A Closer Look at Army Nursing: Norwich Students Discover What's Possible

From hospital rotations to field training, Norwich Army ROTC nursing students step into the field in specialized training programs. For nursing students in Norwich AROTC, opportunities to jump into hands-on clinical experience, explore different specialties, and learn alongside military healthcare professionals to build their confidence in themselves as well as connections in the field. 

Through the Army's Nurse Summer Training Program, Reilly Laitala ’26 and Nathaniel Nagel ’27 put their nursing education and ROTC training into practice at military hospitals in Texas and Louisiana. Working alongside different processionals, they got to apply clinical skills and be mentored by nurses and Army officers at various stages in their careers.

Nagel shares, “One of the best parts of my experience was meeting nurses and military healthcare professionals from across the country. I still have their contact information and can reach out to them for advice as I begin my career.”

The Military Healthcare Community

The U.S. Army's Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP) is a four-week clinical training opportunity for selected Army ROTC nursing cadets. Participants work alongside experienced Army nurses in military healthcare facilities, gaining clinical experience while learning about the responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps officer.

Laitala completed NSTP at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Texas, gaining more than 100 hours of hands-on clinical experience. Her rotations included the emergency department, operating room, and labor and delivery. "Each experience helped me better understand the different roles nurses play in patient care and exposed me to areas of nursing I am interested in pursuing," says Laitala.

Her days often began before sunrise. She and other cadets reported to their assigned hospital units, where they observed patient care, asked questions, and practiced clinical skills alongside nurses and other healthcare professionals. In the evenings, they worked together on a project addressing needs at the medical facility. The experience combined clinical learning with the responsibilities of working as part of a medical team.

NSTP also gave Laitala opportunities to participate in patient care and practice skills she had not always been able to perform during regular nursing clinicals, including work involving IVs. "Having that additional hands-on experience helped me build confidence, connect classroom knowledge to real patient care, and better understand what would be expected of me as I transitioned into my career as an Army nurse," she says.

"What surprised me was how broad nursing is."

Beyond the clinical experience, Laitala found value in the people she met. Nurses and military healthcare professionals with different ranks, backgrounds, and experiences shared their perspectives on military service and patient care. "Beyond the clinical experience, one of the most meaningful parts of the program was the community," she says. Those conversations helped her understand the profession and the people she would soon be working alongside.

Nagel's experience at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital in Louisiana offered another look at the range of opportunities within Army nursing. “What surprised me is how broad nursing is. It was very surprising to see all that nurses can do” He shared. During his training, he encountered public health nursing, behavioral health, and administrative roles. He also learned about ultrasound-guided intravenous techniques and participated in Tactical Combat Casualty Care training. 

One of his most memorable experiences was meeting MAJ Lease, an Army nurse whose career had included several of the roles Nagel hoped to pursue: service with a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, flight nursing, and nurse anesthesia.

"He basically laid out how my entire career could go as well as tips and tricks on how to get there," says Nagel.

Where Nursing and Leadership Come Together

Nagel found himself drawing on his Norwich coursework during clinical training. Having already completed pediatric and obstetric nursing courses, he was able to answer questions from physicians and participate in a simulation involving Leopold maneuvers, a technique used to assess fetal position during pregnancy. The experience gave him an opportunity to apply knowledge he had developed in the classroom.

For Laitala, the preparation she brought to NSTP extended beyond clinical knowledge. "Nursing school provided the clinical foundation, but ROTC and the Corps challenged me to grow the most as a leader, build my confidence, and learn to work effectively with others," she says.

During her years at Norwich, Laitala balanced nursing school and varsity swimming and diving while serving as a cadet company commander responsible for more than 100 cadets. Leading fellow cadets meant taking responsibility for others while managing the demands of her own academics, athletics, and military training. Those experiences gave her opportunities to practice leadership long before she entered the Army Nurse Corps.

"Those experiences taught me how to step outside my comfort zone, take responsibility, and trust my ability to handle new challenges," says Laitala. During NSTP, she began to see how those lessons would carry into her nursing career. "When I arrived at NSTP, I was able to bring both sides of my education together and better understand how my nursing background and leadership experience would apply to my career as an Army nurse," she says.

Current Norwich nursing student and Army ROTC cadet Rori Meyer '28 sees that connection in her clinical work as well. "Being a cadet taught me how to work as a team and how different roles work together to complete a task or mission," says Meyer. She draws on that experience when communicating with healthcare professionals, helping classmates, and understanding how members of a patient care team coordinate their work.

Meyer also connects the Army's emphasis on selfless service to the responsibilities of nursing. "Even when I'm tired or stressed for an exam coming up, I remember to put my patients first and care for their needs without letting my mood influence the care," she says.

Seeing a Future Take Shape

For Laitala, one experience during NSTP offered a particularly clear picture of what came next. On her first day on a medical-surgical floor, she worked alongside a second lieutenant who had recently completed the Army's Clinical Nurse Transition Program, a residency for newly commissioned Army nurses. The officer had recently made the transition from nursing school to military nursing, giving Laitala an opportunity to learn from someone who understood the challenges ahead.

"It was meaningful to learn from someone who had recently been in my position and was navigating those same early stages of becoming both a nurse and an Army officer," says Laitala.

The experience also gave her an opportunity to reflect on how far she had come since arriving at Norwich. "When I first arrived at Norwich and attended my first ROTC class, I was shy and quiet, and I had no idea what I was doing," she says. "Looking back, I can see how much I have grown since then."

Since graduating from Norwich in 2026, Laitala has passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. "I am excited to continue growing as a nurse and Army officer as I begin this next chapter of my career," she says.

While Laitala is interested in exploring psychology and higher education during her career, she also recognizes that she has much more to learn. Her advice to younger students considering nursing and Army ROTC is to remain open to new experiences, ask questions, and not feel pressured to have everything figured out.

"Going to Norwich taught me the importance of living in the moment, so for now, I am taking things one day at a time and seeing where the Army takes me," she says.

Interested in Army nursing?

Wondering how nursing and Army ROTC work together at Norwich? Connect with our Army ROTC team to learn more about the pathway, training opportunities, and what to expect.