Hey just wondering if anyone has advice on what hospital would be better for new grads. I was excepted to White Memorial for the August program, but just got the call for Long Beach VA. So here's what I know:
White Memorial; is a Versant Program and I got into an really interesting unit though working nights. I've also heard it's a great hosptial. What sucks is the population is mostly spanish speaking (my Spanish is not great) and I'd have to do the downtown LA traffic.
Long Beach VA; I'm a veteran so it would be cool caring for fellow veterans and it would add to my government retirement... The benefits are awesome and I think they help repay student loans. What sucks is no set unit was given, just would fill a "Need".
The salary is about the same. Any insight or advice to either would be highly appreciated~!
It's 34 + 4 differential for night. But it's straight pay in that there is no overtime over 8 hrs.
Long Beach is 32 and some change, + 10% night differential + time and half over 8 hrs + 25% differential for weekends. Long Beach thus pays substantially more. W/O the over time it's almost 10k less a year to work for White.
Specializes in Family medicine, Cardiology, Spinal Cord Injury.
New grads at the Long Beach VA Medical Center have to suffer a year of the GNT program. GNT stands for Graduate Nurse Training. It's basically nursing school all over again, but you're getting paid.
Feb 2009 was the last GNT class that accepted ADN prepared RNs. Now you must be a BSN prepared RN in order to apply to the GNT program.
For myself, I worked as a tele nurse at an LTAC after graduation which included 4 weeks of on the floor orientation. After a year and a half of doing that, I applied to the VA again and was accepted for employment being an ADN RN with over 1 year of experience. With that, I avoided the GNT program altogether.
Starting pay is calculated based on "boarding." your application goes up for review by a committee where your experience and qualifications are reviewed. Based on the board's findings, your grade and step are determined.
Nurse I: ADN or BSN nurse with 1 year or less experience.
Nurse II: BSN with over 2 years experience and involved in Ward and Department PI committees
Nurse III: MSN prepared nurse involved in management I believe.
Starting pay at the VA for a nurse with over 1 year acute care experience is around $34. Working in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) has a 10% retention bonus which bumps that up to $37.50, if you work nights, that goes up to $41.25, weekends are 25% on top of the 10% retention = 35% added to base pay = $45.90. plus you get all the federal holidays, unlimited sick leave accrual, a good amount of annual leave and fairly decent benefits.
Being a federal hospital, CA state staffing ratios do not apply. Team nursing is used at this facility. Depending on census, you can have anywhere from 2-6 patients.
On my unit the other day, our census was 14, we had 4 RNs, and 3 PCTs. Suffice it to say, that was a pretty nice work shift.
I just got an interview for the White Memorial Versant Program. I was wondering if you have any tips or remember any of the questions. If you ended up picking White Memorial are you currently there and do you like the work environment?
conure girl
81 Posts
I haven't heard anything yet