Nursing Student
ROTC provides an opportunity for college nursing students to receive practical hands-on leadership experience. The courses provide a chance for students to develop management, communication and decision-making skills in a non-threatening environment. Physical training and confidence-building activities (i.e. rappelling, obstacle courses) also provide a chance for students to be physically and mentally challenged. Students who are interested in obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Columbus State University may enroll in ROTC. Students should enroll as a freshman. Upon completion of our program, Nursing students are commissioned as officers in the United States Army.
Who is an army nurse? How do I become an army nurse?
An Army Nurse is a Baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurse who is an Army Officer. During their first assignment, they will work as a Clinical Staff Nurse in an Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF). To become an Army Nurse, you must:
- Attend a four-year, Baccalaureate degree Nursing Program accredited by the National League of Nursing (NLN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Enroll in Army ROTC along with the Nursing Curriculum
- Successfully complete all courses to earn a degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps
- Take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)
- Make the most of your profession and career!
What happens after graduation?
You will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. After you pass the NCLEX, you will attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC) at Fort Sam Houston, TX prior to reporting to your first assignment. At BOLC (12 Weeks), you will study basic Army knowledge and the functioning of an Army unit. The first assignment, which is determined by evaluating college performance, ROTC standing, and personal preferences, can be one of 8 hospitals in the continental United States, and the two outside the continental US (Hawaii and Germany). Once you have been working as an Army Nurse (on Active Duty) for two years, you are eligible to attend a clinical specialty course of your choice (see the question above, “What advanced education opportunities do Army Nurses have?). You also have the opportunity, as a member of the Army Nurse Corps, to apply for are fully funded Doctorate Degree program.
What is my service obligation?
Scholarship Recipients:
- Total Obligation is 8 Years
- First 4 years of Obligation must be Active Duty
- Remaining 4 years may be Active Duty, Army Reserves, Inactive Readiness Reserves
Non-Scholarship Recipients:
- Total Obligation is 8 Years
- First 3 years of Obligation must be Active Duty
- Remaining 5 years may be Active Duty, Army Reserves, Inactive Readiness Reserves
How does the salary of the army nurse compare to a civilian nurse?
As a commissioned officer in the Army Nurse Corps, your benefits include: competitive salary with regular promotions, 30 days paid vacation each year (in addition to time off for 11 Federal holidays) starting in the first year. Medical and dental care is provided free to Active Duty service members with unlimited sick leave. When changing jobs, you retain your same rank and pay.
Who are the patients at an MTF?
Soldiers, soldiers’ spouses and children, military retirees and spouses and civilians requiring emergency care are all patients of an MTF.
What does a clinical staff nurse do?
Clinical Staff Nurses plan, direct and provide nursing care. Clinical Staff Nurses work 80 hours per pay period (7-3, 3-11, 11-7, 12 hour 7-7 shifts). These nurses supervise and evaluate military and civilian personnel, provide patient and continuing staff education and provide Nursing care in a variety of settings, including:
- Medical-Surgical
- Maternal Child Health
- Psychiatric Mental Health
- Outpatient Clinics
- Operating Room
- Emergency Department
- Preventative Medicine
- Specialty Clinics
- Pediatrics
- Critical Care
What advances education opportunities do army nurses have?
The Generic Course Selection Program offers junior officers — including all who enter Army nursing through ROTC, the opportunity to receive specialized training in several fields. This training is available within the first 3-4 years of Active Duty service.
The courses available for attendance through the Generic Course Selection program are:
- Obstetrical/Gynecological Nursing: Prepares nurses to care for patients in all aspects of the childbearing spectrum — pregnancy counseling, pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. This course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Ft. Hood, TX.
- Critical Care Nursing/Emergency Room Nursing: Trains nurses in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, physics, CPR, inhalation therapy, diagnostics, psychological and sociological problems, and ethical and legal considerations in the care of critically ill patients. This 16-week course can be taken in San Antonio, TX.
- Perioperative Nursing: Prepares nurses for all phases of operating room nursing, including advanced skills related to specialty areas in surgery and the principles and techniques of supervising and managing an operating room. This course is 16 weeks and can be taken in San Antonio, TX.
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Prepares nurses to provide specialized care to emotionally distressed individuals both as inpatients and outpatients, and to provide consultation within the general hospital community. This course is 16 weeks long and is offered in Washington, D.C. Other Specialty Courses available, but not through the Generic Course Selection Program, are:
- Preventative Medicine: Provides nurses with skills and knowledge to function in preventative medicine specialty area at an entry level. Course content includes the following: community health practices, communicable and infectious diseases, operational preventative medicine, epidemiology, statistics, medical entomology, industrial hygiene, health physics, sanitary engineering, and environmental science. A three-day field training exercise occurs at the end of the course. This is a 9-week course offered in San Antonio, TX.
The second major educational opportunity is Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET). This program allows Captains (year 3) and above an opportunity to obtain their Master’s degree in a multitude of specialty areas and locations. Officers apply for and are accepted to attend graduate programs following both clinical and administrative avenues. As full-time students working towards their Master’s degree through LTHET, officers remain on Active Duty with full pay and benefits.
Nurses may pursue degrees in the following disciplines:
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Health Care Administration
- Midwife
- Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP)
- Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist (DNP)
- Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (DNP)
- Education (PhD)
- Master of Science in Nursing, in a number of approved areas, including:
- Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nursing Informatics
- Nursing Education