Chapter 8

NURSE CORPS

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Chapter 8CONTENTS

Sections PageSection I. Establishment 8-3

Section II. Organization 8-5

Section III. Nurse Corps Officers 8-7

Section IV. Duties of the Nurse Corps Officers 8-11

Section V. Management and Administration 8-15

Section VI. Acronyms and References 8-19

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Section IESTABLISHMENT

Article Page8-1 Establishing Legislation 8-3

8-2 Mission 8-3

8-2 Mission

(1) The primary mission of the Navy Nurse Corpsis to:

(a) Provide centralized, coordinated policydevelopment and guidance for professional nursingmatters in operational and conventional settings.

(b) Develop, implement, and maintain NurseCorps programs which support and sustain overallNavy Medicine mission objectives and policiesestablished by the Chief of Naval Operations andChief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED).

(c) Provide professional nursing care to pro-mote, protect, and restore the health of all entrustedto our care anytime, anywhere.

(d) Nurse Corps provides instruction andsupervision of Hospital Corps personnel in the theoryand practice of providing nursing care to patients.

8-1 EstablishingLegislation

(1) The Navy Nurse Corps was created by an Actof Congress on May 13, 1908 (35 Stat. 146). Thepresent Nurse Corps, a component of the NavyMedical Department, was established as a staff corpsof the Navy by the Act of April 16, 1947 (as revisedand reenacted 10 USC § 6027).

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Section IIORGANIZATION

Article Page8-3 Director, Navy Nurse Corps 8-5

8-4 Office of the Navy Nurse Corps of BUMED 8-5

8-5 Other Nurse Corps Positions 8-6

8-3 Director, NavyNurse Corps

(1) The Director, Navy Nurse Corps is appointedby the Secretary of the Navy upon the recommenda-tion of the Chief, BUMED. The grade of the Directorwill be Rear Admiral (upper half) and will serve aterm of 4 years. (10 USC § 5150).

(2) The Director, Navy Nurse Corps is respon-sible to the Chief, BUMED via the Vice Chief,BUMED for the administration, direction, andcoordination of the Navy Nurse Corps.

8-4 Office of theNavy Nurse Corps

of BUMED

(1) The Director, Navy Nurse Corps is also theDirector, Navy Nurse Corps Office, BUMED. TheDirector is responsible for the performance of allfunctions of the office. The Office of the Nurse Corps(BUMED-M00C3) plans, advises, and makes recom-mendations regarding changes in administrativepolicy related to nursing; promotes and makes

recommendations regarding implementation ofprofessional standards for nursing practice; develops,coordinates, evaluates, and advises on matters per-taining to personnel policy, military requirements,and professional qualifications of Nurse Corps offi-cers and other nursing personnel; makes recom-mendations to the Navy Personnel Command(NAVPERSCOM) regarding procurement, distribu-tion, separation, training, career development, andaccounting of nursing service personnel; and imple-ments policies of the Chief, BUMED, as they relateto nursing practice, service, education, and research.

(2) The Office of the Nurse Corps includes: TheDirector, Deputy Director, Navy Nurse Corps;Deputy Director, Reserve Component; Assistant forNurse Corps Career Plans; Assistant for Nurse CorpsPolicy and Practice; Assistant for Reserve Matters;and Nurse CorpsAdministrative Fellow (Recruitmentand Retention).

(3) Other Nurse Corps officers may supplementthe office with their subject-matter expertise, relatedto their roles and responsibilities in their cognizantBUMED codes, such as:

(a) Nurse Corps officers assigned to theMedical Inspector General team, who are directlyresponsible to the Medical Inspector General to:Assess all nursing activities in meeting the goals andobjectives for providing quality patient care; deter-mine if nursing service standards established byprofessional nursing organizations and health care

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accreditation agencies are being met; assess com-pliance with BUMED instructions as they relate topatient care and safety; evaluate the physical andsocial environment of patients and personnel andidentify hazardous conditions; determine the ade-quacy of nursing personnel, supplies, and equipmentand evaluate the effect of noted deficiencies inaccomplishing patient care objectives; and providerecommendations to assist nursing activities to pro-mote and maintain the highest standards of patientcare and nursing practice.

