions and professional conferences, sharing their insights and stories of military nursing. Producing educational materials about military nurses’ contribution to healthcare may educate broader public audiences and the nursing community, while community engagement projects, such as participating in Veterans Day events, is a more ideal ways to honor veteran nurses. 

Institutional policies that include regular recognition programs and inclusive hiring practices can ensure veteran nurses are recruited and retained. This will ensure veteran nurses are recognized and celebrated, appreciating both military and civilian healthcare delivery systems. 

What Not to Do for a Veteran Nurse

As part of honoring veteran nurses, actions and behaviors that could cause harm should be avoided. Never discount their military service and experiences. Refrain from making insensitive remarks about any physical or mental health conditions they might have and do not assume all veterans have trauma or PTSD.  

Do not underestimate their skills and capabilities. Veteran nurses often possess advanced medical training and leadership experience that is invaluable in civilian healthcare settings. Make sure they receive equal continuing education courses, promotions, and advancement opportunities with civilian counterparts. Recognition should be genuine rather than tokenistic gestures, such as awards that make veteran nurses uncomfortable by overemphasizing their military background. 

Financial and career assumptions can also be harmful. Don’t presume veteran nurses are financially secure due to military pensions and benefits. Also ensure support is in place to aid with transition from military nursing roles into civilian nursing roles, rather than placing excessive expectations upon veteran nurses solely due to their military background.  

The Bottom Line

By paying close attention to our veteran nurses, you can foster a supportive and respectful environment, reward their service, and honor them for all they’ve contributed to society.

We share common knowledge and skills with our currently serving and veteran nurses. They have additional training and ranks within the military that deserve respect. By asking about their unique work settings and training, you demonstrate respect for their position and title. 

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