Sergeant Clare Keating
Job role: Registered Nurse (Adult)

Joined the RAF: March 2001

Overseas travel: Kuwait, Cyprus, Bosnia

Career highlights:

• Taking part in the 2001 Remembrance day parade
• Winning the doubles competition and being named ‘Most improved player’ at the Princess Mary RAF Tennis tournament in 2007
• Living and working in Cyprus for two years

‘I joined the RAF because I wanted a challenging career with the opportunity to travel. After seven years, three overseas tours and several very different and challenging jobs I’ve certainly achieved that goal!’

‘My first posting was at the Headley Court military rehabilitation centre in Epsom, where I cared for patients with head and spinal injuries. It was a really fulfilling job, seeing a patient who arrived with terrible injuries walk out the door healthy and happy was incredibly rewarding.

‘I’ve worked as part of the Aeromedical evacuation team in Kuwait and Bosnia. In Kuwait I transferred patients to Cyprus where another team would take them back to the UK. In Bosnia, I liaised with the UK team to organise the flights and paper work and make sure patients were fit to fly. Most of the nursing we do on operations relates to injuries from blast incidents but we also deal with things like burns and broken bones.

‘The two years I spent in Cyprus were excellent. I worked at The Princess Mary military hospital across several different areas so the variety was excellent. The social life on the island is excellent and there is even a beach in the base!

‘Back in the UK I next worked on the orthopaedic ward at the Edith Cavell hospital in Peterborough. I was the senior staff nurse and cared for patients in the same way that a civilian nurse would. That’s the advantage of a military career; you get all the opportunities that civilian nurses do as well as financial support for your training, the opportunity to travel and the chance to go on operations and adventure training exercises.’

Web Chat session with Sergeant Clare Keating - Wednesday 27 August 2008

Crunchyjamtastic: Have you ever worked for the NHS? And if so how does it compare to RAF?

Clare Keating: As an RAF nurse you work alongside the NHS in one of our miliatary defence hospital units which are Peterborough, Portsmouth and Birmingham. It's exactly the same, with working with the NHS but obviously you're employed by the military and will be working alongside military and NHS. You'll also have the military training courses and deployments to do which is the main difference.

Cam: What Qualifications did you have when you joined the RAF?

Clare Keating: I had GCSE's a GNVQ, and my Adult Nursing diploma. For people joining up - If you're a qualified nurse already then you need your NMC pin number. If you're joining as a student nurse you need GCSE Maths, English and Science at Grade 'C' and above. Plus 200 UCAS points.

nina: Hello Clare i would like to know how it was in the Raf when you just came in?

Clare Keating: Very daunting! Obviously it took a lot of adjusting quite scary. But once I was in - everyone was really nice, and you settle in and get stuck in to it really! The basic training was very different to what I'd ever done before - it was definitely a challenge but at the end of it it has been worth it! It was definitely a challenge but so worthwhile. You adjust to the RAF way of life.

Steve: What is the best and worst part of going overseas in the RAF?

Clare Keating: The best part.... is the sun it's the working in a completely different environment, the social life the different things you can do and experience. For example you've got diff sporting things going on. The worst part is you miss your family especially because I'm single. But if you're married you can take your family out with you.

Emma: Hello Clare, I wish to join the raf as a nursing officer once I have completed nursing. I have seen that for a nursing officer 3 grade C or above GCSE's are required as well as professional status. Are there any equivalent qualifications that are acceptable. For example I have a grade A english GCSE. An access certicicate in social studies, a BSc Hons Social Studies, a city and guilds qualification in Maths and a nursing degree - is this acceptable or will I need to obtain 2 further GCSE's. Thankyou.

Clare Keating: The biggest thing to join is you need a minimum of 2 years post registration experience within an acute area. As for the GCSE's these are looked at on an individual basis. But you can join as a Staff Nurse on qualifying, with the opportunity to apply for Nursing Officer position once you've been in service three years. With going for the staff nurse first you should have a military knowledge as well as nursing knowledge - as you'll do an 18 month rotation programme as a Staff Nurse (that means you get an experience of three different nursing areas).

Steve: What physical or mental training did you do before you were ready to join up?

