VA Hospital

I did clinicals there for Mental Health nursing. Sooo... I can't say too much about any of the other areas. Although, I enjoy mental health (because it is different, I guess) this is the extreme end of the spectrum.

I noticed that most of the RNs (on our units) sat around and got paid to do so. Some charting was witnessed, but other than that they don't do too much.

They do, however, pay very well. They are also on a union, so consider that.

Are they all union?? I have two friends that work at the FW VA and they never mentioned union, they are govt employees though and they get a special lic that allows them to work in any state. Dont know what that is called though..hmmm I will have to think.

I do know that the hiring process is long and bureaucratic for obvious reasons aka govt. Besides that I hear of no complaints. They do have a duty free gift shop/more like a mini walmart than gift shop and there are no taxes charged, but that is a small to say the least perk.

As far as pay they are paid comparable to the other hospitals in our area.

I would be interested in hearing more about them so I hope others chime in.

Sorry I ahve not been around for a while. I ahve worked at VA Indy for about 15 years. We are union but it is not a closed shop. You can join or not. No pressure either way. We can work at any VA nation wide but that does not apply to civilian hospitals on your states license.

The hiring process is an incredible PIA (not an approved abbrevation) often nurses we finally hire have been working somewhere else for months. It is part beaurcratic but there are other issues involved here. Anyway we are very well staffed, if that tells you something about how nice it is to work here.

Sometimes you can find very good deals in our store, sometimes not.

I make much more than my peers elsewhere. At one point my wife was manager of a 55 nurse unit at another hospital with 24 hour accountabillity ect. I still made more. Our payscale is published on VA website. The steps are not that difficult to move up.

The time off is pretty good. I get 5 weeks per year vacation time and 2.5 sick time. Plus holidays etc. I really cannot remember how much more I get for evenings and nights and weekends, it is better than other hospitals I have checked at. At this point bedside nurses get a bedside bonus, it used to be 10% but it has went up several times since then.

We have incredible autonomy. This is not a profit center so about %99 of the nurse/doctor stressors are gone. I am a staff nurse and I really love it here.

I completed my MSN a few years ago. At first some of my fellow students expressed how dedicated I must be to work at the VA. They truly believed it was a terrible place to work. It is not, I could go on and on about how much I like it but I think you gt the idea.

I know this is an old post, but I've found all the info really helpful. I've been accepted to do my preceptorship in mental health at the VA. BSUrn2b - I saw that you did clinicals at a VA hospital in mental health. What was the experience like for you as a student?

Also, I've heard that if you put your best foot forward during your preceptorship, it can often lead to a job offer. With the VA hiring process being so extensive and as a recent grad I would have no experience, do you think it could lead to a possible offer? If anyone works at the VA and has any advice or knows of anyone being hired after their preceptorship, please let me know.

As you said, mak2, my fellow nursing students haven't even considered the VA. I'm hoping this might help me to get a job - less competition. :) Thanks everyone!