VA proficiency nurse III frustration & appeal

HI all. I applied to the VA and had a job offer and now I have to complete the  nine dimensions. The position is for the CLC. I have 15 years of nursing experience with BSN. I want to get Nurse 2, and step 11 or 13.. is that possible?  I've never worked at the VA. I NEED help...

Please email any samples...your assistance is greatly appreciated. [e-mail] 

I have to turn this in soon.

RN4KU

I am also new to the VA and writing my first proficiency. Currently I am a Nurse II. Any help would be appreciated. Trying to Nurse III. 

Thank you

 

I am trying to get my Nurse III, I came into VA as a II with my BSN almost 2 years ago but do not have my MSN. My proficiency is due soon and have no clue how to write to the III, since I don't have an MSN. Please help. Any examples to the III would be greatly appreciated.

My email is [e-mail] 

Good Evening All,

I too and trying to achieve Nurse 3 status. If anyone could share their successful document, I would certainly appreciate it and pay if forward to the next person. My email in [e-mail]. RN4KU Thank You in advance!

Hi all.  Im new here.  I have a tenative offer for a VA clinic. Im super excited.  I currently make 33/hr as a medsurg floor nurse.  I have a Masters degree in nursing education with 11 yrs experience. ive been a clinic nurse, homehealth/hospice nurse worked long term care and a total of just over 5 yrs as a medsurg nurse.  In my previous medsurg position i was a partime charge nurse and precepted new nurses. I understand that pay grades are not as straightforward as it appears on the application.  Based on the education and years experience i should be a level 3.  But, alas i guess theres more too it.  I was told i will have to write an essay addressing dimensiins of nursing practice.  I am suoer worried about getting at least the same or more pay as i do currently.  I dont have a lot of mgmt experience and have not really had opportunity to effect organizational type changes

  Any advice/examples of how i can write/word this essay for the best possible grade/pay step?   And do thry ask for additional documentation/proof of experiences you cite? And do they coorelate experiences with jobs you listed on your app?  Ive had some per diem and short term jobs that i didnt put on my application but some of them included good leadership examples i could use

 

 

Edited Mar 16 by Wrstbrn

I could use examples for Nurse III Proficiency as well, please. I am Nurse 2. This is my second year with the VA. I have 30 years experience with a BSN. My background is mainly Critical Care/Intensive Care with Interventional Radiology and Urgent Care. I have had NO assistance in writing the first and NO feedback. Just informed I have a week to get this one ready 3 months prior to anniversary date. Yikes!! Last years evaluation was posted to my file in November. I just don't get it. The pay is pretty decent compared to Civilian land, but I need some type of direction and example to use. Here is my email address. Appreciate your assistance: [e-mail]

 

 

On 2/26/2019 at 3:48 PM, ginapcnurse said:

I am trying to get my Nurse III, I came into VA as a II with my BSN almost 2 years ago but do not have my MSN. My proficiency is due soon and have no clue how to write to the III, since I don't have an MSN. Please help. Any examples to the III would be greatly appreciated.

My email is [e-mail] 

Education Waiver is your best bet .

My facility doesn’t do education waivers so no matter how well you write to a 3 my facility still won’t promote due to not having a masters.  

2 minutes ago, Ralone Wilson said:

My facility doesn’t do education waivers so no matter how well you write to a 3 my facility still won’t promote due to not having a masters.  

You are welcome to try, but even in my area, only 4 Nurses in the past 7 years and apparently 2 more last year were promoted even with Master's degree's and management job.  It all just depends on which board reviews the proficiency and if they understand your job duties.  I was extremely lucky and somehow was promoted, but I am paying for it dearly stuck in a job led by a corrupt and inept group of management.  So it is what it is for now.  Send me you email and I will send you my proficiency and good luck.  So many hard working nurses in this together.

Sorry I did not get back to many of you until now, just been in the VA rut, trying to find a new career but unfortunately/fortunately unable to find a job anywhere near the pay.  I emailed as many as I saw in my PM, its hard to follow because I do not work in an actual VA clinic but in the revenue portion.

Please keep us all updated on any wins.  An outside company was finally hired to interview nurses about leadership issues, lack of morale, high turn over and basically how we all feel, it was fairly uniform that most nurses felt the same, but we will see what is done, short of a complete management white wash nothing will change.

If i missed anyone send me a PM or email me to [e-mail].

I had to erase my hard drive so I am working to reload all my files I had saved regarding my proficiency. 

 

Hi guys!  Basically, you just need to do a TON outside your job duties.  Join committees, get involved in research projects and QI stuff, offer to detail somewhere else, etc.  I came in as a nurse 2 step 3 last year and got promoted to nurse 3 this year after throwing myself into everything I could. I became a PMDB instructor, volunteered in Puerto Rico after the hurricanes,  joined education, research, and ethics committees and was actively involved in their projects, presented at a grand rounds, represented the VA with a poster presentation at a national conference, etc.  Unfortunately, the promotion isn’t based on how well you do your job, it’s based on your involvement above and beyond what your job requires.  Good luck to everyone!!!