The U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps ensures the health of military personnel and their family members.
Entry requirements
New members of the Air Force Nurse Corps are required to hold at minimum a
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN, BScN) also known in some countries as a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) or Bachelor of Science (BS) with a Major in Nursing is an academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by an accredited ...
(BSN) degree prior to receiving a commission.
Roles
Members of the Air Force Nurse Corps come from all aspects of Air Force Medicine and can serve in roles including
flight nurse
A flight nurse is a registered nurse who specialises in the field of providing comprehensive pre-hospital, emergency critical care, and hospital care to a vast scope of patients. The care of these patients is generally during aeromedical evacuat ...
,
nurse practitioner
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe ...
or
nurse anesthetist
A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice nurse who administers anesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures. They are involved in the administration of anesthesia in a majority of countries, with varying levels of autonomy.
A survey ...
.
History
Chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps
The first Chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps was Colonel Verena Marie Zeller (1949–1956). Brigadier-General
E. Ann Hoefly was appointed chief in 1968.
The first two-star general Chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps was Major General
Barbara Brannon
Barbara Brannon is a retired major general in the United States Air Force who served as head of the Air Force Nurse Corps.
Brannon has a BS in nursing from San Francisco State University and an MS in nursing from the University of California, ...
; she was replaced in 2005 by Maj Gen Melissa Rank. In 2008, it was announced that Colonel Kimberly Siniscalchi would be promoted to the rank of Major General and serve as the Chief of the AF Nurse Corps, thereby bypassing the rank of Brigadier General (1-star).
Notable members
See also
*
United States Army Nurse Corps
The United States Army Nurse Corps (USANC) was formally established by the U.S. Congress in 1901. It is one of the six medical special branches (or "corps") of officers which – along with medical enlisted soldiers – comprise the Army Medica ...
*
United States Navy Nurse Corps
The United States Navy Nurse Corps was officially established by Congress in 1908; however, unofficially, women had been working as nurses aboard Navy ships and in Navy hospitals for nearly 100 years. The Corps was all-female until 1965.
Pre-190 ...
References
Further reading
* Judith Barger, ''Beyond the Call of Duty: Army Flight Nursing in World War II'' (2013
excerpt
Nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
Military nursing
Nursing organizations in the United States
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