Title 38? How is this a good thing??

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

Hi all!

I recently applied for and was interviewed for a home based primary care nurse position in Pennsylvania. I have been doing my own research and found that these positions are are under Title 38... That being said, I am trying to figure out how this is a god thing... If is supposed to be. The job i am interested in is M-F, no weekends, holidays or OT. I was told there is no locality pay for RN's. The pay scales that I am looking at ( sent to me by the hiring mgr) seem WAYYYY LOW!. I have been an RN for just under 13 years. I have my BSN as well. Lots of experience in Women's Health and Pediatrics. Leadership, precepting, etc. the manager mentioned that the pay scale there might be much less than I am used to. I can't believe Nurses are working for those pennies. My husband is a gov employee, so the HC benefits aren't an issue for me. I currently earn about 90k a year. I could take a little pay cut, but not 20-30k! I currently work in MD. Can anyone share some insight??

Thanks

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Specializes in Operating room, ER, Home Health.

Go to this website and it will give you the pay scale for the VA you are looking at. You should be a nurse 2 step 5-7.

https://www.va.gov/OHRM/index.asp

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

Thanks so much!

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

https://www.va.gov/ohrm/pay/

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

I reviewed these pay scales... idk how in the world any seasoned RN is surviving off of these wages. I do understand that the cost of living in different places plays a role. But for my area, it doesn’t match to me... idk. I just can’t take such a drastic decrease... it would take years for me to even be back to what I’m earning now.

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

Well, I've been a nurse for 5 years and been with the VA for 9 years. They paid for my BSN (and paid me a salary while in school) with a guaranteed job afterwards and are paying for part of my MSN. Their benefits/retirement is great, paid leave (earned (over 600 hrs and unlimited sick leave) and military (up to 280 with shift differential)) are unbelievable. RN:Patient Ratio are great and they treat us well. That's just my personal story.

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Specializes in Operating room, ER, Home Health.

What part of MD do you live in and where in PA is the position? The only areas that I see in MD making under 85K as a Nurse 2/5 is along the PA boarder.

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

I actually live in York, PA. Work in Baltimore. The position is based out of Lebanon. They have offices in york, Lancaster and Mechanicsburg

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

FWIW I would actually consider 80....considering the money I’d save by not having to use my own vehicle.... but looking at the pay scale, it indicates starting at maybe 60’s... I literally made that in my first year as a nurse almost 13 years ago. WITH only my associates. I can’t even pay my mortgage in one paycheck with that.

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

The starting salary is determined by the nursing board and with 13 years with no MSN, it would definitely be around Nurse 2 Step 5-7...but you have to prove to them.

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Specializes in Operating room, ER, Home Health.

If you worked at the VA in Baltimore you would be around 90k there. So the salary scale for were you applied is the going rate for that area. According to indeed.com the average RN salary is 71,462.

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Specializes in Maternal/Child Health. Obstetrics.

Yes, I know the VA in Baltimore would pay more.... if they would only call me! ?. Idk what they’re even basing the COL off of? Property taxes here are twice as much as they are in Maryland!

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