Nursing in the Military.

[Serin]

Does anyone have any experience of this?

DS has been in army cadets throughout his teens, including many summers at Sennybridge, so he has a bit of an idea of what military life involves.

He is considering a career as a nurse, just wondered if anyone has any direct experience or if he needs to train as a nurse first and then apply to the Army/Navy/RAF directly.

DD is contemplating something along these lines.

I think military trains paramedics but not nurses, so nursing 1st then boot camp. They will tell you best way, though, if you ring.

The military does train nurses.

Google QARANC for the Army bit, PMRAFNS for airforce, and QARNNS for the Navy.

I think you can do either, going in as a student looks like a good option now the nursing bursary is going, he would get paid from the start. My son is in the process of joining the Navy ( although not in nursing) so I have been reading a lot of recruitment material.

DS2 is in his 2nd year of a nursing degree. There's a woman on the course who is already in the army, I think she's a medic, but is now doing her nurse training.

The best thing you can do is go to the Armed Forces careers office. They're in most big towns/cities (we had to make appointments for DS1). They are really knowledgeable and help point you in the right direction.

Thanks all, he has spoken to Army careers on the phone and they were quite unclear. We got the impression that you need to train as a nurse first but I always thought that there were other routes available that basically avoided the student loan? His cadet leader is also going to look into things for him, just thought it would be good to hear from anyone with experience.

The army trains medics but not nurses. You need to qualify as a nurse before you join.

Apologies, seem the system has changed. You can train as a nurse whilst serving here is the info

A long time ago I was looking tojoin the navy to be trained as a nurse.
Things may have changed but I recall the Navy being the only option. IT was a v long time ago.

www.qarnns.co.uk/recruitment

Good luck to your son wigglybeezer

Thanks lapsed

The Army does train nurses.

www.army.mod.uk/medical-services/nursing/30957.aspx

Or you can join when already qualified.

Many years ago I worked as a civilian doctor for both the navy and later the RAF. I loved working with their nurses. Their jobs looked to be hugely interesting and varied. In an era where NHS work is largely with the elderly, it is refreshing to have a young population of patients. It's not usually a lifetime career but definitely a great way to spend a decade or so, especially when the NHS is in its current mess.

The army definitely trains nurses. It does train very few paramedics but they have to be medics first, it's highly competitive and contentious largely due to being able to maintain competency.

As pp said, go to a careers office or online. There's a huge amount of misinformation (as this thread has shown!!!).

He will do her basic training of 14 weeks before going to university. Paid for by the military. Great job if he's got the aptitude.

Thanks all. I will visit the careers office with him.

I am pretty sure that the military train their nurses at Birmingham City Uni. I thought you joined up, passed all the initial training with an expression of interest in training then went on to train with the army through that uni. He would also need to meet the usual nursing academic entry I would imagine.

I think on one if those tv series about army/navy recruits one of the girls who passed out then went on to train as a military nurse.

Some links:

www.army.mod.uk/rolefinder/role/228/student-nurse

www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/roles/roles-finder/medical-and-medical-support/student-nurse-adult/

www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/role-finder/roles/nursestudent

Thanks for that InformalRoman, really helpful.

So in summary he applies to a service, completes basic training and then goes to University from there (this is the same Uni whichever service he joins). During this time he is paid as a member of the armed services and on graduation he is expected to work for them for 12 years, with the possible option of further employment.

We get it now! Sounds right up his street.