(b) Chief, BUMED’s Specialty Leaders ofActiveand Reserve Component (see BUMEDINST 5420.12series) provide expert advice to Chief, BUMED andDirector, Navy Nurse Corps regarding their clinicalspecialty, maintain pertinent specialty information toassist with recruiting and accession activities.

(c) Nurse Corps Personnel Plans Analyst, NurseCorps Manpower Analyst, and others, as applicable.

8-5 Other Nurse CorpsPositions

(1) Nurse Corps officers who serve as liaison tothe Director may be assigned to, but not limited to,the following positions:

(a) Nurse Corps officers assigned to NAV-PERSCOM are responsible to the Commander,NAVPERSCOM. They act as liaison officers to theOffice of the Nurse Corps, BUMED for coordinatingpersonnel actions related to assignment, distribution,retirement, recall, and release from active duty.

(b)The Director, Nurse Corps Programs isassigned to the Naval Medicine Manpower,Personnel, Training and Education (NAVMEDMPT&E), and is responsible to the CommandingOfficer, NAVMED MPT&E. This officer plans, coor-dinates, administers, and evaluates education andtraining programs for Nurse Corps officers to meetoperational and clinical requirements determined byBUMED.

(c) The Head, Navy Nurse Corps AnesthesiaProgram works with the Uniformed Services Univer-sity for the implementation of administrative policiesand the management, supervision, and coordinationof all phases of training and education for nurseanesthetists.

(d) Nurse Corps officers assigned to researchand special projects are responsible for administeringand coordinating resource planning; initiating andconducting research projects and studies in clinicalnursing, nursing education, and nursing administra-tion designed to improve the delivery of patient careservices; interpreting and reporting research findings;and making recommendations for improvement ofnursing practice and development of nursingpersonnel based on these findings.

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Section IIINURSE CORPS OFFICERS

Article Page8-6 Grades and Strength 8-7

8-7 Appointments 8-7

8-8 Promotions 8-8

8-9 Retention of Active Duty 8-8

8-10 Release from Active Duty 8-8

8-11 Resignation 8-9

8-12 Retirement 8-9

8-6 Grades and Strength

(1) The Secretary of the Navy prescribes theauthorized strength and grade levels of active dutyNurse Corps officers based upon the overall needsof the Navy Medical Department.

(2) The Nurse Corps consists of officers in thegrade of Ensign through Rear Admiral.

8-7 Appointments

(1) Initial appointments in the Nurse Corps,Navy Reserve, are made in the grades of Ensign,Lieutenant (Junior Grade), and Lieutenant dependingupon the professional and personal qualifications ofthe applicant as outlined in OPNAVINST 1120.7series. Specific requirements are detailed in ProgramAuthorization 116 and 316 for Active Duty andProgram Authorization 215 for Selected Reserve.

(2) Registration Requirement (Regulatory). AllNurse Corps officers are required to maintain anactive, current, and unrestricted registration or licenseas a professional nurse in a State, the District ofColumbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or aterritory of the United States based on a licensingexamination provided by the National Council ofState Boards of Nursing (NCLEX-RN).

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(3) Advanced Education and CertificationRequirements for Nurse Providers. Additionally,Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs),Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Nurse Midwives musthave graduated from a graduate educational program,in their respective specialty, approved by the Councilof Accreditation of Nurse Educational Programs/Schools and have passed the certification examina-tion for the respective professional specialty organi-zation or the Boards on Certification of the AmericanNurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

8-8 Promotions

(1) Officers of the Nurse Corps become eligiblefor promotion when they complete the prescribedperiod of active duty in their current grade or accumu-late the required promotion and entry grade creditsas specified in Public Law 96-513 of 12 December1980, the Defense Officer Personnel ManagementAct (DOPMA). Also see DoD Instruction 6000.13.

(2) Nurse Corps Ensigns and Lieutenants (JuniorGrade) are promoted accordingly upon the promulga-tion of the promotion authority by the Secretary ofthe Navy and upon the commanding officer’srecommendation that the officer is mentally, physi-cally, morally, and professionally qualified.

