VA nursing salaries in Florida

HomeBound · Feb 14, 2019

You can find the locality pay on the the OPM website here:

https://www.va.gov/ohrm/pay/

You're asking a question that no one outside of the committee that decides your points can answer. "Years of experience" doesn't translate into pay grade without other factors such as certifications, publications, volunteerism, etc.

The Nurse I, II, III categories are loosely defined and by no means does it ensure that just because you have a MSN, you begin at a NurseIII.

When they ask you to put your years of experience on a resume and describe your work, that's what they mean. In detail. They cannot, and will not, assume that you work with cardiac patients unless you specifically say so. Any certification, no matter how small---list it. Join the ANA or whatever body that credentials your specialty.

This isn't the time to be "concise" with your resume. They want hours of week worked, unit, what you did, how many did you supervise, population type, etc...if your resume is 12 pages long, then it's 12 pages long. As long as the information is relevant, it's usable to determine a pay grade.

Also--read the instructions on the opening announcement. They ask for pieces of documentation such as OF-306, which needs to be renewed every 30 days. If you fill one out on Jan1 and apply for a job you see Feb 14, and use the same OF-306, you will not even be considered for employment--and they will never tell you. You won't even know.You just will not get referred after the job closes.

The paperwork is very convoluted and complicated. The decision process is long and very detailed. It takes months. That's after you get referred and have an interview. You have to have all of your ducks in a row---and even then, it may not be good enough.

Your experience sounds amazing--so showcase your talent and skills. Sell them on why you should be hired and at the highest rate of pay you can eek out.

The other thing---look at the announcement. The ranges are there. You need to think, "If I were offered this position at the lowest pay range, I would be okay with that" (YOU WILL NOT BE. it's just a good place to get your head into how much effort getting into the VA is going to take, and what you may have to accept in order to be chosen)

Good luck.