[Rooster523]

Well having applied for the 'Student Nurse' position in the Air Force in October, I've managed to jump through the majority of the hurdles without hiccup, until now.

I was given 6 weeks notice of my AST date, I was given 4 weeks notice of my initial interview date, 5 weeks notice of my medical date and advised that my fitness test would be within 72 hours of my medical- all well and good. I passed my fitness test with no dramas, getting a solid 9.57 in the mile and a half run and was looking forward to my spec interview.

For those of you not in the know, the nursing specialist interview is over 2 days at Cranwell. I was given 6 days notice to get 2 days off of work. 6 days! Given the notice I'd been given for the other stages I was shocked. Bearing in mind I'm a health care assistant and work shifts, this was nigh on impossible and asked for another date. I was then informed that this would be the last specialist interview for this year's Student Nurse intake and that I should apply again next year.

I am not happy to say the least....I know you guys cannot do anything, I just wanted to have a moan.

[somethingbeautiful]

Wow, that's ridiculous. The problem is, even if you did apply next year there's no guarantee that they won't pull the same stunt again.

[Bellissima]

if you want it enough, can't you just not turn up for work?

i know you'd feel incredibly guilty especially being a HCA, but if they won't let you off for a bit and this nursing thing is really important... just do it?


i feel guilty for even suggesting it!

[Rooster523]

(Original post by Bellissima)
if you want it enough, can't you just not turn up for work?

i know you'd feel incredibly guilty especially being a HCA, but if they won't let you off for a bit and this nursing thing is really important... just do it?


i feel guilty for even suggesting it!

I did contemplate it but I can't bring myself to do it, i I suppose the very quality that would make a good nurse is my downfall here- I care too much; both for my patients and the girls I work with.

The fact I'm not willing to skive work to go for the interview could easily be construed as 'I don't want enough' maybe that is true.

[Bellissima]

(Original post by Rooster523)
I did contemplate it but I can't bring myself to do it, i I suppose the very quality that would make a good nurse is my downfall here- I care too much; both for my patients and the girls I work with.

The fact I'm not willing to skive work to go for the interview could easily be construed as 'I don't want enough' maybe that is true.

if it was just some office job or being a cashier or waitress or something then i would think you're being stupid... but i totally agree being a HCA you can't just skive off, which is why i felt so bad for suggesting it!

good for you for staying ttrue to what you care for... but at the end of the day it's a job you want..

[RAF_Nurse!]

Find a way to make it work! Thats what being in the Air Force is all about!!

[Drewski]

OP, I know it won't help your situation that much, but you ought to write a letter to the RAF Nursing recruitment team about this. The terms you were given were unreasonable and, if you had have complied with them, would have forced you to behave unprofessionally which is the last thing the RAF wants.
Explain the situation to a high up - it might not help you, but it could help others.

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by Rooster523)
I did contemplate it but I can't bring myself to do it, i I suppose the very quality that would make a good nurse is my downfall here- I care too much; both for my patients and the girls I work with.

The fact I'm not willing to skive work to go for the interview could easily be construed as 'I don't want enough' maybe that is true.

Just be certain you are comfortable with the results. There are all sorts of reasons why you might not ever get this chance again. Surely your current work will understand the importance of this interview and that you have no control over it's timing? So you may owe a few of your colleagues a favour, but for this big a career move, it seems reasonable.

I can assure you that you will have to make much tougher life adjustments if you join the RAF. They happen all the time. Although, as you say, maybe you don't want it that much.