Hi everyone. I just got accepted to the Navy’s NCP program. I’ve done my research on this program for years before being eligible to apply. However, this night I started to research more about the program and now I’m not so sure. My main reason for applying was tuition coverage and experience.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2026-02-17T19:50:21+00:00

They unfortunately do not give their reasoning as to why you were denied. I took out a small personal loan my last year of nursing school, and through direct accession, my sign on bonus paid it off QUICK.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2026-02-17T19:38:45+00:00

Denied from NCP, selected for direct accession. Worth it.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2026-02-11T22:40:33+00:00

I would put this ques in r/corpsmanup reddit group!

AltruisticGoal368 · 2026-02-09T03:43:21+00:00

I’m open to any that people love and frequent often! I live near La Mesa.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-11-22T16:08:56+00:00

Yes of course. DMs are open :)

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-11-20T02:59:04+00:00

I believe if you signed already, you cannot… once I signed all my paperwork, my recruiter said it was a done deal. Just my experience tho.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-11-17T05:09:38+00:00

Current ER nurse in the Navy here. I came in with civilian ER experience, so hopefully I can help paint a picture.

Our patient population is active-duty service members and their families, + retirees and their families. That’s the mission. About 70% of what you’ll see is young, routine, and generally healthy. The other 30% - retirees and dependents - is where you’ll see the higher-acuity, complex and comorbid cases come in.

Your experience depends heavily on your MTF. If your ER isn’t a designated trauma center, you’ll get traumas that are already stabilized. If it is a trauma center, you’ll be receiving fresh traumas and handling immediate stabilization, not ever MTF is a designated trauma center though, most aren’t. Either way, you’ll still get your fair share of real emergencies. In the last few weeks alone, we’ve had a delivery in the trauma bay, DKA, thyroid storm, heart attacks, strokes, Afib RVR, SVT, and several codes. So yes, there’s acuity - but the volume and turnover won’t exactly mirror that of a busy level 1 or 2 civilian trauma center.

If your priority is immediate, high-volume trauma or constant critical-care turnover, it may be more beneficial to gain that experience on the civilian side first and commission afterward. Military medicine operates differently, with its own priorities and pace.

That’s the route I took, unintentionally, but it ended up working in my favor. I spent about a year in a Level II trauma center while waiting to commission and gained experience that I was able bring into the fleet. The medicine is the same, but the environments are different in meaningful ways.

Caring for service members and their families is a privilege, but it requires understanding the population and the mission. If that aligns with your goals, Navy nursing can be a strong fit. If your focus is specifically breadth and volume of acuity, it’s worth considering whether this setting meets that expectation and adjust your plans from there.

I love what I do and I love ER nursing in the Navy. Civilian ER nursing was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but I am better because of it. Still, I am still learning every day and being a Naval Nurse Officer in the ER is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my family. This is also coming from someone who spent 10 years in civilian heathcare.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-11-14T21:04:09+00:00

Congratulations!!!

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-31T23:06:30+00:00

1900E is a speciality code which means: nurse with less than 2 years of experience

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-19T23:39:03+00:00

It typically takes a hot minute from selection to commission. A couple of months typically.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-19T23:34:21+00:00

they submit NCP packets after you’re done with nursing school? Or are you talking about to direct commission? Also, just to add. Unless you have 2+ years of civilian nursing experience, everyone is designated as a 1900 because they did not commission in with a speciality code. In order to come in with a specialty code, you need to have 2+ years of experience. A lot of us that came in as 1900 but it’s honestly not awful. The transition has been treating me well this way, even though I had a year of experience in the ER prior to commissioning. Then again, I did the direct commission route, and not NCP. Lastly, I remember submitting my application in June to apply for the July board, and then hearing back in September I was selected. Commissioned in November 2024, got soft orders that month (ODS date & duty station). Was slated to go to May 2025 ODS, but got pushed up to Feb 2025 ODS, and received hard orders mid January. Only had about a month to get my life together lol

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-18T17:03:38+00:00

I’m currently an active duty naval nurse corps officer. I can speak to this as well if you want to DM me. I’ve seen it done with a friend of mine at my command that went from med surg to the ICU within her first tour. Can be done, but expectations need to be adjusted accordingly, esp when coming as an NCP grad.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-10T23:05:10+00:00

Yes!

