Medical-Surgical Nurse

Medical-Surgical Nurses in the U.S. Navy are highly skilled professionals who provide direct patient care, lead multidisciplinary teams, and assume charge nurse responsibilities. As a Navy Nurse Corps Officer, you’ll assess, plan, and implement care for patients while developing leadership and clinical expertise in one of the most dynamic healthcare environments in the world.
You may serve in Navy medical treatment facilities, aboard ships, or with operational units—caring for service members, their families, and those in need across the globe.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, and implement direct nursing care for patients in a medical-surgical unit.
• Provide leadership as a charge nurse, supervising and mentoring junior nurses and corpsmen.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure quality outcomes.
• Deliver care in military hospitals, stateside and overseas, or while deployed aboard Navy vessels.
• Uphold the highest standards of evidence-based nursing practice.

Qualifications

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen.
• Age: Must be commissioned before 42nd birthday (waivers may be considered up to age 57 in select cases).
• Education:
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited school.
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA (no waivers).
  • Foreign graduates must hold a BSN/MSN from an accredited U.S. program.
• License: Current, unrestricted RN license in good standing, obtained via NCLEX.
• Experience:
  • Active Duty (AC): Minimum one year of direct patient care (recent BSN graduates eligible for certain designators).
• Physical: Must meet Navy medical and physical fitness standards.

Training & Commissioning

• Attend Officer Development School (ODS), Newport, RI.

Service Commitment

• 3-year minimum active service obligation (total 8 years combined active and reserve commitment).

Financial and Educational Benefits

• Sign-On Bonus Available: Sign on bonus available for up to $30k or $50k depending on desired service obligation.
• Competitive salary with allowances for housing and subsistence.
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage (for officers and dependents).
• 30 days paid vacation annually.
• Retirement plan and education benefits (Post-9/11 GI Bill, Tuition Assistance).
• Opportunities for advanced education and specialty certification.
• Potential sign-on bonuses and special pay for qualified nurses.

Launch your nursing career with purpose. Join the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps and provide care where it’s needed most—while advancing your leadership and clinical skills.