Military Nurses – Military Injuries Care
Military nurses, as stated in the specialty name, provide medical care for fellow soldiers in all branches of the US military, including Army, Air Force, Navy, and also in the US Public Health service.
Military nurses can provide all aspects of traditional nursing care and practice in both war- and peace-time settings using various branches of the military service. Classifications include active duty, civilian employment, reserves, and employers which include the U.S. government an also contract agencies for civilian employment.
It’s important duty for military nurse to understand that in the military nursing profession military comes first and nursing comes only second. With that said, the military provides an ideal environment for nurses to continue their education in their specialty and/or in leadership training. Unlike traditional warfare, current warfare offers a different nursing situation. There are fewer gunshot wounds and other typical military injuries and more land-mine injuries, injuries from car accidents and blast injuries. The majority of wounds tend to be to the extremities because of the use of body armor that covers the thoracic region with Kevlar and ceramic plates. Expect to work with shock trauma units and closely with other branches of the military while in the field.
Although individuals can enter the army and choose nursing, it helps to have a nursing diploma or certification already under the belt. For instance, RNs go into the Army through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) or by direct commission after graduating from college. Usually, their first mission is not medical, as military aspects predominate. Instead, leadership training is instilled from the beginning, as military nurses have the opportunity to earn rank.
When not on the front line or in the field, many military nurses are sent to school to upgrade their degrees at college campuses or through online courses. Additionally, nurses in the military could be assigned to research or teaching units to help other military nurses along.
