LubbockNP

It was the most frustrating gut wrenching process I have ever went though. I do really enjoy my job at the VA then any job I have ever had. I really love my Veterans and it makes it all worth it.

title 38 nurses RNs and NPs (me) get, 4 hours a pay day (every 2 weeks) and 8 hours of AL every pay day (every 2 weeks). I work 0730 to 4p and love those hours, yep, no weekends, no call (awesome, sick to death of call) and fed holidays off (not as good as state of TEXAS holidays) but oh well. Hopeful girl, if you ever see a job opening in your VA for Home based primary care....jump on it, best job you will ever have.

Currently we do not have an EWL at all. We have room for growth in our program.

I am at Lubbock VA

Very True indeed. Which VA are you at?

I have been working in HPBC as NP for 8 months and I love it. Best job ever!

Update: I have been working in Home Based Primary Care as an NP for 8 months now. Hands down the best job in my life as well as for the RNs that work in HBPC. I have a panel of geriatric pts that I see quarterly and PRN, I have a VA car. currently I have 62 pts in my panel and can take up to 90. Our program is growing. I see pts in their homes and assisted living facilities, no nursing homes. I can't tell you enough how much I love this job. My veterans are so dear to me.

I am a NP with HBPC and love it, the RNs I work with also love it. The best job any of us have every had.

Listening....... I don't work at the Dallas VA, I work at the VA in Lubbock. I grew up in Lewisville and may want to transfer back to the DFW someday (for aging parents). Currently my commute is 12 minutes. I sure would hate to give that up......

I found the answer, yes you transfer with you current grade and step.

This question is just so I can put in the back of mind and retrieve it some day. I am working in VISN 18 and some day may won't to go back to DFW to be closer to parents. I know since I will have to be hired. Do I have to re-board? Does my current Nurse level- step transfer? How does it all work?

I have been working for the VA for 8 months now. I love my job more than any job I have ever had, that being said, the State of TEXAS has way better benefits than the FED does. I am still glad I made the change because my job is a dream job. But just know you can do much better in he private sect or possibly for a state (depends on the state). And to tell you the truth, I don't understand the whole boarding crap at all. It makes no sense to me. I am FNP-BC and ACNP-BC both but the stupid nursing board did not care. But let me tell you the RNs I work with make dang good money, makes me second guess NP school.

Bowhunter223, I have not been on this site in forever. I have now been at the VA in Lubbock for 8 months (boy time flies). Are you working for the VA? if so we can message each other about VA stuff.

No, I don't get frustrated at all. The NP job has a lot on your shoulder and the RN job is my physical but not on my shoulder.

I only work on Sat 7A to 7P and I really like it, MY NP job is M-F 7:30-4P and my NP job is wonderful but I like being a RN now.

Have any of ya'll work as RN while you are NP? Have you had any problems? I recently started working as a PRN RN on a med/surg floor 2 shifts a month and I must say I am really enjoying it.

agacnptobe, what have you used so far. I really felt Barkley and Fitz was enough, concentrate more on the non clinical stuff. Barkley does a good job on health policy.

I have the Fitz Adult Geri Acute NP board cert CD's and accompanying book for sale. The book that goes with the CDs is completely untouched (as they sent me two by mistake). I also have the Barkley Adult Geri Acute NP board cert CDs and booklet but the book has been marked in a lot. I can sell together or separate.

I start the VA on August 25th, and I gave my boss a 30 day notice and she does not smile at me anymore.

The results of the terrible boarding are: RN II level 6 and salary offer 22% less than I make at the state of Texas. I declined at told them they should re-board me that I am still very interested in the job but not at a level II step 6 and low salary. I was re-boarded and the official offer is Nurse III step 11 and salary offer is 639.00 a year more than my state of Texas job. I accepted and start Aug 25th. I hope that helps.

Ok, the official offer is: Nurse III step 11 and the salary is 673.00 dollars more a year than my current salary, so I accepted the offer. I start August 25. I am giving my current job a 30 day notice and this gives me a week off before I start the VA. Thank You guys so much! The Nurse Executive at the VA re-boarded me from a nurse II step 6 (which I refused to Nurse III step 11)

Well, the HR dept has been working. They are reboarding me I should have final offer of what I board as and final salary offer tomorrow. I will keep ya'll posted. And may I say pfchang is the best!!!!!

My studying was very unfocused and kinda all over the place. But I felt clinically prepared. I took the sample questions from the ANCC site for every NP certification they had, ie. Pedi, AGCACNP, AGPCNP, Adult mental health, Mental healthy psych. I was just trying to learn the style of their questions. I think really I could have prepared in 2-3 weeks with more focused study. The non clinical stuff was what I feared more than the clinical stuff. I did not get any heart sounds. The test limit is 4 hours. There is a little tutorial. Any breaks you take are in that 4 hours. I did not take any breaks and from the beginning to the end, including the tutorial my exam was 2.5 hours.

I have a MSN as ACNP and FNP with 9 years as NP experience and they boarded me as Nurse II step 6 with salary offer 22% less than what I make with the state of Texas. I declined. Waiting to see what next offer is. But I am sure I will be staying with the State instead of the VA.

Well, exactly what I thought would happen did! They boarded me as a nurse II step 6, I am have been a FNP, and ACNP and working for the last 9 years for the state of TX. The offer came is 22% less than my current salary. I am insulted and have wasted a lot of time and effort and money on the whole process and really upset over this.