VA Proficiency Nurse III Frustration & Appeal

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I am feeling frustrated with the entire VA NPSB proficiency process. At my hospital, it is a good old boys system in which board members promote their friends and the other managers and shut the door on others. I am a staff RN with a MSN and years of experience. I applied for my nurse III after completing a hospital wide project and doing other work that met the 9 dimensions.

This whole process has me frustrated beyond words. My profIciency has been lost by HR multiple times. My initial NPSB review said I didnt meet 7 of the 9 dimensions. Before submitting my proficiency, I had it reviewed by 3 former board members who all said I would meet for a 3. I submitted a request for reconsideration after the initial denial, and suddenly I met 6 out of 9 dimensions. I am now appealing my denial to VACO. Has anyone ever done this? What was he outcome, and how long did your appeal take to be answered after it was sent off?

I have been repeatedly been told by my own manager "you cannot get a 3 without working in management" and "it takes multiple submissions to get approved". I do not think this is correct. It may be harder to find the time and get approval for a project, but staff RNs cannot be essentially "blocked" from promotion. The dimensions are black and white, yet a subjective system is used to approve or deny proficiencies. It seems so unfair at my hospital. I've seen other nurses get promoted who were friends with board members, while other truly deserving RNs who meet the dimensions and make lasting changed within the hospital are shut out.

Any guidance and other nurses experience with this would be greatly appreciated. I love working with our Vets, but the good old boys club and the oppressive bureaucracy had me ready to bash my face into something. I feel defeated. Thanks all

Specializes in Med/Surg/Mental Health.

If you have just a BSN (this is not said condescending, I know what it takes to get a degree)....and not a MSN, then you will need an educational waiver.

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20 minutes ago, WyoCowgirlnurse said:

If you have just a BSN (this is not said condescending, I know what it takes to get a degree)....and not a MSN, then you will need an educational waiver.

And not all VAs will grant this -- it depends on the Nurse Executive. At my facility, the Nurse Exec will grant education waivers for Nurse IIs, but not Nurse IIIs. No exceptions.

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1 hour ago, Bsn 14yrs said:

I worked on a system wide project with a co worker- co worker recieved nurse 3 promotion- I was denied. Wondering who to take this to?

One project is typically not enough for a Nurse III. Your co-worker probably had other projects/outcomes that helped him/her achieve the Nurse III. Did you contribute to housewide outcomes in each of the nine dimensions?

  • Practice
  • Ethics
  • Resource Utilization
  • Education/Career Development
  • Performance
  • Collegiality
  • Collaboration
  • Quality of Care
  • Research

And if you did contribute to housewide outcomes in each dimension, did you clearly write to them in your proficiency write-up? If not, then you need to be much more specific in your write-up when you appeal. Seek direct assistance from a board member when you are submitting your appeal.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Mental Health.
On 11/10/2019 at 12:27 PM, zadh085 said:

Can you email me your copy of proficiency, please? [email protected]

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Mental Health.
52 minutes ago, SubieRN said:

And not all VAs will grant this -- it depends on the Nurse Executive. At my facility, the Nurse Exec will grant education waivers for Nurse IIs, but not Nurse IIIs. No exceptions.

Very true. Educational waivers are hard to get, but well worth trying for.

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Specializes in ICU.

Can I get a copy of proficiency [email protected]

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Can I get a sample for Nurse I level III or any sample as a matter of fact as I have no clue on how to write and my last day is today. Please help.

email me: [email protected]

Any help would greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

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Good Evening,

I'm a new NP (1 year) and getting ready to write my proficiency for Nurse III. Could you help please. My email is:[email protected]

Thanks

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Specializes in MICU/ER.

I would be happy to share my Nurse III Proficiency, as well, if anyone needs it, just message me, but my frustration is having worked so hard to get it, then not feeling very "rewarded". I started as a Nurse I, Step 12 at the VA in 2015. For various reasons, new NM among others my first Proficiency was delayed nearly a year. So that Proficiency and the next were submitted within a month of each other. The first Proficiency, I was promoted to Nurse II, before that promotion was even processed. I received notice that the second proficiency promoted me to Nurse III. Therefore, both pay increases went into effect about the same time. I was pretty excited, really thinking I had quite a raise coming my way. Unfortunately, however, due to the VA's "two-step promotion rule" I basically went from a Nurse I to a Nurse III in just over 2 years, but somehow my gross pay only increased by $290/yr. Yes, you read it right, a year. Something seems very wrong with their promotion rule to me. Several of my co-workers have told me they were promoted to each grade, but their step never changed. So, they were Nurse I, Step 8, then Nurse II, Step 8 and so on and it is a pretty nice increase when it's done like that. Unfortunately, several of my co-workers have been trying to get their Nurse III for several years and I honestly don't know how I got so "lucky", but they are Nurse II's and most of them are making over 20K more per year than I am and it will take me twice as long to catch up with them...definitely not a perfect system.

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Hi EricaR202,

I would appreciate to be able to look at what Nurse 3 looks like - for the verbage.

Having a rough time as well. Been an RN for 31 years with ICU/CCU, IR and Urgent Care experience but can’t seem to get anywhere. Helped a co-worker with a Masters project & she was able to get to Nurse 3with half the years of nursing and less experience. Frustrating.
[email protected]

Thank-you

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I would appreciate a copy of your proficiency my email address is [email protected]

Thanks

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Mental Health.

I would really appreciate it. I am writing my proficiency right now.

[email protected]

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