(a) Promotions to lieutenant commander andabove are made upon the recommendations of aselection board convened for each grade. Each NurseCorps officer is selected for promotion in competitionwith other Nurse Corps officers of the same gradeon the basis of performance as stated in the officer’sfitness report.

8-9 Retention ofActive Duty

(1) All Nurse Corps officers on active duty areextended through the process of negotiatingpermanent change of station (PCS) orders, unlessmember is requesting release from active duty,resignation, or retirement.

8-10 Release fromActive Duty

(1) Voluntary. A Navy Reserve officer desiringrelease from active duty (RAD) at or beyond com-pletion of their active obligated service must notifyNAVPERSCOM by letter, at least 9 months, but notmore than 12 months prior to the month. Requestsreceived from Reserve officers who desire earlyrelease or release from indefinite extension of activeduty are processed per Military Personnel Manual(MILPERSMAN) articles 1920-100 and 1920-200,respectively. Aboard convened by NAVPERSCOMconsiders requests for early release of Reserveofficers. Active or inactive obligated service in theNaval Reserve Component is delineated in themember’s original service contract and in Title 10,USC § 651.

(2) Involuntary. The involuntary release ofReserve officers is detailed in MILPERSMAN article1920-010 and SECNAVINST 1920.6 series.

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8-11 Resignation

(1) Officers of the Regular Navy and the NavyReserve serving on active duty may submit a requestfor resignation after fulfilling the service require-ments of SECNAVINST 1920.7 series.

8-12 Retirement

(1) Voluntary Retirement, Regular Officers

(a) OPNAVINST 1811.3 series sets forth thepolicy concerning retirement of commissionedofficers with 20 or more years of active service. Anofficer of the Navy requesting retirement aftercompleting more than 20 years of active service, ofwhich at least 10 years were as a commissionedofficer, may be retired on the first day of the monthdesignated by the President. (Title 10 USC § 6323,as amended by Public Law 101-510 of 5 November1990). Requests for retirement from members with20 or more years of active service will be consideredon the basis of the overall needs of the service andthe merits of the individual request. See MILPERS-MAN article 1810-020 for applicability.

(b) Final approval of a request for retirementrests with the Secretary of the Navy. Approval ofrequests will normally be withheld until the individualwill have completed a minimum of 2 years at thecurrent duty station, or 1 year if preceding tour wasoutside of the Continental United States (OCONUS),as of the official retirement date.

(c) Application for retirement at projectedrotation date (PRD) should be submitted in time toreach the NAVPERSCOM 6-9 months prior to PRD.For retirements prior to PRD, applications shouldbe submitted 9-12 months in advance of requestedretirement date.

(2) Statutory Service Retirement, Regular Offi-cers. General guidance follows:

A Nurse Corps officer on the active duty listwith permanent appointment in the grade of:

(a) Captain will be retired by the Presidenton the first day of the month following the month inwhich the officer completes 30 years of activecommissioned service.

(b) Commander who is not on a promotionlist to Captain and is considered as having twice failedselection shall be retired by the President on the firstday of the month following the month in which theofficer completes 28 years of active commissionedservice.

(c) Lieutenant Commander who is not on apromotion list to Commander and is considered ashaving twice failed selection shall be involuntarilyseparated if they have less than 14 years of creditablecommissioned service; those with 14 or more yearsof service may request continuation of service toretirement eligibility, and be retired by the Presidenton the first day of the month following the month inwhich the officer completes the necessary com-missioned service.

(3) Retirement, Reserve Officers. MILPERS-MAN article 1820-010 contains the basic regulationsconcerning retirement of Reserve officers on activeduty. Additionally, BUPERSINST 1001.39 series,Chapter 20, references Reserve Retirements. NurseCorps officers of the Navy Reserve may, at any timeupon request, be retired with pay after 20 years ofservice on the active duty list of the Armed Forces.To obtain retirement benefits, Reserve officers mustrequest and be approved for retirement. SECNAV-INST 1920.6 series contains the pertinent administra-tive policy and information for the involuntary releasefrom active to inactive duty of Reserve officers. Ingeneral, they are released from active duty on thefirst day of the month following the month in whichthey attain retirement eligibility, if they have notofficially requested retirement.

