The "Nursing Officer" Merged Thread

[medicineman]

(3)  When  you're trained and when there are courses available AND someone figures you're likely to go to an AE position or are deserving of the course.

(4)  No nurses as casualties that I know of...medics on the other hand, 7 off the top of my head.

(5)  Yes and it's up to the bad guys concerned...we'll leave it at that.

MM

 

[curious george]

  My thoughts to those 7 medics who saved others at the cost of their own health and life.

What protection/plan is in place to protect the patients in the hospitals and the staff who work there?  Surely they can't be left completely unable to defend themselves!  eg. Do they carry rifles?  Are they allowed to shoot? Is there a bomb shelter?

 

[MedCorps]

1.  Yes, you need to have all six steps completed and be deemed OFP.  People have gotten waivers but it is rare (especially if you are a general duty nursing officer) and not a good idea at all. This process takes time and two to three years is a good yardstick if you are sorted out.

2. You will have a military nursing officer who will program your experience and work with you to ensure that you meet the required competencies. You will be paired with an experienced civilian RN who works with you day-to-day.  They will write evaluation on you to the military CPT Officer who coordinates the program.  They will then collate the evaluations, plus add any interactions that they have had with you into the mix and write the final evaluation.

3. Once you are OFP and generally completed one posting cycle as a NO you can apply for a position at the Air Evacuation Flight in Trenton. Once you are identified as someone with interest / suitable you will attempt to complete the air medical, aeromedical training program in Winnipeg and then the seven (?) week Aeromedical Evacuation  (AME) Course.  Once you have your AME wings you are then eligible for posting to the flight and if there is a position then you can be posted into it.  You can be posted to the Flight as a General Duty Nursing Officer (GDNO) in fact most of the positions are GDNO positions.

4. We do not discuss casualty numbers in a public forum.  There have been no Nursing Officer deaths in Afghanistan, but quite a few (double digits) in other wars.  We have had Med Techs and a HCA be killed in theatre / have death related to service. 

See: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/afghanistan/casualties/list.html

We also do not discuss the specifics of force protection measures in a public forum for obvious reasons.  There is a plan, it is a good plan, and your chances at survival will be maximized by the use of this plan.

MC

 

[NursyNurse]

Fantastic information, and I read it all with great interest.

Thank you for sharing !

 

[curious george]

Medcorps,  thank you once again for all your patience in answering my questions.  I'm sure your thorough explanations are helping other people as well.

I fully respect your need to keep some secrets as they might jeorpordize lives.  Sorry, I don't know all the rules yet.

 

[bear1995]

Would someone be at an advantage/disadvantage if they were male going into this profession? Based on the experiences of my sisters (who are all civi-nurses) there are few male nurses. They said if anything in the civi world men have an advantage, would this make any difference withing the CF?

 

[PMedMoe]

Would someone be at an advantage/disadvantage if they were male going into this profession? Based on the experiences of my sisters (who are all civi-nurses) there are few male nurses. They said if anything in the civi world men have an advantage, would this make any difference withing the CF?

No.

 

[medicineman]

I'd have to say the "sisterhood" still rules the roost in the CF when it comes to nursing...even over the male nursing sisters ;D

MM

 

[Gunner98]

It should be noted that the Senior Nursing Officer in a CF uniform today is a male.

 

[medicineman]

Shhh...don't need to tell them that  ;D.

As a small aside, when my ex-CO was my Senior Nursing Officer in Kingston, I changed the name plate on his office to read " N.S. C.L., Matron"  from "Capt C. L., Senior Nursing Officer"...when he eventually noticed, he was happy with leaving it there.  The HWO wasn't.