Clare Keating: Physical training - I did loads of running! By the time I went in to training I could run five miles quite comfortably. And I was doing circuit training a couple of times a week. And swimming as well! Mentally no - it was just preparing myself for obviously moving out of home and the change really. Nobody could ever know how you're going to feel about that so you can't really prepare for that.

HazelJane: I am half way through my adult nursing degree at the moment and would like to join the RAF straight after completing my course. Would you recommend this or would you advise working in an NHS hospital first to gain experience?

Clare Keating: It's entirely up to you. But when you first join the RAF as newly qualified nurse you will first be sent in to one of our secondary health care units (at either Peterborough, Birmingham or Portsmouth). And here you will undergo an 18 month rotation programme (you can scroll up the transcript for my definition on that). We work alongside the NHS.

joe: hi clare i have got my initial interview at my AFCO soon can you tell me what i should read up on? also do you know the minimum fitness requirements at OASC?

Clare Keating: All this information is given in our Nursing Officer Presentations. Your local careers office (AFCO) will be able to give you information on this and on your fitness requirements as well. You could taked a look earlier in the chat and see what I was doing before I joined.

CharlieW: What is it like to work in Iraq or Afghanistan? Is it very scary, or is it easy to get involved in the work and forget about what is happening outside the hospital?

Clare Keating: It is quite scary and quite daunting. And you are very busy out there as well. But you have a support from all your colleagues that are around you. As an RAF Nurse within these areas, you will also be involved within Aeromedical Evacuation (which is transferring patients by air).

welshboi: Do you need a foreign lanuguage to be a nurse in the RAF

Clare Keating: The simple answer is no!

welshboi: What is the most memorable thing you have done in the RAF

Clare Keating: As I just gave you a short answer I thought I should answer this question! It's got to be Remembrance Day parade (the one that is televised). It just touched me. Becuase I also did the Senetaf as well on the Sunday. I felt so proud to be serving and seeing everybody else that had served years before, it really choked me to be honest. To have the opportunity to be involved.

jamie: hi clare i dunno where my afco is in peterbourgh. would you be able to point me in the right direction please

Clare Keating: I don't actually know where the AFCO is in Peterborough - here's the link to the AFCO page that should tell you: http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/applicationzone/visitacareersoffice.cfm

Heather: How old were you when you were posted to cyprus?

Clare Keating: I was 24!

Octavia: Hiya Clare, how has the RAF changed since you first joined? Thank you.

Clare Keating: We weren't in Iraq and Afghanistan when I joined so that's the biggest thing that's changed! Day to day - not really much has changed.

Becky: whats the different between a nursing officer and an medical officer?

Clare Keating: Nursing Officer is a Nurse and a Medical Officer is a Doctor.

staceys: i really love the way of life in the RAF and i really think it would be right up my street. Just little things are putting me off such as being expected to run before i can walk, to speak metaphorically. Will I be taught how things work properly and how things operate? For example, ironing!

Clare Keating: The answer's yes! The RAF will teach you all the basics there is to know about the Air force during your 9 weeks at RAF Halton. And they will even teach you how to iron your shirts properlly don't worry! There is to some degree some discipline but you get used to it. It's only during your Basic training where you're given that grounding. But once you're out of the Basic Training - you work within your own team. As a student nurse you still have inspections and some form of discipline.

kimberley: Hi Clare, I have just been excepted to join the RAF as qualified Nurse and am awaiting my nine weeks basic training. I know within the nine weeks I will be asked where i would like to based but what is the likelihood of getting your first choice?

Clare Keating: You will get your three choices - there is no guarantee that you'll get the first choice. But then you might be really lucky and get it! I didn't get my first choice but I still had a good first tour. But once you're in service (once you've got past that initial posting) you'll have more choice.

rob k: Hi Clare, How long is the gap between graduating Recruit Training and starting trade training? Do you go straight from one to the other?

Clare Keating: As a qualified nurse, you will go straight from recruit training, on to the wards. But you will have a two week first aid course to do, to get the rank of Corporal. As a student nurse, there is a period - there is a break between ending your training and starting your Degree.

KirBy: What made you want to join the RAF?