(4) Physical Disability Retirement, Reserve andRegular Officers. MILPERSMAN article 1850-010contains the basic regulations relative to retirementas a result of a physical disability.

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SECTION IVDUTIES OF THE

NURSE CORPS OFFICER

Article Page8-13 General Duty Assignments 8-11

8-14 Role Assignments and Responsibilities 8-12

8-14(1)(a) Staff Nurses 8-12

8-14(1)(b) Division Officers 8-12

8-14(1)(c) Clinical Nurse Specialists 8-12

8-14(1)(d) Department Heads 8-12

8-14(1)(e) Advanced Practice Nurses 8-12

8-14(1)(f) Senior Nurse Executives 8-13

8-14(1)(g) Education Officers 8-13

8-14(1)(h) Nurse Recruiters 8-13

8-14(1)(i) Executive Medicine 8-13

8-14(1)(j) Fellowships and Nominative Billets 8-13

8-13 General DutyAssignments

(1) Nurse Corps officers are assigned to Navyand Marine Corps activities in the Continental UnitedStates (CONUS), OCONUS, and operational billets.

(2) Atour of duty is influenced by several factors.These include, but are not limited to, the ratio of seaand overseas billets to those ashore within CONUS;the number of officers on active duty for limitedperiods; requirements for officers with special qualifi-cations; billets of an unusually arduous nature or inisolated areas; training requirements; and the desiresof the individual officer. Tour lengths follow Bureauof Naval Personnel (BUPERS) policy.

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8-14 Role Assignmentsand Responsibilities

(1) Position titles may vary depending uponcommand structure:

(a) Staff Nurses comprise the majority of theNurse Corps; they are responsible for planning andadministering nursing care in any health care environ-ment. They teach and guide both new nurse graduatesand Hospital Corpsmen as they develop nursing careskills and refine their assessment abilities in prepara-tion for operational commitments and advancedtraining.

(b) Division Officers are responsible for theadministration of nursing functions in a designatedpatient care area. They ensure quality care throughprofessional knowledge and clinical expertise inassessing, planning, providing, directing, evaluating,and documenting all nursing activities. In addition,the division officer establishes and coordinateseducational and training programs for patients andnursing personnel; assigns duties for each staff mem-ber, recognizing experience and professionalcompetence; ensures a proper and safe environmentfor patients and personnel; and assists in research,or special projects as assigned.

(c) Clinical Nurse Specialists provide highlyskilled, specialized nursing care and are responsiblefor coordinating the orientation of newly assignednursing personnel; developing, planning, andimplementing new approaches to nursing care; pro-viding assistance and consultation to nursing staff insolving complex patient care problems; conductingspecialized clinical teaching on both a formal andinformal basis; participating in an interdisciplinaryapproach to patient care and case management; andconducting research and evaluating current methodsand practices. Specific roles vary by facility size,beneficiary population, and mission.

(d) Department Heads primarily ensure thatnursing personnel provide safe, efficient, and thera-peutically effective patient care. To accomplish thisfunction, they organize, direct, supervise, counsel,

instruct, and appraise the performance of nursingpersonnel in planning, providing, and evaluatingnursing care based on the needs and responses ofpatients while considering the preparation andexperience of the available staff. The departmenthead collaborates with appropriate representativesof other services, disciplines, and agencies to improvethe quality and quantity of services rendered and tomaintain the highest professional standards of care.

(e) Advanced Practice Nurses (nurse anes-thetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners) arelicensed independent health care practitioners whoare privileged to diagnose, initiate, alter, or terminatehealth care treatment regimes in medical treatmentfacilities, consistent with the provisions of BUMED-INST 6320.66 series, Credentials and PrivilegingProgram. They are assigned as members of the medi-cal staff to the commanding officer in a specialty-coded billet and perform collateral duties as assigned.Administratively, nurse providers serve as or underthe clinical department head. They must comply withthe continuing education requirements necessary tomaintain State licensure and professional specialtycertification and must show evidence of continuingcompetency as required by their professionalspecialty organization. They should be afforded theopportunity to attend at least one funded professionalmeeting each year.

(1) Nurse Practitioners (NP) function inadvanced practice roles in a specialized area ofnursing and possess the knowledge and clinical skillsto provided expanded services to patients.

