I'm very excited...

10 posts · started Jul 19, 2008

SoldierNurse Jul 19, 2008, 5:18 AM
My wife & I spent time with the Deputy Commander, Madigan Army Medical Center, today in the process of me seperating from active duty. Well, I was offered two positions, one I already was presented, but the other took me by total surprise.

I was offered a position as Nurse Case Manager, Warrior Transition Battalion, at Darnell Army Medical Center, FT Hood, TX. This would be a two year, non-deployable position, coordinating health care for wounded Soldiers returning from Iraq & Afghanistan. Myself, just returned from 15 month deployment in Iraq, and critical care nurse maybe they thought I'd be a perfect fit.

The irony is I have a nurse case mgr right now since I just returned needing shoulder surgery. Which healing well, btw. Anyway, the other day I told my wife it would be neat if I had a job like my case mgr's.

My wife sounds like she is good with the idea. She could work at Darnell, or many other possible hospitals in driving range. BTW, called my son [2LT 1st Cav FT Hood], and he was happy, too. He told me he has some Soldiers [my son is PLT LDR] in WTB and would be great to have me to help him.
And, my daughter is in San Marcos taking prereqs at Texas State for physical therapy program.

IMHO, a nurse case mgr would be an excellent career move. Plus, I'd be helping my own, so to speak. This seems too good to be true!
onetraveler Jul 20, 2008, 1:53 AM
MagRedC5 wrote:My wife & I spent time with the Deputy Commander, Madigan Army Medical Center, today in the process of me seperating from active duty. Well, I was offered two positions, one I already was presented, but the other took me by total surprise.

I was offered a position as Nurse Case Manager, Warrior Transition Battalion, at Darnell Army Medical Center, FT Hood, TX. This would be a two year, non-deployable position, coordinating health care for wounded Soldiers returning from Iraq & Afghanistan. Myself, just returned from 15 month deployment in Iraq, and critical care nurse maybe they thought I'd be a perfect fit.

The irony is I have a nurse case mgr right now since I just returned needing shoulder surgery. Which healing well, btw. Anyway, the other day I told my wife it would be neat if I had a job like my case mgr's.

My wife sounds like she is good with the idea. She could work at Darnell, or many other possible hospitals in driving range. BTW, called my son [2LT 1st Cav FT Hood], and he was happy, too. He told me he has some Soldiers [my son is PLT LDR] in WTB and would be great to have me to help him.
And, my daughter is in San Marcos taking prereqs at Texas State for physical therapy program.

IMHO, a nurse case mgr would be an excellent career move. Plus, I'd be helping my own, so to speak. This seems too good to be true!

Sounds good. Just be careful not to miss direct patient care. LOL
cougarnurse Jul 20, 2008, 2:00 AM
Mag, good luck on deciding. I hear onetraveler on this one; have known supervisors who 'forget' what it's like being on the floor, and focus on the paperwork. Come to think of it, this scenario really fit my DON. She'd work the floor, but hand off her paperwork, and expect others to do that as well as their own....while she played around.

Enough of that, though. What matters is that you get that shoulder in WORKING order: no lifting wt's, listen to the doctors, etc. Hear? :D
onetraveler Jul 20, 2008, 9:30 AM
cougarnurse wrote:Mag, good luck on deciding. I hear onetraveler on this one; have known supervisors who 'forget' what it's like being on the floor, and focus on the paperwork. Come to think of it, this scenario really fit my DON. She'd work the floor, but hand off her paperwork, and expect others to do that as well as their own....while she played around.

Enough of that, though. What matters is that you get that shoulder in WORKING order: no lifting wt's, listen to the doctors, etc. Hear? :D

Please don't misconstrue what I posted. Many bedside nurses miss direct patient care and don't like paper work. I know I did when I went to clinical liasion.
I did not imply that he was gonna shirk his responsibilities or pawn them off on others.
SoldierNurse Jul 20, 2008, 4:40 PM
onetraveler wrote:Please don't misconstrue what I posted. Many bedside nurses miss direct patient care and don't like paper work. I know I did when I went to clinical liasion.
I did not imply that he was gonna shirk his responsibilities or pawn them off on others.
Hey ya'll, no problem. I just think it is ironic that I was saying to myself a few a weeks ago after leaving my nurse case mgr's office that it would be cool to have a job like her's.

Listen, after doing direct patient care for almost a year & half for Iraqi detainees it would be a blessing to coordinate health care as a nurse case manager for Soldiers wounded in Iraq, or Afghanistan. Besides, it would be good therapy for me to help other Soldiers returning from the Middle East.

Nobody has a clue what I went through, except for those that have been there, done that. I was just fortunate enough to not get hit by rocket mortars that I heard whistle over my head. I'll never forget when I saw black smoke from a mortar that landed less than 200 meters from our hospital in Iraq, which resulted in 8 deaths & over 80 wounded. Anyway, I digress.

I'll let ya'll know more after my meeting with the COL tomorrow morning.
SoldierNurse Jul 23, 2008, 3:34 AM
Plans changed but still great news;

I accepted Permanent Change of Station orders to the Army Medical Dept. Center & School, FSH, San Antonio, TX for a [68W] Health Care Specialist, aka combat medic, instructor position. A two year non-deployable position. I report NLT 1 OCT.
Dixie_Girl Jul 31, 2008, 1:14 PM
congrads on the nursing i was going to join the army to be a medic but decided i couldnt make it out of boot camp so that wouldnt of worked out for me lol im a sissy theyd look at me funny an id cry lol an i know the shoulder thing prolly sucks but im gld u came home safe and in one piece !
SoldierNurse Aug 1, 2008, 4:59 PM
Dixie_Girl wrote:congrads on the nursing i was going to join the army to be a medic but decided i couldnt make it out of boot camp so that wouldnt of worked out for me lol im a sissy theyd look at me funny an id cry lol an i know the shoulder thing prolly sucks but im gld u came home safe and in one piece !
Thanks, and hope you reconsider an enlistment into the Army as a medic.