The "Nursing Officer" Merged Thread

[Fraser.g]

Well, yes you will be spending some time in Borden but not alot as a reservist.

The progression in the reserves for an NO is almost the same as a Res HCA
BCT (Med), ICT (Med), Staff officers course (Just changed name), ACT (Med) and down the line.
They are modularizing BNOC for the reserves but I have not seen it yet.

The argument is that you are maintaining your skills on civi street so the army is going to work on your administration and command stuff.

Each of the above courses is two weeks long and are done about one a year.

Take a look at this CFAO link and esp Annex C:
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/049-12_e.asp

Hope this helps

PM me if you want more.

GF

 

[quebecrunner]

BCT is 3 weeks. 

 

[MED_BCMC]

BCT is 3 weeks. 

.. for now. The latest rumours out of CFMSS regarding BCT Med is that within 2-3 years, the regular force "Basic Field" course will be broken down for reserve Nurses, Doctors and HCAs. The course would include fieldcraft skills, leadership skills, weapons handling, finances, CFPAS, etc, as well as medical specific trade skills, so therefore, HCAs would not be required to take the CAP course anymore.

Just the latest water cooler discussion.

 

[Gunner98]

Rumours, watercoolers, 2-3 years, no CAP for HCAs.

Thanks for the trip to the Fantasyland theme park outside of Angus. I love IHIWTTSATW talk.

HUMINT Translation for IHIWTTSATW - I heard it while talking to someone at the watercooler.

 

[coopman33]

Hello all!

I was wondering if it is possible to re muster from Nursing officer to Infantry...

The reason I'm asking this is b/c I'm currently a nursing student that is thinking of applying to join the infantry reserve.  However, I have heard that nurses and doctors are needed in the Canadian Forces and that the army may not even give me a chance to apply for infantry and would most likely try to steer me into the nursing officer route. 

That being said, in my particular position (being a nursing student), would it be a waste of time to apply for infantry?

And if I were to go the nursing officer route and this nagging desire of mine to join the infantry still doesn't fade, would it be possible for me to re muster to infantry (assuming i meet all the qualifications)?

I guess what I'm basically asking is that does my future civilian profession in nursing basically veto me from any career as an infantryman?

Any help much appreciated.

 

[herseyjh]

I went the other way, so from infantry to nursing.  From personal experience I know people who have civilian trades that the military needs but have decided on a very different military career.  My advice to you is pick the military trade that you want.  Personally, in a way, I found once I moved over to the medical branch a small part of me wished I stayed with the infantry.  I am not saying I regret my move, rather all week long I think 'medical' so when I am with the green team it would be nice to think 'infantry' to spice things up so to speak.

Pick what you want to do and you will have a rewarding career with the forces.

 

[brihard]

First off, I just want to confirm you are in fact going reserves.

If that's the case, you can be whatever damn trade you please. My regiment has people of all kinds of different professions and backgrounds serving as infanteers (the nice new non-gender-specific term for infantry). If you want to join as infantry, they can't force you to go nursing officer- particularly not in the reserves.

One of question; would you be joining the infantry reserves as an officer or as non commissioned?

 

[Staff Weenie]

The Recruiting Centre may try and steer or push you towards being a Reserve Nurse. But, there is not a darn thing in the National Defence Act or Queen's Regulations and Orders that says they can force you to do this during peace time.

The Canadian Forces Health Services Group HQ was pushing Canadian Forces Recruiting Group to 'steer' all civilian clinicians applying for the Reserves into our realm.

As somebody who has spent 15 years in the CF Health Services, I can say it's a huge mistake! Do what you want to do - if that's Infantry - then be an Infanteer. If you want to drive big trucks, go into a Service Battalion (there was Doctor who found driving the trucks was a great stress reliever - and was also a childhood dream).

Your personal feeling of success and contribution will only be realized by following your dreams - not by filling somebody's quota!

If, in 10 or 20 years, you've decided that chasing through the woods isn't your game any more, come on over to our side - we'll still be here.

Good Luck!

 

[medaid]

Ah dang! Staff Weenie... you beat me to it! Okay... as a recruiter I would STRONGLY... even... EXTREMELY STRONGLY to encourage you to becoming a Nursing Officer. We need em. Desperately. BUT, that being said. I agree with everyone else. Join and be what YOU want to be, many people dont want to do the same jobs they do on civi side, that's fair enough. All the best luck to you and your decision. Remember, Health Services will always be there for you to apply to! 

 

[Armymedic]

Screw that part time NO crap. Do the infantry officer thing in the reserves for 3-4 yrs until you complete your nursing degree, then transfer over to the Reg F as a NO. It will be a true benefit for yourself and those med techs who work for you to have that experience.

 

[Gramps]

When I was in the reserves a number of years ago we had an Armoured officer who is an anesthesiologist so it should not be a huge problem.

