Members are discussing the hiring process and potential pay grades for nursing positions at the VA, with some sharing their experiences of long wait times and varying offers. Questions about salary scales, job postings, and negotiation strategies are also being raised, along with inquiries about tuition reimbursement and educational benefits for VA employees.
What would I start out as a BSN new grad in a Tampa VA hospital? I can't find any clear figures online and am a bit confused about the pay scale. I also have 5 points for prior military service...does this affect the pay? How did they determine the steps? Thanks for any help!
Every VA determines your initial offer differently. There is no consistency from one facility to another. There is no pay increase for prior military service. Military service gets you points in the interview and selection process but not in salary determination.
After speaking with a recruiter, I've figured out that I would be a nurse 1 level 2 as a BSN with no experience...I still am unsure about what step I would come in as?
Every VA determines your initial offer differently. There is no consistency from one facility to another. There is no pay increase for prior military service. Military service gets you points in the interview and selection process but not in salary determination.
It can get you some seniority, it all depends on the VA a d what you did in the service.
Example if you go to the link, click on Nurse Locality Pay Schedule, click Texas, the first line is Houston Registered Nurse,
what does the '3' under level 2 or the '5' under the level 3 mean?
Thanks for the info!
I've found out recently what this means, it means for instance Grade 1 then look to right at steps, the numbers 3 under level 2 mean level 2 wound start at step 3 the number 5 under level 3 means the level 3 nurse would start at step 5 and move up in steps based on a NUMBER of factors of which I'm going through now. Hope that makes sense
I was wondering if it seems reasonable for an RN with a BSN degree and over seven years experience to be offered a little over $56,000/year salary at the VA? Seems way too low from what I've heard in the past. Being offered a Grade I when I should be a Grade II according to my education and experience. Just heard that numerous people are being lowballed on their offers d/t number of applicants. Please help with any insight.
I was wondering if it seems reasonable for an RN with a BSN degree and over seven years experience to be offered a little over $56,000/year salary at the VA? Seems way too low from what I've heard in the past. Being offered a Grade I when I should be a Grade II according to my education and experience. Just heard that numerous people are being lowballed on their offers d/t number of applicants. Please help with any insight.
The prevailing wage in the region, the COL (and potential for Locality pay based on that) will greatly affect any offers you get. What is "low" in one place will be just dandy somewhere else. And, like anything else, competition matters: if there are lots of applicants to choose from, they aren't going to pay more than they have to (obviously, right?).
Can't say I've heard of an RN holding a BSN degree (AND having experience?) being offered less than a Nurse II placement. You sure about that?
I did just get my BSN, but I've been an RN for over 7 years and an LPN for 1.5 years prior to that. Being told that I am Grade I, Level 3, Step 7. Also, the pay range for current positions is $53,493-$101,188. When I applied, the starting salary was around $50,700 but they've been on a hiring freeze for quite some time now. Considering what the starting salary is though, it still seems like a very low offer considering I'm boarded at less than $3,000 more than a new grad w/ an ADN gets.
It does sound low to me but did you submit a document that you wrote addressing the nine dimensions of nursing practice? This is critical in most VAs to determine your boarding step and level. Your LPN experience means absolutely nothing to the Nursing Board which reviews your submissions and decides your step and level. It is only based on RN experience.
Nurse 1 is based primarily on the impact you have on only your patients. Nurse 2 is more of how you impact your department. You need to show things you did that effected others like coworkers, impact on a unit or clinic like in quality or process improvement, etc. Did you change a process which resulted in a positive outcome for clinic or patients? There are some posts about this elsewhere in this forum. It could be that you did not provide enough meaty info for the board because you did not know how to write this document.
This happens to a lot of nurses when they are hired at the VA and it really sucks. That being said, there are RNs who have successfully requested reconsideration of their offers and got higher offers. I didn't know it was possible when I was hired but I wish I had. Good luck.
Edited to add--I strongly recommend reading the VA Hiring Process thread. It is long but has lots of good info in it, some of which is about initial offers.
I didn't read about submitting any information regarding the nine dimensions of nursing practice. It wasn't present in any of the initial application process and was never brought up later. I did have to fill out information regarding certifications and education but don't recall the nine dimensions.
As far as those who had requested reconsideration of their offers: did they ask right away when they received their firm offers or later in the process? Also, did they ask for a specific salary or just ask for the salary to be reconsidered?
I will definitely take a look that the thread you mentioned. Thanks for the feedback!
amw79
11 Posts
What would I start out as a BSN new grad in a Tampa VA hospital? I can't find any clear figures online and am a bit confused about the pay scale. I also have 5 points for prior military service...does this affect the pay? How did they determine the steps? Thanks for any help!