MM

 

[bear1995]

at first i was not interested in joining the military for medical-related trades at all due to the fact i am a very competitive, push myself to the limit, adrenaline-seeking guy. i was thinking for the three trades i put down shoudl be along the lines of armour officer, infantry officer, and artillery officer; however, my parents helped me realize there is more job security in nursing right now because if it doesn't work out with the military (which i hope it does!) then i should be able to find a job as a civilian very easy. so i am hoping for my three trades to put down nursing officer, and the other two are undecided- perhaps pharmacist officer?

p.s: i am only 16 but have literally spent hours on this site as i wish to go through ROTP

 

[George Wallace]

at first i was not interested in joining the military for medical-related trades at all due to the fact i am a very competitive, push myself to the limit, adrenaline-seeking guy. i was thinking for the three trades i put down shoudl be along the lines of armour officer, infantry officer, and artillery officer; however, my parents helped me realize there is more job security in nursing right now because if it doesn't work out with the military (which i hope it does!) then i should be able to find a job as a civilian very easy. so i am hoping for my three trades to put down nursing officer, and the other two are undecided- perhaps pharmacist officer?

p.s: i am only 16 but have literally spent hours on this site as i wish to go through ROTP

Nursing a secure trade to learn?  Thousands of Nurses have been laid off in many of Canada's Provinces.  Doesn't seem such a "secure" plan as you perceived, unless you plan on moving to the US.  I am sure Pharmacist would be a good option, as there are Drug Stores popping up almost on every corner.

You are 16, so you have lots of time to research and make an informed decision and also benefit from any changes in employment opportunities.

 

[medicineman]

You're not going to get as much adrenaline as you think in nursing - the day to day stuff is pretty mundane actually (it's not all saving lives all day every day) and as a nursing officer, once your consolidation is done, well you could spend alot of time pushing paper.  Incidentally, ditto for those other things you were interested in too - it's not all fun and games all the time, there's alot of administration as well depending on your particular lot in life as far as postings go.

Like GW said, you've got time to think about it and research things.

MM

 

[curious george]

I've got two questions:

After  consolidation, how many months per year do you go back to acute care setting to maintain those skills?

Is there a Trauma Care Course and Burn Course somewhere along the way during the nursing training/career?  Or should it be something I do on my own time?

 

[nursesp]

Don't do it. If you are already a trained RN, I suggest you DO NOT join the CF. I did it I joined, did boot camp but got screwed over while almost completing the boot camp program. I got injured, and believe you me, it sucks, and they treat you like garbage while in St. Jean. I'm a strong physically fit person, but am no longer, I am slowly recovering, and I likely sustained permanent injuries.

I'd say, don't do it, find some other avenue in civi world nursing that you can pursue which interests you.

 

[lethalLemon]

Don't do it. If you are already a trained RN, I suggest you DO NOT join the CF. I did it I joined, did boot camp but got screwed over while almost completing the boot camp program. I got injured, and believe you me, it sucks, and they treat you like garbage while in St. Jean. I'm a strong physically fit person, but am no longer, I am slowly recovering, and I likely sustained permanent injuries.

I'd say, don't do it, find some other avenue in civi world nursing that you can pursue which interests you.

So why then, come here and discourage others who are interested in an exciting, different every day career that goes beyond cleaning some elderly man's poop? From what I've heard, a CF Nursing Officer does far more medical work than a civilian nurse and has the opportunity to deploy to (potentially) almost any country in the world that the CF sets foot in - whether it's for Humanitarian Aid, or Combat operations.

"...treat you like garbage while in St. Jean..."
Sounds like someone couldn't look past the small petty things and take in the real training that was offered. If you pay attention, the staff tell you how to succeed and how NOT to get injured. The purpose of BMQ is to break you out of your old, lacking-discipline, habit-forming self and build you up into a disciplined, alert, keen, nimble soldier/sailor/airman-airwoman. It's all about learning how to build attention to detail and to do right the first time. Everyone makes mistakes, but they rather you make the mistakes on BMQ than where it counts - like on the battlefield where lives are on the line.

Sorry you had a disappointing less than 14 weeks in the CF, but don't go ruining it for people who want to be part of something bigger than themselves, to protect the people of Canada and their interests who can't do it themselves. To selflessly serve your nation is something truly noble. How many years has the CF gone out and saved people from Red River floods, avalanches, or blizzards in Ontario (and much more)? Plenty. The men and women of the CF don't even know these people and they are going out of their way to help restore their lives. I shouldn't say "going out of their way" it's their job - because they want to.