 

[mover1]

We had a dude called off his phase course once to fly to Toronto to do surgery, guy was a freakin brain surgeon. We asked him why he was an Armoured officer. He said that people payed big bucks to do this for fun he decided to do it and get paid at the same

Do what you want to do and don't let the recruiters put you into something you don't want to do.

Gramps hows the baby.......

 

[Gunner98]

There is at least one Reg Force Nurse who became an Artillery Officer.

 

[proudnurse]

When I was in the reserves a number of years ago we had an Armoured officer who is an anesthesiologist so it should not be a huge problem.

It's interesting what paths people take in life......ever neat

~Rebecca~

 

[twistidnick]

I was just wondering if anyone could elaborate on all the aspects and opportunities of No's in the Field/on a base/on the homefront. Every bit of info will be welcome.... A bit of background, I have been in the PRes for just over a year and I just was excepted to a pre-nursing /university prep program at Algonquin college. Once i get in to the collaborative program with Algonquin and the U of O, I am going to get my frontal lobotomy and go Reg force officer. I have seen the recruiting video and i would just like to hear about the job from the real people doing it. Thanks

(Mods move if you feel necessary.)

 

[stefwills]

Anyone know how many nursing spots there are for this year? (ROTP) Or is it undefined and they just get a rough number of nurses?

 

[macgyver]

" Nursing in the CF is changing...with the CF Nursing 2020 Initiative, we are moving back into a more clinical role.  New graduates must now complete 2 years of med/surg consolidation at a civilian hospital (Halifax, Valcartier, Ottawa, Edmonton, or Esquimalt).  Once you have completed your consolidation, you have the options  of going into specialities: Primary Care, Emergency/Critical Care, Operating Room, Mental Health, or Air Med Evac. "

Does anyone on the board have any info on DEO to MedEvac? Was a R041 x ~14 yrs (also crosstrained as Med-Aide once upon a time) and nursing since 2002 (3412 hrs CIVE in-flight time as CCEMT-P and then RN). Interested in a PRes position in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton with a chance at CF Air Med Evac or deployment.

Currently on a Pede-Neo specialty team but also have significant adult and some high-risk OB transport experience. In-hospital experience = tertiary Pediatric float pool, ER, PICU, NICU. Currently in Portland and have multisystem truama experience flying in Alberta, NWT, Northern BC, Yukon, Nunavut, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado).

 

[Donut]

There are very few flt medics or flt nurses in the HS Res; most have come from the Reg F.

Even those who have extensive civi air-evac time have been required to complete the CF Aeromedical Evac Courses; I've got a Res Medic/Flight EMT-P working for me now who is currently freezing his soft fleshy bits off outside Winnipeg on one of the phases he needs for Roto 5.

I suspect your chances of DEO into a firm flight nurse position are slim to nil, but you'd always be welcome to come in as a GDNO and make your case up the chain.

All flight medical assets are being consolidated in Trenton over the next couple of years, so if you're hoping to fly out of one of those cities, that's probably not going to happen, either (although I know of at least one Flight/CCNO who works out of Winnipeg).

Hope this answers your questions,

PMT

 

[aesop081]

Interested in a PRes position in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton with a chance at CF Air Med Evac or deployment.

You wont be doing MEDEVAC in those locations

 

[macgyver]

Yeah, I was pretty sure all flying was done by Trenton crews. No problem in doing the CF Aeromedical Evac Course assuming I could wrangle my way onto it. C-130 and multiple patients is a lot different than 1 to 3 in a small turboprop etc. Plus they are noisy - have flown a critical patient (as a civilian paramedic) on one of 435's before. Any education is a good thing and the emergency proceedures will be a lot different from a small to medium RW or FW craft. What I was wondering was the chances of entering as a reserve NO in those areas and then over the next few years getting re-trained the CF way and then a posting, deployment or position back east or overseas.

Also kind of was thinking about going the Medic route since positions are likely available nearby (west) that I could fill while keeping my nursing job, but as I understand it would have to requal my 3's and get 5/6a/6b before being able to do much or deploy in a manner that would allow me to use my experience etc as apparently no entry path exists that recognises civilian paramedic training. Despite being first an EMT/PCP in 86 then REMT-P/ACP (91), CCEMT-P/CCP (96). Plus my nursing in 02 and Bachelors in 06. Even passed the FP-C (Certified Flight Paramedic) exam in US which is harder than the CFRN ...

Have a buddy (flight nurse and former 82nd now with the US SF) in a similar position over in the sandbox who went the enlisted route and said that unit level utilisation of his experience was great but the chain of command was (typically) SNAFU and limiting+++ so I guess things are the same everywhere.

Kind of frustrating that I cannot re-enlist and use the skills and experience gained while a civilian to help our guys...even if not flying.