How can nurses without a bachelor's degree be an officer? Wouldn't it make more sense for them to be warrant officers?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 23:33:54 -0500

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2020 11:53 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 23:53:37 -0500

I don’t know if it’s still allowed but due to the shortage of RNs the Army Reserves and NG commissioned RNs with ASN or ADN but would not promote past CPT O3. Can not be commissioned in active duty without a minimum of BSN.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 23 at 2020 12:10 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 00:10:03 -0500

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member Are they more senior? Because the current requirements for AD and RC is a minimum of a Bachelor's in Nursing for 11 of the nursing fields on GoArmy.com. At least three required a Masters in that Nursing Field.

Many years ago you could earn an associates and become a RN, but that has disappeared. My mother in law went back for a bachelor's so she could keep working as an RN although she'd been a L&D nurse for thirty years.

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Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2020 12:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 00:38:31 -0500

All officers in the Army require at least a bachelor to commission. Years ago, when there was a shortage during the surge years, a person could commission with 60 SH as long as they finished their bachelor before making CPT. At that time you could also join the Army with multiple rape and drug felonies as well.

No, it would not make sense to make them warrants, either. Warrants are not an in between rank. Their rank structure goes all the way up to a general officer level.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Feb 23 at 2020 7:42 AM

CW4 Craig Urban — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 07:42:54 -0500

I had an air force CPT who was a PA who basically was my doctor. I was stationed in the Netherlands but we got our medical support at GK. (AWACS). Army PA's are Warrant Officers. In light of his training, he had a bachelor's degree. Same as Army warrants.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Feb 23 at 2020 2:00 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 14:00:31 -0500

The Air Force requires all officers to have at least a bachelors degree. It looks like the Army and Navy are the same. Consequently, commissioned officer nurses need a BSN.

I disagree with SFC Private RallyPoint Member about Warrant Officer Nurses. Warrant Officers are the technical experts in their specialty. Nurses could be separated in a manner similar to Aviation Warrants and Commissioned Army Aviators. (Yes, I understand that CWOs hold a commission, but I need a way to talk about the two groups.) Nurses with an Associate of Nursing and a State License as an RN could serve as Warrant Officers. They would not hold nurse manager positions, be Officers in Charge (OIC), or command. Warrant Officer Nurses would be experts at patient assessment, care, and other nursing activities throughout their career. The Commissioned Officer Nurses would compete for management, leadership, and command positions. Advanced Practice Nurses, holding an MSN and licensed as a "provider", would be commissioned also.

The current trend in nursing is to require a BSN. Hospitals in our local area require a BSN for most jobs. The ADN nurses are under pressure to complete their BSN to keep their jobs. This trend would make military service attractive to ADN RNs.

My daughter is a Navy Reserve Nurse Lieutenant Commander (O-4). She's done her tour as a Detachment OIC and is now in a staff position. She's also a Nurse Practitioner who works as a provider during her two weeks of active duty each year.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2020 2:46 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 14:46:07 -0500

I never looked for a sheepskin when I was busted. A USN PA CWO reset a boxer's fracture once. Zing! Had corpsman holding me. Fast work.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Feb 23 at 2020 3:13 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 15:13:44 -0500

They can’t. There is something missing in the conversation.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2020 4:57 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 16:57:31 -0500

The 68C MOS would seem to be the most appropriate career path for licensed nurses without a bachelors degree. If Im not mistaken, that is the traditional MOS for LPNs. 'Diploma' RNs (those without BSNs) are a sort of gray area that straddles the 68C vs 66 series, hence the confusion. And of course, 'needs of the army' trumps all in such controversies.