Nurse Corps

All newly commissioned ensigns entering the Naval Nurse Corps will begin their training at the Naval Nurse School. This is a two week course that teaches new ensigns how to be a nurse in the Navy. The next two months are spent studying to pass the NCLEX which lets the nurse officer practice nursing in the state which their hospital will be located. After passing the NCLEX, the nurse officer is sent to their first Naval Station which will be a larger Naval Hospital.

At the officers first Naval Station, they will gain experience in different wards throughout the hospital. They will learn how to work with corpsmen and after their first six months they will be able to become the charge nurse. In the civilian world, a nurse won't be able to become the charge nurse until he or she has a year or two of experience. The charge nurse in in charge of placing patients and directing the other nurses. The nurse officer will be at their Naval Station for three years.