Army Nurse

Provide general and specialist nursing care to soldiers and civilians while working in a range of locations. This role allows you to join either as a soldier or an officer, when you're fully trained or while you're a student nurse.

Army Nurses can find themselves working in a variety of settings. These can range from NHS hospitals within a Joint Hospital Group to ground-based environments, such as medical regiments and field hospitals. Nursing personnel deal with all types of medical situations, which could involve caring for civilian and military patients in the UK to military casualties of war and conflict. You'll also get to travel, take part in Adventurous Training and play sports for the Army. With a competitive salary, non-contributory pension and free healthcare too, you'll get great rewards - and an amazing experience.

Posting opportunities are diverse and include a variety of clinical roles, instructional positions within clinical and military training establishments and other interesting jobs such as recruiting. You can also choose to join as a Soldier or Officer, depending on your qualifications, experience and the type of career you are looking for.

Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) nurses have worked at the sharp end of military life throughout the last century. Nursing Officers, Nursing Soldiers, Healthcare Assistants and Student Nurses of the QARANC deliver high-quality, adaptable and dedicated nursing care wherever the Army needs it.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide general and specialist nursing care to soldiers and civilians

• Manage daily patient case load on a ward within a Joint Hospital Group

• On operations, work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, often alongside other multi-national forces

• Have the flexibility to work in a modern UK hospital or the more challenging conditions of a field hospital overseas

Entry requirements

Age:

From 17 years & 9 months to 35 years & 11 months

Qualifications:

If you've got your qualifications, then apply online. Your application will be passed to our specialist team, who will help guide you through the process towards joining in this role. You will be invited to an insight course where you will be offered a career discussion to advise which role best suits you - either Soldier or Officer.

Student Nurse (Soldier)

120 UCAS tariff points from A/AS level (candidates from Scotland must have Advanced Highers and Highers before application), plus 3 GCSEs Grades 9-4/A-C, or Scottish National A-C, including Maths, English Literature or Language, and a Science. If you do not have A/AS levels, UCAS tariff points are accepted from a number of routes at Level 3.

• Full entry requirements on Birmingham City University

Student Nurse (Officer)

If you have already gained your Student Nurse university place, are in the process of obtaining a place through UCAS or are part way through your Student Nurse training you are eligible to apply for an Army Nursing Bursary. You will join as a Nursing Officer once you qualify. You will need to pass the Army Officer Selection Board and the Arms Selection Board for the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps for professionally qualified officers.

Adult Nurse

You need to be registered with the NMC. You can join as a newly qualified nurse, be in your final year of training (on a course which will result in NMC registration) or join with prior nursing experience. You chose whether you want to join as a Soldier or Officer once you qualify. If wanting to join as a Nursing Soldier, you will need to pass the Assessment Centre tests for the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. If wanting to join as a Nursing Officer, you will need to pass the Army Officer Selection Board and the Arms Selection Board for the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps for professionally qualified officers.

Basic physical fitness assessment:

Mid Thigh Pull:

• Soldier - 50kg

• Officer - 76kg

Medicine Ball Throw:

• Soldier - 2.7m

• Officer - 3.1m

MSFT (beep test):

• Soldier - level 5.8

• Officer - level 8.7

Training for the role

Training to become an Army nurse will depend on whether you're planning on joining as a student nurse, already registered nurse and as a Soldier or Officer.

Don't worry if you're not sure which route is right for you, our team of Recruiters will happily talk you through the best option for you.

Joining as a Registered Nurse

You'll command a team that provides the highest standard of care. You can choose to join as an Officer or Soldier; both roles will stretch your clinical and leadership abilities. As a Soldier you will follow a regular nursing career pathway. Officers will take on additional leadership and management responsibilities within the Army, alongside their nursing duties.

Army Nursing can be tough, so we'll give you the best possible military and professional training. You can develop your skills throughout your career with further study up to and beyond MSc level, funded by us.

During your Army Nursing application we will advise and support you in making the right career choice for you so that you can realise your true potential, whether that's as a Nursing Soldier or Nursing Officer.

Training

Step 1 - You join the Army and complete your initial Soldier or Officer military training.

Step 2 - You complete a short Transition to Military Practice Course, after which you will be assigned to a Joint Hospital Group to commence your preceptorship and rotation programme and begin life as an Army Nurse.

Golden Hello

If you hold a recognised specialist qualification within Emergency, Intensive Care or Burns and Plastics you may be eligible for a £30,000 bonus on completion of your military training.

Joining as a Student Nurse (Soldier)

We also train our own nurses. You will complete a three-year degree programme that will give you professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You will be well supported by military and civilian University staff at the Defence School of Healthcare Education within Birmingham City University and will then be employed as a Registered Nurse by the Army. After successful completion of your Student Nurse training you will wear the rank of Acting Corporal. Your first unit will be a Joint Hospital Group, post-qualification rotation programme to allow you to develop in acute areas of practice.

Training

Step 1 - You join the Army as a Soldier and complete Phase 1 Training prior to starting your university course.

Step 2 - Following university, you then complete a short Transition to Military Practice Course, after which you will be assigned to a Joint Hospital Group to begin life as an Army Nurse.

Join as a Student Nurse (Officer)

If you are already in your student nurse training or soon to embark on your Adult Health training pathway with a guaranteed university place you could apply for an Army Nursing Bursary worth up to £42,000. This gives £5,000 for each year of training. On successful completion of your student nursing course and successfully finishing officer training, you will be given a lump sum of £27,000. You will then enter the Army as a Registered Nurse and be assigned to a Joint Hospital Group unit where you will continue to learn and develop your skills.

Qualifications you could get after training

You will have the opportunity to specialise in one of a number of areas, including: Primary Health Care (to Advanced practice), Emergency Nursing (to Advanced practice), Critical Care, Burns and Plastics, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Sexual Health, General Medicine and General Surgery. Alongside this you will gain significant personal and professional development.

There's also excellent continued professional development up to and beyond MSc level.

Pay & benefits

Adult Nurse Soldier:

Earn £18,687 during initial training. When you complete your military training and join your unit, your pay will rise to £32,076.

Adult Nurse Officer:

You'll be on an annual salary of £31,305 during your training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before commissioning on a minimum of £35,744 a year, depending on your experience.

Student Nurse (Soldier:

Earn £18,687 during initial training. During your time at university you will be paid up to £21,409 each year. Upon qualification and first posting your pay will rise to £32,076.

How to Apply

If you've got your qualifications, then apply online. Your application will be passed to our specialist team, who will help guide you through the process towards joining in this role. You'll need to pass a specialist skills interview to check that your skills are in line with our needs.