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.
Thank you! I too would like to stay with the VA - despite the low pay. What department do you work?
I work in vascular surgery. I was an RN at the same hospital for five years prior to becoming an NP. It's my home, so I couldn't leave. Plus, the benefits package makes the pay equate if you add that value.
I had interviewed at VA in Cleveland two weeks ago. I graduated in Phils. and I sent my transcripts to the recruiter. It's been two weeks now and I never heard from them. When they ask you for docs does it mean you get the job?
Specializes in Psychiatric/ER/Primary Clinic/Addiction.
It depends on the need like I was hired fairly quickly because the need was great. I interviewed in may and started in august. No body wanted my job because of the commute to two different outpatient clinics several miles apart.
wow! that's hard 2 trips different clinics? it is really hard. I can't imagine if it's traffic or winter time. Do they conduct background check and call your reference before they will offer the job?
Specializes in Psychiatric/ER/Primary Clinic/Addiction.
Yes the do the background checks. But I can't remember if they were before or after they made the offer. They def call reference before offer. It was horrible I white knuckled it to work and back every time it snowed or weather was bad.
oh my, I can't imagine! Well, I thank you and give you a lot of credits for accepting the job despite how hard it is. I'll just gonna wait that hoping to hear from them.
I thank you for your time of responding my queries though.
Hi, I'm in the hiring process with a bay area VA, and they are telling me that I need to take a step backwards to be hired as they do not have Nurse I steps 13 and 14 there. I am concerned about this, although they have said they will promote me to a manager job within the year which will require me being boarded up to a Nurse II. Has anyone had experience with this?
I am applying to work at the VA in Chillicothe, Ohio as a registered nurse. The VA pay scale for registered nurses is Station 538. The pay scales can be found here : https://www.va.gov/OHRM/Pay/ Allow the page to fully load for the nurse pay scales to show up.
I got my ASN in May 2004. I got my BSN in December 2016. I just graduated with my MSN in December 2019. I have continually worked as a registered nurse in a hospital setting since approximately July 2004 with 16 years coming up in July.
Where should I expect to fall on the pay scale for the initial offer? I do not want to be low-balled.
I attached the PDF of the pay scale if anyone wants to look at it that way.
Chillicothe is the first one that shows up on the PDF.
I am applying to work at the VA in Chillicothe, Ohio as a registered nurse. The VA pay scale for registered nurses is Station 538. The pay scales can be found here : https://www.va.gov/OHRM/Pay/ Allow the page to fully load for the nurse pay scales to show up.
I got my ASN in May 2004. I got my BSN in December 2016. I just graduated with my MSN in December 2019. I have continually worked as a registered nurse in a hospital setting since approximately July 2004 with 16 years coming up in July.
Where should I expect to fall on the pay scale for the initial offer? I do not want to be low-balled.
I attached the PDF of the pay scale if anyone wants to look at it that way.
Chillicothe is the first one that shows up on the PDF.
This is the pay scale. Probably a nurse 2 level something, depending on your 9 dimensions. I personally wouldn’t take anything less than nurse 2. Good luck.
Danish, MSN, APRN, NP
312 Posts
I work in vascular surgery. I was an RN at the same hospital for five years prior to becoming an NP. It's my home, so I couldn't leave. Plus, the benefits package makes the pay equate if you add that value.