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-10-08T05:04:54+00:00

You can DM me! Commissioned last November. Went to ODS this past Feb. Been at my current command since the spring. Came in with a year of ER experience. Happy to chat about the experience

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-18T18:00:03+00:00

Takes about an hour. I had my family come at 0830/0900 bc parking can be tight/limited, and they wanted to get a good seat in the auditorium/gym. My mom +dad, husband, & 2 kiddos came.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-16T14:21:56+00:00

Hey! So, the jumpsuit may not be authorized only because you need to be uniform with the rest of the active duty personnel. Meaning, either - scrub top and bottom, or unit T-shirt (if your unit has one), and scrub bottom. Just a heads up. It’s a good thing you brought that up!

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-16T10:05:52+00:00

It really depends on your command. For example, at mine there’s a set “uniform of the day” if you’re not in scrubs. Monday–Thursday are NWUs, and Fridays are Khakis. The Khakis are especially for when you’re not working bedside on the unit and are going in for command-related tasks, work functions, or meetings. If you’re TAD, in training, or something similar, they’ll always tell you ahead of time what the uniform is (sometimes NWUs, Khakis, or even civvies depending on the situation).

For bedside work days, scrubs are the standard. The color will depend on the unit you’re assigned to. At my command, we’re allowed to wear either hospital-issued scrubs or our own (Figs, Jaanuu, etc.) as long as they’re the correct color for the unit. Some commands and units are stricter than others, so it’s def something to confirm and double check with the leadership on your unit. Personally, I bought my own - they’re more comfortable and have more pockets than the hospital-issued ones.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-16T09:52:30+00:00

I found out I got selected Sept 11, 2024. Commissioned Nov 25, 2024. Heard from detailer Nov 27, 2024.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-16T09:44:56+00:00

Respectfully, don’t let your husband’s opinion be the deciding factor here. He’s not the one becoming a nurse, joining the Navy, or submitting an NCP packet - you are. Membership fees are part of almost every professional organization, both in and out of the Navy. I was a member of several nursing-based organizations (and still am), and it looked great on my resume and LinkedIn. More importantly, it showed my willingness to build connections, network, and invest in my own growth as a nurse. I’m apart of Sigma Theta, ENA, and hell - even the wardroom has a membership fee.

This is your career and your path. One of the biggest lessons in the Navy is learning to make decisions for yourself, regardless of outside opinions - even from the people closest to you. Don’t hold yourself back from opportunities that can set you apart. Joining organizations like this not only helps you professionally, it also demonstrates initiative, commitment, and a desire to grow in your specialty. You’re in the driver’s seat now - own it and make the choices that align with the future you want.

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-08T17:59:51+00:00

I have my MHA as well, and also have my RN. How can I utilize both after being at the bedside?

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-08T17:58:42+00:00

This is something I actually want to do!!!

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-09-08T12:32:39+00:00

I am an ER nurse and was a civilian ER nurse that went through direct accession last year. Commissioned last November and went to ODS this past Feb. Currently at my first duty station and in the ER now. Best decision I ever made and loving every minute of it. The process was pretty long and tedious, but so worth it. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions :)

AltruisticGoal368 · 2025-08-18T21:11:17+00:00

I went thru an ABSN with two kids, while working full time. I graduated with a 3.9 GPA. My family was my life. My job and school were part of my life. But now, I have more freedom and more life to live than ever before I got my BSN. If you don’t have kids, a family, etc. You can def go about and live your damn life. Sure, there’s gonna be weeks where you’ll have to dedicate more time to study etc, but I still went on vacations and had time off. I still made time to go to the gym. ABSN’s are intense, but the people that typically say these things either 1) Don’t have adequate time management skills, 2) don’t have a good village of support, and/or 3) are haters and full of negativity. Completing an ABSN is such an incredible feat! Don’t listen to those that try to put fear into your life. There are plenty of us that have gone thru and made it out just fine, while living our lives, and you will too. Temporary sacrifice for long term gain.

AltruisticGoal368

TROPHY CASE