VA hospital

[vikichck]

Hello everyone,

I'll be graduating in December and I'm starting to look at hospitals and their salaries. Does anyone know the starting pay at the VA hospital on Indian School rd. Is it true that VA hospitals have higher salary than other hospitals?

Thanks,

Jels

[vikichck]

Also with the VA; if you get hired in AZ under your AZ licence- You can transfer to any VA hospital in the country- under your AZ licence.. That is great if youare interested in traveling.. They also give 5 weeks vavcation after the first year.. They just hired 14 new grads...

Thats great. I'm ready to sign up. I was actually thinking of doing that because someone else mentioned it as well somewhere. Do you know how long you must stay and work after you transfer? What if the place you wanna go to doesn't have any openings like Hawaii or NYC?

[Az_RN_BSN]

I actually work as an extern @ the VA now. I love it. And yes they do have a travel nursing program that they are currently "testing." The only two locations available for travel now are Phoenix, AZ and San Diego, CA. Depending on how the program does..they will open up more locations. It says a lot about a hospital that the majority of employees have been there for over 10 years if not 20 or 30. Everyone I run into in the private hospitals are new grads or have worked there less than 5 yrs (high turn-over...) --> makes you go hhmm? Personally I think the VA is the best kept secret...this coming from a soon to be nurse and fellow patient/veteran there !

[groovy jeff, RN]

I believe on the VA website that you are on probationary status for 1 or possibly even 2 years. Also a friend of mine took a position at a VA hospital in a different part of the state with the intent to transfer back to the one in his home town; and I think he told me it was at least a year.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

VA in Tucson pays significantly more than other area hospitals.

I haven't found that to be true at all.

[st4wb3rr33sh0rtc4k3]

Hey guys thanks I am going to apply. :)