Anyone using VA VOC Rehab...

Nurses Disabilities

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I was wondering if anyone on this forum is currently or has used the VA Vocational Rehab program to go through nursing school? I am in school for my RN and looking at becoming an advanced practiced nurse (apn). I need help with making a plan for my initial meeting with my VRC.

Have your disabilities limited you, when it came to making the initial goal with your Voc Rehab Counselor (VRC)?? Any information that can be given would be helpful.

I am curious for those attending nursing school or who got approved for nursing school and doing Voc Rehab.

If you don't mind, would you share what your disability if it is not too personal.

I have 40% which includes my Knee, My back and Asthma. They told me I could not get my degree in Nursing even though I am trying to get into a management position with Case Management as an RN because it requires a Masters in RN Case Management.

They told me they would not pay for Nursing School due to my injuries. I have been in the medical field and military with these injuries and they are not bad to where it would hinder my career. The only reason I am out of the military is due to an Illegal Discharge that I am fighting through Congress to get fixed. 1 Individual discharged me without a medical board and never rated me or went through the proper procedures to even try and medically retire me so I am fighting it through my congress woman.

Now that I see others going into the nursing program and saw 1 person say they have knee problems, I am tryng to figure out why they denied nursing school for for. I had to pick another degree that I did not want.

Any help would be great!!

Shonda

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Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.

I am at 40% for bilateral knee and hip problem. I had to get a letter from my doctor and show a job that I could do without causing further injury. I also had to get a letter from a hospital willing to hire me with my disability. I did that and showed proof I needed my master to be competitive for the position I wanted. I graduate in May :) I will be working with that hospital and finishing my master while doing it.

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Hi Off,

First...Voc Rehab is not an educational benefit, its an employment benefit. With that said, if you are found to be eligible they do pay for education but that is case by case. First thing you do is apply, then you will go to an orientation. They will set that up after they receive your application. After orientation, you will meet with a case manager who will either find you eligible or non-eligible.

Me personally, I used my Post 9-11 to pay for nursing school, graduated and passed Nclex. I am working full time as a nurse assistant in a hospital while looking for an RN job. I actually had a great interview today. I applied for voc rehab and was found eligible. Because of the demand for RNs to have their BSN, the voc rehab is paying for my Bachelors. I am about to finish my first term. Part of my requirement is to be looking for a job as a RN while in voc rehab. Also voc rehab has job assistance in several different ways. The goal is the get a disabled vet back to work. Military.com discussion boards are helpful.

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Id like to add that if you are found not eligible, you can always apply again later on. I have ten months left of my Post 9-11 GI Bill when I was found eligible and approved to obtain my bachelors. I plan to go further myself and get my FNP.

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Thanks everyone for the great insight.

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I am at 40% for bilateral knee and hip problem. I had to get a letter from my doctor and show a job that I could do without causing further injury. I also had to get a letter from a hospital willing to hire me with my disability. I did that and showed proof I needed my master to be competitive for the position I wanted. I graduate in May :) I will be working with that hospital and finishing my master while doing it.

Thank you so much Camwill! That will help me fight it. Because I have been employed in jobs that people will more sever back and knee pains could not do and I am fine. No pain or issues. We will have the once in awhile pain which is normal for any injuries but to tell me I can't do it when I am working now and it is not bothering me.

I am already in Voc Rehab and My Case Manager keeps telling me that it has to be within my capabilities. I see yours are not that much different from me. Bilateral Knees and Back Pain with asthma that doesn't bother me much. I don't even carry an inhaler regularly. I see the doctor maybe once a year if that for the back and knees but I have not been bed ridden from it or taken off work.

I am going to continue talking to him about it. I will work on the letters from the doctor about it as well. If you don't mind, what state are you in? I am in California.

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Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.

I am in Missouri :) Good luck with your counselor. My counselor was on board when I had the Dr's note and I was offered a job that would be willing to hire me without causing further injury to me.

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My service connected disabilities include abdominal pain (residuals from organ damage), diabetic neuropathy (left hand, both feet), diabetes, speech impairment, and mental condition (unspoken). So basically, it hurts to walk, hurts to use my hand, I can't speak well at times, I can't do heavy lifting, and I'm on psych meds....and I got approved for a MSN-Family Practitioner! I start my BSN program in May, 2014.

Basically, I had to show that I wanted to work in ambulatory care. Ambulatory care is not seen as being as hectic as staff nursing in hospitals, or other types of nursing. I had to say that my work environment would provide me opportunities to sit down. I had to show history of stable mental health, I had to get a doctors statement saying that I can do light lifting and that nursing would not aggravate my disabilities. The list goes on...basically I had to prove I can make it as a nurse.

I already have a bachelors degree in a non-health related field, I was a former paramedic, and my voc rehab counselor is awesome! All those factors played a part in my approval. I asked for ASN, she insisted on MSN! How cool is that!

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Irishluck, Like yourself, I am a USN veteran. I went to my VA voc rehab appointment yesterday and my counselor denied me on pursuing a nursing degree "do to it aggravating my disability" in your experience, is what she said the truth or is it a way of nicely denying my request? Do you have any pointers on how I can change her mind?

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Irishluck, Like yourself, I am a USN veteran. I went to my VA voc rehab appointment yesterday and my counselor denied me on pursuing a nursing degree "do to it aggravating my disability" in your experience, is what she said the truth or is it a way of nicely denying my request? Do you have any pointers on how I can change her mind?

Either show your counselor the different jobs nurses due that don't interfere with the disability, or get a new counselor

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Hello my fellow veterans!

I have been online countless of hours researching this one topic I have.

How can I use Voc Rehab towards a graduate nursing degree?

Does and anyone have experience on this particular subject?

A little information about about me: I currently a pre-nursing student awaiting my acceptance/rejection letter. I am currently using my Post 9/11 GI Bill, and by the time I finish the nursing program (which I hope I can get in!) I would still have a few months left over on my Post 9/11 GI Bill. I have a 60% service connected rating.

My main concern is that I came to realize that Voc Rehab will only help you get benefits for entry level work, and not for job advancement. I final career goal is to become a Nurse Anesthetist or NP. After receiving a BSN I should be able to get a job with a pretty good salary, but not I what I want my final goal to be. I have heard stories floating around the web that, Voc rehab payed for medical, law, and dental school.

Does anyone with the knowledge or experience on this subject that can help me out? Or what steps I can step I can take to have the VA pay for most if not all of my educational goals? I know I am asking this well in advance, but I just like to know my options and not worry about them later.

Any response will be greatly appreciated!

Hey there. Did you get into nursing school? That's one step, another is to apply to voc rehab of you already haven't.

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Hey everyone, I'm the OP (original poster) for this topic and glad to see such great conversation! I wanted to give everyone an update on my progress:

Service-connected for PTSD, hip, feet, left leg conditions. I was approved for Voc Rehab at 20%. I used voc rehab for my associates in nursing, used it for my BSN (will graduate June 2015), and got approved from the beginning to be an entry-level CRNA. I have been a Nurse for almost 2 years now in critical care.

It's really awesome to see how much has changed in 4 years from starting this discussion!

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