azbrian27

"Can you move to a program coordinator or manager or educator role? Those are all nurse 3 level roles.". Remember, just because you become a program coordinator, manager, or educator, you do not automatically become a nurse 3. You still have to meet the qualifications of a nurse 3. I know many managers with a MSN, stuck at Nurse 2. It took me several years as a CNL and manager to get promoted to a 3. The only grades truly dependant on position are at the Chief level (Nurse 4), and ADPCS (Nurse 5). Another way to get a Nurse 3 is find a VISN job or Chief job, work that job for a few years, then back down to a staff nurse. You'll then be placed in a Nurse 3 position. Work nights and weekends, you'll make more than you did as a Nurse 4 or even a 5.

"Thank you so much for your response, is there anything that can block you from getting the job once vet pro is completed, have you heard of that happening?" Yes, lying on VetPro. One common example is if you state that you resign from a job, but the background check confirms you were terminated. Also, wrong dates of employment.

You need to complete a hospital wide, or service line, project with sustained outcomes. Usually have to complete over several years, to show the outcomes are indeed sustained. Your facility should offer several resources, including what exact criteria is needed to board from a Nurse 2 to a Nurse 3. Contact your nursing education department, or ask your supervisor for the info.

Go for it! Best decision I have ever made was starting at the VA as a nursing assistant. Worked there as a NA, LPN, now a RN. Inexperienced nursing assistants usually start at Grade 3, more experienced Grade 4, and the maximum is Grade 5 (they offered you Grade 5, Step 1). Starting at Grade 5, Step 1, you will automatically go up an additional step/get a raise every two years. The pay is different for every city, so can't tell you how much that would be in your city. Benefits of working for the VA: -You will get a pension when you retire. -There are 11 federal holidays that you get paid double time. Even if you don't work on the actual day, you will get paid double time on another day. you can also ask for holiday excused, which gives you the day off with pay instead, if you don't want the double pay. If it's in a Monday through Friday clinic and the clinic is not open holidays, you'll get the holiday excused (paid for the day off), even if the holiday falls on a weekend -Shift differential is great. Weekday nights is 10%, weekend day is 25%, and weekend night is 35%. It carries over if you work from a Sunday night to a Monday morning. For example, if you start a shift Sunday night, and end Monday morning, the entire shift is 35% extra pay - it doesn't end at midnight. Also Friday nights, if you work into Saturday, is considered weekend night differential. -You are covered by a Union, even if you don't pay dues. -You get 13 sick days per year, separate from your annual leave/PTO. You will also start earning 13 annual leave days per year to start. You will get 4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of annual leave every two weeks. After 3 years working, you get 6 hours of annual leave every two weeks. Once you hit the 15 year mark, you get 5 weeks vacation per year (8 hours every two weeks). RNs get 5 weeks per year (8 hours every 2 weeks) day one. -If you plan on going back to school, they offer scholarships to pay for school after you work there for 1 year. One scholarship they offer for NA to RN: they will pay you your salary 100% as a NA while you are in school, and you DO NOT work while you are in school for RN (you only work during school breaks as a NA). When you graduate, they give you a job as a RN. Good luck!

Saturday and Sunday, but if you start your shift on Friday and it rolls into Saturday, you get the weekend differential. Works out great for working nights, since I get weekend shift differential for the full shift Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (36 hours, extra 35% of base pay per hour). Day shift only gets Saturday and Sunday weekend differential (extra 25% of base pay per hour).

I work at the Phoenix VA. Depends on degree level and years of experience. ADN new grad in Phoenix starts at $67,113, caps at $103,347; BSN min. $82,786 caps at $110,099; MSN $90,236, caps at $120,013. Director level pay: MSN required, min $117,665 max $156,484. With 27 years experience you would probably start at the higher end if not capped. Of course the amounts above are base pay. All federal holidays you get double time, weekday nights 10% differential, 35% on weekends. Even if capped you do get an annual cost of living increase. Until you reach the cap you get a pay increase every 2 years of about $2,500. Since this is a federal job, all pay scales are public record, changes based on city and local cost of living. https://www.Google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.VA.gov/ohrm/pay/&ved=2ahUKEwi2puSF_M_xAhUXv54KHcXCAE4QFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw1RhJ54I1lKMako7e5WSXzW

The correct title is "Name, BSN, RN". The reasoning is the title you cannot loose stays closest to the name. An unethical nurse cannot loose their nursing degree (BSN), but they can loose their RN license. Hope this helps.