(2) Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM)deliver full scope of obstetric and gynecologic carefrom low risk to healthy women and their babies inthe areas of prenatal care, labor and delivery manage-ment, postpartum care, well-women gynecology, andnormal newborn care.

(3) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthe-tists (CRNA) are responsible for the care of patientsto be rendered unconscious or insensitive to pain.Their practice includes preoperative evaluation withintraoperative and postoperative monitoring andtreatment.

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(f) Senior Nurse Executive (SNE) is a pro-fessional nurse at the executive level responsible tothe Regional Commander or medical treatmentfacility commanding officer, who provides effectivecoordinated leadership to deliver nursing care, treat-ment, and services. The SNE carries the ultimateauthority and responsibility for planning, directing,coordinating, and evaluating nursing activities. As amember of the executive leadership staff, the SNEparticipates in formulating facility policy; devisingprocedures to achieve strategic goals and objectives,and developing and evaluating programs and ser-vices. The nature of the position includes account-ability for creating a system which fosters the parti-cipation of nurse leaders and staff members inplanning, implementing, and evaluating nursingpractice to ensure safe, efficient, and therapeuticallyeffective nursing care.

(g) Education Officers plan, organize, direct,coordinate, evaluate, and document various trainingprograms. From division to command levels, at medi-cal treatment facilities and at training commands, theeducation officers provide necessary training toensure clinical skills development and maintenance,technical training, and leadership and managementeducation. Often entering the world of education viaa collateral duty assignment, the education officerprogresses from novice, possibly through MasterTraining Specialist, to graduate-prepared Educationand Training Management Specialist. They provideinstructional, management, and executive expertiseat Hospital Corps Class A and C Schools, NAVMEDMPT&E commands, the Naval Education and Train-ing Command (NETC), and joint-service trainingprograms.

(h) Nurse Recruiters are responsible for theacquisition of qualified applicants into all MedicalDepartment officer corps. They represent the NavyNurse Corps to the civilian health care communityas they conduct interviews of prospective officerapplicants and present at professional, educational,and civilian meetings.

(i) Executive Medicine opportunities existfor all communities of the Medical Department whenassigning the best-qualified officers. Nurse Corpsofficers who wish to pursue this goal must begin earlyto acquire the educational prerequisites and manage-ment experiences on which to build a repertoire ofleadership successes.

(1) Facility-Based Roles. Title 10 USC§ 5945 allows staff corps officers the opportunity ofcommand over appropriate activities, i.e., medicaltreatment facilities for Medical Department per-sonnel. Nurse Corps officers meeting the guidelinesfor executive medicine have the opportunity to serveas directors, as well as executive and commandingofficers.

(2) Headquarters, Tri-service, Depart-ment of Defense (DoD) Roles. Nurse Corps careeropportunities are continually expanding. NurseCorps officers bring a unique perspective to healthcare management, employee relations, organizationaldevelopment, and patient care. Their assignments atBUMED, and in tri-service or DoD programs,involve development and implementation of serviceor department-wide policies and programs to enhancehealth care system effectiveness.

(j) Fellowships and Nominative Billets.Varied opportunities become available throughout theassignment year which requires special attention,application, or nomination by senior level staff.Nurse Corps officers who are interested and possessthe basic qualifications should indicate interest inthese opportunities in their correspondence with theirassignment officers. Generally reserved for experi-enced officers, fellowships (i.e., Joint Commission(JC) and others) regularly accommodate nominationsfrom the Director, Navy Nurse Corps. Nominativebillets (i.e., White House Medical Unit, commandingofficer/executive officer assignments, DoD,BUMED, or BUPERS assignments) require addi-tional screening, review, and approval beyond thatnormally accorded by the medical placement process.Usually mandated only for the more senior or joint-duty positions, this process also pertains to high-visibility and/or high-security assignments.