Sorry you can't handle being more than just a pay cheque collecting, patient ignoring, civilian RN.

 

[MedCorps]

I've got two questions:

After  consolidation, how many months per year do you go back to acute care setting to maintain those skills?

Is there a Trauma Care Course and Burn Course somewhere along the way during the nursing training/career?  Or should it be something I do on my own time?

Every Nursing Officer is required to pass the Emergency Nursing Association (ENA) Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) while on the Basic Nursing Officer Course as a Lieutenant. You will then be required to re-certify in TNCC as it expires for the rest of you career as a Nursing Officer unless you become a Mental Health Nursing Officer.  There are also opportunities to become an TNCC Instructor and TNCC Course Director as you progress in rank and experience, have the aptitude, and there are positions / requirement.  You will also see nursing officers do the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course as an auditor and/or the ENA Emergency Nursing Pediatrics Course.  I have also seen a few nursing offers now take the ENA Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing  II (CATN-II) course. Finally, some Nursing Officers will take the International Basic Trauma Life Support Course (IBLS) , or the Prehospital Trauma Life Support Course (PHTLS).  Both of these courses are taught on the Combat Casualty Care Course, down in Texas, which we send a few nursing officers on each year. 

There is some basic burn training during the Basic Nursing Officer Course.  I have seen Nursing Officers do the American Burn Association, Advanced Burn Life Support Course.  The problem is that you do not see it run in Canada very often and we have had to wait for someone to teach it here, or send them down to the US. I have also seen a number of nurses recently do a Maintenance of Clinical Skills Program (MSCP) rotation at the Sunnybrook Burn Centre (The Ross Tilley Burn Centre).  This has been a tremendous opportunity, and everyone that I have spoken with who has done it has said great things about this MCSP rotation. 

The MSCP is how you maintain your clinical skills.  To be honest it is not the best functioning of programs.  It prescribes a certain number of hours per year that you are "required" to be back in hospital maintaining your clinical skill set.  It is under review for content.  Most General Duty Nursing Officer seem to be getting four to five weeks a year in an area where it can do the most good for them, based on identified requirement.  This is often in Emergency or on a Med/Surg Ward. Some are getting more (ones in field units), some are getting less (ones in busy base medical clinics) . The problem is that they have to leave their full-time job on base (seeing patients in a base medical clinic,  teaching at the school, managing, etc) and go an MSCP which an prove to be problematic, given workload, as there is nobody left behind then to do the required tasks. 

With Afghanistan, we have always had Nursing Officers in the pre-deployment / deployment cycle and hence why *I think* the MSCP has fallen off the rails somewhat.  The small buffer we had built into the system for MSCP, was consumed by this deployment. I suspect it will get better in the future, assuming an decrease in tempo and there is some re-organization afoot to have more Nursing Officers working in hospital full time / close to full time in a variety of rotations for a three year posting ("high readiness" nursing officers). 

I hope that helps. If you have any other questions please ask.

Do not listen to any non-hacker who can not make it past basic training. They may have been a poor recruiting selection, or just bitter from bad luck.

MC

 

[mariomike]

Sorry you can't handle being more than just a pay cheque collecting, patient ignoring, civilian RN.

Rhetoric aside, 2011 was not a bad year for some pay cheque collecting, patient ignoring, civilian RN's :
http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2012/hospit12.pdf

 

[aesop081]

Don't do it.

So, you are saying to people "don't join the CF" because YOU got hurt ?

I've seen plenty of people get hurt during basic and go one to good careers and i have seen plenty of people finish basic training without getting hurt.

Would you say to someone "i recommend you do not drive a car because i had an accident once and dealing with the insurance company was painful" ?

 

[nursesp]

I'm simply sharing my opinion. This forum is about reading opinions, and I have the right to share mine.

It is not comparable to driving a car, though I see your point that anything in life one does can mean injury or death.

If anyone wants to know more about my experience nursing/sustaining an injury during basic training please feel free to message me.

FYI I was at St. Jean for 15 weeks.