Clare Keating: I was looking for a challenge, variety and I wanted to move out of home too! Somebody came in to university, and I just got the idea in my head. I knew I didn't want to work in Leicester where I was training. I knew I wanted more out of life. I wanted the opportunities to get more out of life. And the RAF was something I could just see myself doing. And I went in to the Careers office and it just went from there.

leah: although you are in the nursing area of the RAF did you have to go through the same training as everyone else in the RAF or is there another route for nursing, and if you did what did it consist of?

Clare Keating: Every nurse goes through RAF Halton to do the basic and recruit training. Sorry!

CWO Azz: Hi Clare; what's the biggest medical emergency you have ever had to attend in your career within the RAF?

Clare Keating: I suppose in Cyprus. We were the hospital for the unit, and one particular night there was a minibus crash of 12 people. But thinking about it - but one of the biggest things when I was Aero med in Kuwait - it wasn't a medical emergency but we (that is me and the whole team) Aero med 40 patients in one air lift. So there was a lot to organise.

Laura 17: What is the nine week training like??? what kind of things does it involve??

Clare Keating: It was hell! But on a positive note it's one of the best things I've ever done! And now I actually like the military training. I think the reason why I say that - is it was just the adjustment from being Clare who lived with her Mum to Clare who was now sort of within this environment that she wasn't used to! But I was so proud of what I ahieved on my pass out parade, it was all worth it! And now I realise why we do it.

Clare: Can i also ask...i have a degree in nursing, does that open any other doors in nursing in the RAF for me?

Clare Keating: If you join up with a Nursing Degree - when you do any more studying it will be your choice to do it in masters level. We take nursese with both a Diploma and a Degree. I'm a Diploma nurse myself, so I'm now starting my Defence Degree. But if I already had a Degree I'd be looking at the Masters. But it doesn't stop you doing another Degree.

staceys: i'm just starting my last year of a-levels in september. i was wondering if you could give me some advice about fitness training. should i start maybe after xmas, if i want to join up later in that year?

Clare Keating: You are best to start NOW! Because you have to do a pre-joining fitness test as part of the application process. But if you'd like any more information on this - please take a look at the RAF website as it has a Six week fitness plan. In the 'Next Steps sections' (I don't have the link to this to hand sorry - but you can find it using the search feature). This can be done quite simply without joining gyms and stuff.

HazelJane: I will be 25 years old when i qualify as a staff nurse. In your honest opinion, is that too old to consider a career with the RAF?

Clare Keating: No you're still young! The only thing is - you will be going through Basic Training with people a lot younger than you (and you could end up being "Mum"). But we do try and keep all the nurses together on the same intake so you can have a lot in common and you can help eachother through it.

Steve: Do you prefer being an NCO or would you like to be an officer? What do you think the benifits are?

Clare Keating: At the moment I like being an NCO. And I would consider taking my commision in the future. And there's a lot of benefits in both. As an Officer you have more of a management and leadership role. I'd consider it. But as said I'm liking what I'm doing at the moment.

John Ferguson: did you do your nurse trainging as a civilian or did you do it within the military?

Clare Keating: No I trained as a civilian. And I joined up as a newly qualified staff nurse.

Tim: are there many young people (about 18) joing the RAF?

Clare Keating: There is - they're going through basic training. The age bracket is 18-33 so we get a variety.

CharlieW: Hi Clare, are any postings more popular than others? For example do more people choose Peterborough and Birmingham over Portsmouth for example, or is it fairly evenly matched?

Clare Keating: It depends on the person there's not any that's more popular. It is fairly evenly matched. Every place has it's allocation of people they are all pretty much the same.

Becky: why didn't you want to join any of the other forces? or didn't you consider this

Clare Keating: Becuase the army man shouted across the careers office when I was there!!! - and the Navy man wasn't there. But also I liked the idea of the Aero Med evacuation.

leah: How much leisure time do you get ?

Clare Keating: It depends where you are!

Octavia: Hiya Clare, what did you find most difficult about working abroad?

Clare Keating: Just being away from my family really. But nursing wise covering different areas I hadn't covered before. But the training was all there and that was overcome quite quickly.

Clare Keating: Thanks for all your questions. Anybody has any more queries please contact your local careers office who can put you in touch with the nursing liaison team. Sorry I couldn't answer you all!