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Section VMANAGEMENT AND

ADMINISTRATION

Article Page8-15 Utilization of Nursing Personnel 8-15

8-16 Professional Practice Guidelines 8-15

8-17 Nursing Proficiency 8-16

8-18 Duties in Operational Settings and Contingency Roles 8-17

8-19 Participation in Professional Activities 8-17

8-20 Publication of Professional Articles 8-18

8-21 Off-Duty Employment (Regulatory) 8-18

8-15 Utilization ofNursing Personnel

(1) Regardless of duty assignment, the principalduty of Nurse Corps officers is to optimize the well-being of military beneficiaries/clients by positivelyinfluencing every aspect of the health care deliverysystem.

(2) As the providers of nursing care, Nurse Corpsofficers lead, teach, and guide those who assist inmeeting the needs of our customers. To accomplishthis, they enhance health and wellness through aholistic nursing approach; improve health care byanticipating and responding to their needs; meetoperational requirements through personal readinessand teamwork; and shape the future of health carethrough leadership, role diversification, education,research, and collaboration. They value individualworth; foster personal and professional excellence;

and promote esprit de corps in an environmentdistinguished by collegiality, commitment, com-passion, creativity, empowerment, equity, innovation,integrity, mentoring, and risk-taking.

8-16 ProfessionalPractice Guidelines

(1) The practice of nursing takes place within adynamic health care system to meet mission require-ments. It is client-focused, research-based, andguided by professional standards. Supporting theAmerican Nurses Association’s Standards of Prac-tice, the Nurse Corps adapts and consistently appliesprofessional standards to nursing practice in all sett-ings. Facility-specific standards of care and practiceare developed by the SNE with other nursing leaders.The SNE has ultimate authority for establishing/approving those standards, consistent with the JCstandards.

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(2) Nurse providers function within therecognized standards of practice and scope of caredelineated by their professional specialty-certifyingorganizations, as they integrate nursing and medicalexpertise with clinical research skills. Their practicemust also be consistent with the credentials andprivileges granted per BUMEDINST 6320.66 series.

8-17 Nursing Proficiency

(1) Duty Under Instruction (DUINS) Program.Graduate education is the cornerstone of nursingproficiency. As life-long learners, Nurse Corps offi-cers are encouraged to pursue educational oppor-tunities to enhance professional growth. The NavyCampus Office administers the Tuition AssistanceProgram for part-time course work. The DUINSprogram provides tuition, in addition to pay andallowances, while Nurse Corps officers attend schoolfull-time as their primary duty.

(a) Selection for graduate and post-graduatetraining is highly competitive and occurs at formalboards convened annually by the Chief, NavyPersonnel Command. Nurse Corps officers areselected and assigned to DUINS to develop the skillsnecessary to satisfy specific mission requirements.

(b) BUMEDINST 1520.27 series providesdetailed information on application and selectionconsiderations. The Nurse Corps education programsmanager provides specific counseling and coor-dinates educational requirements.

(c) Nurse Corps officers who fail of selection(FOS) for promotion while assigned to DUINS areevaluated on a case-by-case basis for continued aca-demic enrollment. Factors weighed in this determina-tion include: grade to which member has failed toselect and applicable statutes, length of academic pro-gram, progress toward program completion, andacademic performance.

(d) Nurse Corps officers completing educa-tion programs to qualify as nurse providers mustsatisfy specialty certification requirements within 12-18 months, depending upon the specialty. Those who

fail to do so in the prescribed time are subject toprocessing for cause as prescribed in SECNAVINST1920.6 series.

(2) Subspecialty Codes. As health care increasesits complexity, nursing becomes more specialized.Matching billet requirements to specific personnelqualifications is increasingly necessary. The Navysubspecialty code system designates requirementsand qualifications in terms of specialty education,experience, and certification. The system enables per-sonnel managers to identify individual officer qualifi-cations and to plan the education and training require-ments for the Nurse Corps. NAVPERS 15839I,Manual of Navy Officer Manpower and PersonnelClassifications, Volume I, provides detailed guidanceon the Navy’s subspecialty system. BUMEDINST1214.1 series provides Medical Department-specificapplication.

(3) The professional area of subspecialty con-centration is influenced by the needs of the serviceand the current and anticipated inventory of qualifiedofficers. Individual officers are responsible foracquiring the requisite qualifications and ensuringthat their subspecialty codes accurately reflect themost pertinent and current specialty-utilizationinformation as they traverse the career ladder. TheNurse Corps Career Plans Officer and Nurse CorpsPersonnel Planner provide advice and assistance inpreparing requests for and maintaining accuratesubspecialty code information. The primary sub-specialty code should reflect the individual’s area ofgreatest proficiency and current assignment.

