Nursing Officer

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, the joining process is as follows:

• Submit an application

  Once you’ve registered your interest and have satisfied the basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form

• Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)

  You’ll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
  To prepare, you can practise the DAA

• Interview

  A formal interview to talk through your suitability for the role

• Medical and eye tests

  These are quite comprehensive and must be completed by one of our Ministry of Defence-approved doctors

• Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT)

  This involves completing a 2.4km run on a treadmill within a certain time, at a fitness centre near you

• Admiralty Interview Board (AIB)

  This stage is unique to officers and takes place in two parts. A Pre Recorded Interview (PRI) is an online assessment which assesses your motivation to join the Royal Navy as an officer and your awareness of the Royal Navy. The Group Planning Exercise (GPE) is the second stage of the AIB and is an online competency based assessment which will take place on a separate day to the PRI. It will be conducted in a virtual group environment and you will be assessed on your contribution to the team based on your individual performance

• Nurses Selection Board

  Upon passing you AIB, your application will be reviewed by the Nurses Selection Board for final selection

• Start training

  Once you’ve passed a Security Check, you’ll be offered a place at Britannia Royal Naval College

You’ll spend 30 weeks training at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, focusing on: Military Skills, Maritime Skills and Initial Fleet Time. The first 15 weeks is the militarisation phase which includes learning leadership and teamwork skills, and the principles of command and management. You will put this into practice during several exercises on Dartmoor. You’ll then complete 15 weeks marinization, learning seamanship skills, navigation and you’ll spend time at sea on board one of our ships learning about life at sea. 

You’ll then join a Joint Hospital Group Unit in either Plymouth, Portsmouth or the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham. If newly qualified, you’ll complete preceptorship and a 2-year Foundation Programme which will ensure you are rotated through a variety of clinical areas including medicine, surgery and specialist areas like the emergency department or critical care. 

There's also a swimming test, so if you can't swim, make sure you learn by the time you join us.

You’ll get the opportunity to be involved in medical exercises and future deployments. This could be on RFA Argus and working in the casualty receiving facility on board.

Once the Foundation Programme is complete there is the opportunity to specialise in ITU, Trauma and orthopaedics, emergency care, primary health care, burns and plastics, mental health, surgical and medical.  Speciality training means going back to university and study at degree or masters level, which the Royal Navy will pay for. As a specialist Intensive Care nurse or Emergency Department Nurse you can also deploy on Role 2 Afloat or with the Commando Forward Surgical Group attached to the Royal Marines.

You’ll complete Junior Officers Leadership courses during this time and start taking on divisional responsibilities within your unit, learning how to coach and mentor others, as well as progressing your own career.