VA contract negotiation

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Hello,

I have been reading so many helpful tips for the VA but I wanted to check on my specific case. I am an RN w/my BSN and I have been in nursing (mainly school nursing) for 6 years. I have been offered a position in Big Spring, Tx and the job offers relocation if approved. What should I bargain for in salary? It starts at 48k but I think w/my BSN and experience I should at least be able to drive the offer to 50k? The position is for outpatient nursing...Thank you for any advice

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You really don't have much to bargain for, that is after getting a final offer. That said, each VA pay scale is different, it's based on locality pay. As such, VA nursing does not follow the traditional GS pay grades. Rather, there are Nurse I-V. As I understand it, Nurse IV and V are executive levels, while I-III are patient care. Each level has it's own steps, and Nurse I has levels and steps. Confused yet? LOL.

Once you are tentatively hired, your packet will go before a Nursing board for determination of grade and salary. With your BSN and experience you should be higher than the minimal amount of salary. I have nearly three years of nursing in, most of it in stepdown unit and was boarded at Level 3. I also have my ADN, but working on a BSN. If you are currently working on a Masters, make sure this is included in your resume or at the interview. I feel that my continuing education probably helped board me higher than anticipated.

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Sorry, I did not read thoroughly,lol. So, you have a tentative offer? I don't know of anyone who has successfully bargained with the board. Trust me, after waiting for the board to meet, decide and get all the signatures needed for your packet, you will be grateful just to get a phone call with the final offer. It's that long of a wait. From tentative offer to final offer, it was about 4-5 weeks for me. I honestly think if you declined the offer, or even countered they would just hire someone else. Maybe I'm wrong?

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ORTech,

I don't think you are wrong at all..I have waited from application, interview, and now tentative job offer almost 2 MONTHS! So I believe you when you stated "grateful just to get a phone call w/ the offer"..haha. Thank you for breaking down the steps for me. It can get very confusing and I feel like I have to keep following up with my HR rep and keep lighting a fire under the process. I like her but I just want to get moving. Did this happen to you? How long have you been working for the VA?

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