(4) Additional Qualification Designation (AQD)Codes identify specific additional qualifications,skills, knowledge, or experience required to performthe duties and/or functions of a billet beyond thoseimplicit in the billet designator, grade, Naval OfficerBillet Classification (NOBC) Code, or subspecialtycode. The Nurse Corps-applicable AQD codes gen-erally reflect operational skills, knowledge, orexperience. The Nurse Corps Career Plans Officerand Nurse Corps Personnel Planner assist the NavyPersonnel Command assignment and placementofficers in administering this process.

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8-18 Duties in OperationalSettings and

Contingency Roles

(1) Maintaining Readiness. The primary missionof the Navy Medical Department is to provide forthe health care needs of Navy and Marine Corpspersonnel and others as authorized by law. Pro-fessional nursing duties as a naval officer include:Delivering professional nursing care, including healthpromotion and education; instructing hospital corps-men in patient care delivery; preparing for nursingcare of the casualty following the medical capabilitiesavailable to deliver safe patient care while adaptingto different health care delivery environments. Theserequirements are the foundation of the Navy Nurse’scommitment to maintain personal and professionalreadiness to meet any peacetime mission or wartimecontingency.

(a) Active Duty. Nurse Corps billets provideopportunities for experienced, fully-prepared NurseCorps officers to serve in assignments with fleetforces and with the Marine Corps. When assignedto CONUS fixed medical treatment facilities, mostNurse Corps officers have a designated contingencyassignment which, when activated, becomes theirprimary duty. Subspecialty code, billet sequencecode, and NOBC are the key elements of platformcomposition and contingency roles. Officers mustdiscontinue, or move to the tertiary position, anysubspecialty designation in which they are no longerproficient. Readiness for contingency activation isan essential element of Navy Nursing.

(b) Selected Reserve. This same commitmentto readiness also permeates the roles of SelectedReserve Nurse Corps officers. Numerous operationalrequirements are satisfied by drilling reservists.These officers must be professionally astute andattuned to the practice issues associated withoperational and disaster-relief contingencies, regard-less of their readiness platform or gaining command.

(c) Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). Whenmobilized, the members of the IRR serve in the samemanner as the Selected Reserve component.

(2) Operational Roles and Responsibilities varyaccording to the echelon of command and/or missionof the ship or unit to which assigned. Assignmentsinclude, but are not limited to, the following: majoroperational staff, shipboard duty, Fleet SurgicalTeams, Marine Logistics Groups, and Field medicalTraining Battalions.

8-19 Participation inProfessional

Activities

(1) Nurse Corps officers must establish and main-tain the highest standards of ethical and professionalpractice; keep themselves informed in all areas ofnursing; and improve their professional abilities. TheNurse Corps recognizes national certification as thebenchmark of knowledge. Funds permitting, NavyMedicine subsidizes the cost associated with sub-specialty certification examination. When practical,officers should participate in professional organiza-tions focusing on nursing, health care administrationand military matters. Seminars, lectures, and corres-pondence courses are invaluable sources for pro-fessional growth and effective means for acquiringadditional knowledge.

(2) Nurse Corps officers bear an equally urgentobligation to share success stories and processimprovements throughout the health care system. Asleaders in nursing, accomplished researchers, andlife-long mentors, Nurse Corps officers have manylessons to share and are encouraged to use everymechanism at hand to do so. The Nurse Corps Officeat BUMED provides coordination and support toensure widest dissemination of information.

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8-20 Publication ofProfessional

Articles

(1) Nurse Corps officers are encouraged to makecontributions to both military and civilian pro-fessional literature. They shall be guided by NavyRegulations and current directives relative to prepara-tion and submission of articles for publicationincluding BUMEDINST 5721.3.

8-21 Off-DutyEmployment(Regulatory)

(1) Officers in the Nurse Corps shall comply withManual of the Medical Department (MANMED)article 1-22 when participating in off-duty remunera-tive professional employment.

