VA hospital........WOW! I was impressed!!

GregRN · Apr 9, 2007

The VA system, by many measures, is the best healthcare system in the country. It has achieved the "holy grail" of healthcare: highest satisfaction rates by it's customers and the lowest cost per patient. They are still trying to shed the image of yesteryear as being shoddy, rundown, tied up by bureaucratic red tape and filled with employees who appear not to care whatsoever. But it's really come a long way in doing all it can for some very important people.

TazziRN, RN · Apr 9, 2007

They are still trying to shed the image of yesteryear as being shoddy, rundown, tied up by bureaucratic red tape and filled with employees who appear not to care whatsoever. But it's really come a long way in doing all it can for some very important people.

And this is what I was used to. I remember, years ago, I saw a special on a VA hospital. Hidden cameras were set up to show the mistreatment of vets. One resident/pt was a quad; an aide set a meal tray on the table and left it there......for hours. One of the cameramen took pity and fed the pt. That story has haunted me all these years, and I am so glad that it has changed. There are two groups of people that deserve to be take care of with the best we've got: our elderly and our veterans.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Apr 9, 2007

My dad is a vet & used to work at the VA, not as a nurse. He liked it a lot and liked the benefits. I've heard good & bad but I'm hoping the trend is toward improvement.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2007

My aunt works for the VA in Ann Arbor, MI and it is a beautiful hospital. She works in administration. As a kid my brother and I went to work with her and we would stay with her or go to the research lab.

My brother also was doing EKG's at the VA in Detroit,MI part time during one summer. I had to go down there with him a few times and It was a very nice hospital. My brother did some HS health carrers there and was trained as a EKG tech. My brother learned a lot there.

CHATSDALE · Apr 9, 2007

there is a va hosp in area..i went there once to visit : the floors gleamed

the problem with some of the employees if they came get by one year they are permanent and it is very difficult to get rid of them

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 10, 2007

They have a fantastic electronic medical record system.

I had that old bad impression too, until I was teaching and had students in the VA clinic (graduate students). I was very impressed with the quality of care and the providers there.

The only reason I don't work in a VA clinic is the same as Tazzi's, I love pediatrics too much.

angelymick · Apr 10, 2007

:caduceus: I don't work for the VA, but I work at a Military Hospital. I cannot tell you enough how wonderful my job is. I find most of my co-workers to

much happier than at the previous civilian hospital I worked at.

There is such an air of respect and politeness. I am a LPN and not once has a Doctor, Physicians Assistant, Nurse Practitioner or a Registered Nurse ever made me to feel beneath them. They treat me like we are all part of a team.

I

nj1grlcrus · Apr 10, 2007

I do a phlebotomy clinical at the VA hospital in East Orange, NJ. Great place, just remodelled the Oncology floor, nice people work there, and the patients are terrific. Too bad they don't treat kids. One other benefit, all the patients speak English, gotta love that, my nursing clinical is in a hospital with the vast majority of patients non-english speaking. If you can't get a translator, you are screwed for assessments. Forget about Process Recording...

TazziRN, RN · Apr 10, 2007

One other benefit, all the patients speak English, gotta love that, my nursing clinical is in a hospital with the vast majority of patients non-english speaking. If you can't get a translator, you are screwed for assessments. Forget about Process Recording...

Oooo.......I didn't think about that...........it's looking more and more attractive........

moonrose2u · Apr 10, 2007

My husband receives all of his medical treatment at VA (he is a 100% service connected vet) and CHAMPVA is my insurance and they treat me as well.

I am very, very pleased with the VA health care I have received with the exception of the state of Florida. Not that the facility was dirty-it shined...but the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing there...with me as a nurse, and him as a dr. it was ridiculous! we were caught in the 'black hole'...

so what did I do? move 960 miles back to the home base where we KNOW the VA system is on the ball, and he would have all of his specialists..no questions asked and have excellent health care, as well as my having the appropriate care as well.

btw, before I get flamed....the facility in Florida was Lake City..the staff was friendly, and most tried to be helpful, but the system there was overtaxed, overburdened with the large retired vet and military communities...I am aware that Florida has a couple of VA's that are Magnet...we were not that lucky to have been close to them..

unfortunately..

but I do miss the close proximity of the military base....love the commissaries and exchanges....:wink2:

navynurse06 · Apr 10, 2007

I worked for the VA before I joined the Navy. I loved it! The charting and medication systems are top of the line at the VA hospitals. There has been documented research proving the decrease in med errors thanks to the charting system. When I retire from the Navy, I might go back to working at the VA; that's how much I loved it. Plus my TSP from the Navy transfers over to the VA.

I get really upset when I hear people saying bad things about the VA. Especially if they have never set foot in VA hospital or clinic.