VA Hospital

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Could anyone give me some info on working at the Va Hospital. I will be graduating in May 2009

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Simply new grad makes 14 per hour...Do you really want to go to school all that time to make tech pay.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Seriously?!?! They've been doing a lot of recruiting and had that job fair last week. I had to work but had considered going by to see what they had to offer. Wow, that's just SAD!! I would've thought being a government facility that the pay would be much better than surrounding hospitals!!

What happens if one transfers to an area like CA or NY or somewhere where the cost of living is much higher -- is salary adjusted accordingly?!?!

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Not sure but I do think they change depending on the location. However considering they are at least 6 dollars below what they should be paying here what makes one think that they can even survive in an environment like los angeles.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
Not sure but I do think they change depending on the location. However considering they are at least 6 dollars below what they should be paying here what makes one think that they can even survive in an environment like los angeles.

I dunno, but I have a friend who's been a RN in L.A. area for many years and she has friends who work for them there and she says that many of them just love it. (I had inquired as I was considering looking in to VA here).

I would have to think their salaries are competitive or how would they attract medical staff, particularly with the demand and competition out there today?!?!

I would enjoy hearing from someone who works for them....

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I looked and yes the website state that however in person by a VA recruiter that there is no way anyone at the VA would be allowed to offer a new grad nurse more than 14 per hour.

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new grads with no experience at VA in southern california start at 64+K/annual.

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I forgot to add. that salary is for ASN with no experience. if you have a bsn new grad you get paid more.

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I worked at the VA for about 6 months. They hired me away from a private hospital, because they DOUBLED my salary. The salary is not the problem at this place. Constant pulling, no ancillary staff, unsafe practices and nasty staff members caused me to leave in such a short time. The place is filthy and I felt bad that there was not enough budget money for the patients to even have toothpaste (try explaining that one to your patients). I could not stand it anymore. Money is not everything; I took a job working weekend option at another area hospital and wound up making the same money.

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They don't pay that little. They have to be competitive. I went from private to VA and got about a 8 dollar an hour raise putting me well above the 50K a year mark. I love the VA I work at. No complaints what so ever. Great number of staff, sometimes I feel like they don't need so many nurses here, but I would never complain about that! Each VA is different but my advice to you would be to talk to someone that works at the local VA that you are interested in. The hiring process takes awhile but it is worth it. I don't know why people are spreading lies about wages though, they have a cost of living raise every year and a locality pay making sure they are at least equal to the other hospitals. These are at all VAs..14$/hr....that's LESS than what the techs here get!!

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If you feel someone is lying and you work at the VA I would suggest that you have someone investigate the st louis va, The recuriter told me 14 an hour and even had leaflets to hand out that stated this, Perhaps this is one of the reasons this hospital is having to have job fair. 14 is what I was told and that is why I did not further pursue this job.

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