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Section VIACRONYMS AND REFERENCES

Article Page8-22 Acronyms 8-19

8-23 References 8-21

8-22 Acronyms

ANCC American Nurses Credentialing CenterAQD Additional Qualification DesignationBUMED Bureau of Medicine and SurgeryBUPERS Bureau of Naval PersonnelCNM Certified Nurse MidwivesCONUS In the Continental United StatesCRNA Certified Registered Nurse AnesthetistsDoD Department of DefenseDOPMA Defense Officer Personnel Management ActDUINS Duty Under InstructionFOS Failure of SelectionIRR Individual Ready ReserveJC Joint CommissionMANMED Manual of the Medical DepartmentNAVMED MPT&E Navy Medicine Manpower, Personnel, Training & EducationNAVPERSCOM Navy Personnel CommandNCLEX-RN National Council of State Boards of NursingNETC Naval Education and Training CommandNOBC Navy Officer Billet ClassificationNP Nurse PractitionersOCONUS Outside of Continental United StatesPCS Permanent Change of StationPRD Projected Rotation DateRAD Release from Active DutySNE Senior Nurse Executive

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8-23 References

References with Available Web sites

10 USC 651 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?search

10 USC 5150 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?search

10 USC 5945 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?search

10 USC 6027 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?search

10 USC 6323 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?search

BUMEDINST 1214.1 http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/1214-1.pdf

BUMEDINST 1214.1 CH-1 http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/1214-1%20CH-1.pdf

BUMEDINST 1520.27E http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/1520.27E.pdf

BUMEDINST 5420.12D http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/5420-12D.pdf

BUMEDINST 5721.3 http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/5721.3B.pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E (Basic)http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20-%20Part%201%20(Basic).pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E (Appendices A-D)http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20-%20Part%202%20(Privilege%20Sheets%20-%20App%20A-D).pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E (Appendices E)http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20-%20Part%203%20(Privilege%20Sheets%20-%20App%20E%20only).pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E (Appendices F-G)http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20-%20Part%204%20(Privilege%20Sheets%20-%20App%20F-G).pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E (Appendices H-S)http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20-%20Part%205%20(Privilege%20Sheets%20-%20App%20H-S).pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E CH-1http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20CH-1.pdf

BUMEDINST 6320.66E CH-2http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/Files/Media/directives/6320.66E%20CH-2.pdf

Nurse Corps Article 8-23

8-22 Change 134 11 Sep 2009

References with Available Web sites

Manual of the Medical Department (MANMED), article 1-22http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/default.cfm?selmod=FD78F58C-8C78-A781-8B345BCF574F8D67&seltab=directives&type=ID

BUPERSINST 1001.39Fhttp://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/311115C3-8C0E-4F76-B1C4-8ECB8922D1CD/0/100139.pdf

DoDINST 6000.13 http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/600013p.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1810-020http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/051B938A-DD81-4EA1-B34A-DDE9DF501BAB/0/1810020.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1820-010http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/3B4791CB-60AA-4208-8CA2-0CF7F79AC233/0/1820010.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1850-010http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/E136A4DF-2CAC-41D8-BED1-7A951ECE375C/0/1850010.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1920-010http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/9239D1CF-336B-4A03-93AD-0FEE31D01F92/0/1920010.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1920-100http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/524CD542-72A9-454F-A020-8087D70E2030/0/1920100.pdf

MILPERSMAN 1920-200http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/3D8643E3-0F98-44AB-89F8-04287AD35E53/0/1920200.pdf

NAVPERS 15839I, Volume I http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/NOC/NOCVol1/

OPNAVINST 1120.7https://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-100%20General%20Recruiting%20Records/1120.7.pdf

OPNAVINST 1811.3https://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-800%20Millitary%20Retirement%20Services%20and%20Support/1811.3.pdf

SECNAVINST 1920.6https://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-900%20Military%20Separation%20Services/1920.6C%20CH-1.pdf

SECNAVINST 1920.7https://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-900%20Military%20Separation%20Services/1920.7B.pdf

P.L. 96-513 (Not available online)

P.L. 101-510 (Not available online)

Article 8-23 Manual of the Medical Department