VA, differential, relocation, pay w/experience, and retirement

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I am a 42 y/o graduate of ADN program working on BSN. I currently have 1 year med-surg experience but will have almost 2 years exp. when I obtain my BSN.

I visisted my local VA hospital recently and had alot of questions answered but many still not.

Questions:

The woman at HR could not answer questions specifically to pay regarding OT, weekend, and shift differentials.

1) Can anyone elaborate on these differentials?

Also I was told that there was no commitment for nurses when changing locations as to how long one must stay before moving on to another facility. I am thinking of using the VA as a "traveling type" position because of the long-term benefits of government retirement and being treated as a "regular" staff instead of a traveler "making more money" and being treated unfairly in a facility.

2) Is this true, can I transfer for say.....6 months and move again if I find a similiar job title in another state?

Also, I have not been able to find out how different VAs figure out there COLAs. The woman told me it was specific to each location.

3) How can someone find this out before relocating? Right now it seems kind of frustrating to not know basic pay scales if someone wanted to relocate on a regular basis.

It looks like I may be better to stay where I am for a year or two to finish my BSN and go in with that increased experience and education for an increase in pay.

4) Any suggestions with the amount of experience and/or education would work best in regards to pay in general?

I forgot to ask about training, the facility where I am near closed the medical areas and it is mainly psych/long-term/detox/PTSD.

5) Would it be better to get some critical care experience in order to have more options when trying to relocate? In my current facility there's such a shortage that I should be able to train ICU in the near future.

I was explained the retirement system (although entirely sure how it works) it seems like a decent plan for the future.

6) Is this system a great way to look at towards retirement?

Also I've read here how VA may pay for MS although the woman I spoke with way not entirely sure how that worked so any info on that would also be appreciated.

It's hard trying to find out specifics without asking someone who's experienced this. Thank you for any info you all may have to offer.

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Specializes in Rehab, Corrections, LTC, and Detox Nurse.

where are you planning on relocating to first?

If you go to opm.gov you will see the rate and also the OT rate. Shift diff and weekend diff should not have been no problem finding out...

Send me a message and I can detail some of this for you, at work right now.

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THe VA has just launched a new traveling nursing program. Contact the HR Dept & ask whom you need to contact.

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not to hijack your thread, but i'm also interested in the retirement formula.

with state its easy.

2.5 percent x years of service x your best monthly average for 3 years.

so if my best 3 years is 10k/month and i worked for 10 years,my retirement check would be 2500 a month.

simple.

i can't figure out VA retirement.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

Nobody can figure out VA retirement. The TSP program is great and should be a big asset saving for retrimement. My spouse is management in the civilian sector so I know how much they make, at least at one hospital. Staff nurses with experience make more than theri civilian counterparts, not by a little, it is signigigant. We do not have a PTO pool. I get five weeks vacation, 2.5 weeks sick time and 13 paid holidays. Not combined, when I take a sick day it does not come out of a pool, it comes from my sick hours.

THe VA is a great place to work but I have not yet dealt with a competant nurse recriuting office. I beleive that pay scales are online under titile 38. Why would someone working in recruiting not know that?

I cannot remeber the exact formula for differenetials, but they are very competitive.

I know we are not allowed to be the highest paid nursing staff in the area, but I think we are or might be. I think that has something to do with the way our base pay is figued. I get paid an annual amount. That is divided out to get your hourly pay. It is nearly impossible to make that. It is always signifigantly more.

Over the years I have known several people who move every 6-12 months. The 6 month thing is a very general restriction on personnel actions within 6 months. For example, I moved from one unit to another in December, I really could not transfer to another unit unitl june. But I have seen this waived many times. Besides that, everything takes more than six months at the VA.

The VA is a great place to work, but there are problems that are specific to the government. Like incredibly incompetent recruiting offices. The VA is an outstanding place to work.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.
not to hijack your thread, but i'm also interested in the retirement formula.

with state its easy.

2.5 percent x years of service x your best monthly average for 3 years.

so if my best 3 years is 10k/month and i worked for 10 years,my retirement check would be 2500 a month.

simple.

i can't figure out VA retirement.

Sorry the math doesn't work as stated

2.5 x 10=25

25 x10k = 250000

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sorry, how i wrote the math is wrong, but the answer is correct.

With the state.

they take the 3 highest years, and count your monthy rate, say your highest ave is 10,000.

the next number is factor, nurses get 2.5.

the next number is years, so lets say 10.

so 10 years times the factor of 2.5 percent is 25%.

25% of 10,000 a month is $2500.

so i wrote it down how to get there wrong, but my answer is still correct.

you work 10 years with the state, with your 3 best years avg. 10k month, times the nurse factor rate of 2.5, and you get $2500 month for retirement.

max for nurses is 75%.

max for cops and firemen is 90%.

sorry if my math confused people.

i understand VA pay rates, still confused by how much my retirement would be there.

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Sorry the math doesn't work as stated

2.5 x 10=25

25 x10k = 250000

wait a second, my setup and my answer is correct.

2.5%(retirement rate) x 10 (years service in my example) =25%.

25% x 10,000 dollars is $2500 a month.

in the 2.5 x 10, you are forgetting the 2.5 is percent.

2.5% is changed to .025 when doing the math.

easier to understand is 25 % is changed to .25 when doing the math.

100%, thus would be 1.00.

percents used to get me too.

gotta move the decimal point.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

yes the % is where got a bit lost. Thanks for the explanation.

I am actually looking at a couple jobs for the state hence my interest in the benefits. The first one is at

a residential neuro treatment center and the other is an inspector of nursing homes. Do you or does anyone else have any experience in this areas? I've been away for a few years but for 16 years I worked

in acute care hospital settings.

I'll post a new thread to see if I can hit a wider audience.

Thanks!

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Are you looking to come to California?

If so, the prisons can't be beat, pay wise.

6500-8000 a month, vested after 5 years, at 2.5 percent, retire at 55.

state mental hospitals are less pay about 6600, but same retirement system, 5 years, 2.5, 55.

state veterans homes are at 2.0 percent for retirement, pay is 4500-5500.

The University of California Medical Centers also offer great pay and benefits, and looking at your skill set may be a better fit for you.

You may become bored at the Prisons, Mental Hospital, or Ca Veterans Homes.

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Hi Tirzo13,

I have a question in regards to chula vista veterans home in San Diego. I am graduating as an

RN with my BSN in a couple months and am considering working at the chula vista veterans

home. Do you have any information about this facility? Such as benefits, do they provide a

pension aswell as 401k? How do they treat the employees? How much do RN's make there?

Overall do you like working there? I really want to work for the state because I hear they offer

great benefits, just not sure what they are, and I dont want to work in corrections, so I

figure the va home in chula vista might just be best for me :). I have seen your previous

posts and you give great information and advice! Any information would be greatly

appreaciated! Thanks :)

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
Hi Tirzo13,

I have a question in regards to chula vista veterans home in San Diego. I am graduating as an

RN with my BSN in a couple months and am considering working at the chula vista veterans

home. Do you have any information about this facility? Such as benefits, do they provide a

pension aswell as 401k? How do they treat the employees? How much do RN's make there?

Overall do you like working there? I really want to work for the state because I hear they offer

great benefits, just not sure what they are, and I dont want to work in corrections, so I

figure the va home in chula vista might just be best for me :). I have seen your previous

posts and you give great information and advice! Any information would be greatly

appreaciated! Thanks :)

Is this a state or federal vets home. If its a federal VA it has a standard pension plan along with TSP which is a 401K type of plan.

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