VA Proficiency Nurse III Frustration & Appeal

[Sarah918]

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

[Kristi Stocker]

Anyone please! Working on Nurse II missing Collaboration & Research examples, I’m PACT “primary care” RN. Any advice examples will be so appreciated.

[Ashlee Crawford]

can someone please send me a copy of the sample proficiency to [email protected].

[jazzynurse12]

@RN4KU If you would please send me a copy of your prof. to give me insight I would greatly appreciate it. [email protected]

[MSDJ357]

The key to writing a proficiency for a RN III.
On each areas you must have data...
What was the problem: have data (%)
What was your actions: (%) the change that took place.

What was the outcome (%)
Sustainability: What you done to change for the better continuing to improve after the changes.
Research area please mention in your proficiency what articles you research to see what evident base practice is going on in the communities.

Problem: State the problem: stats
Action: What did you do to change the problem: stats

Outcome: what was the outcome of the changes that was made: stats
Sustainability: How are the changes that was implemented standing: Stats.

PLEASE put stats and Lead projects: Must be unit/ and or across the hospital.

NURSE III Function as a leader and must be stated in your proficiency

Practice: Provides leadership in the application of the nursing process to client care, organizational processes and/or systems, improving outcomes at the program or service level.
Includes Stats

2. Ethics: Provides leadership in identifying and addressing ethical [If MSN obtained issues that impact clients and staff, including initiating and in a Bridge participating in ethics consultations.
Must conduct an ethical meeting:

3. Resource Utilization: Manages program resources (financial, human, material, or informational) to facilitate safe, effective, and efficient care. (OR)

Include Stats

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1. Education/Career Development: Implements an educational Doctoral degree in nursing or related field Approximately 2-3 years plan to meet changing program or service needs for self and others. Maintains knowledge of current techniques, trends, and professional issues. 2. Performance: Uses professional standards of care and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities.

COLLABORATION 1. Collaboration: Uses the group process to identify, analyze, and resolve care problems.

2. Collegiality: Coaches colleagues in team building. Makes sustained contributions to health care by sharing expertise within and/or outside the medical facility SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

1. Quality of Care: Initiates interdisciplinary projects to improve organizational performance.
Include the team members: example: Nurse, MD, PT/OT, Social Workers, etc..

2. Research: Collaborates with others in research activities to improve care.]

Include research articles in this area to show evidence based practices across the board.

DON"T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR DATA on all dimensions..

[MSDJ357]

Ashlee Crawford
Send me your email address...

[jazzynurse12]

[email protected]

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

WOW!, here we sit, at least 3 years after they started discussing getting rid of this joke of a board that it sounds like no HR department knows how to perform. I have an interim chief and she was livid that I did not get promoted to III. She said "It's my budget, if I feel you are doing Nurse III work and I tell that to the board, you get a Nurse III." Needless to say, that's not how it goes at our facility LOL. I have a BSN, a JD, a certification and a consultant type job I've been in about 1.5 years, with 6.5 years total experience in that field and 9.5 years as an RN. Even though we are specialized, my dept's pay scale is less than if you work as a CCU staff nurse, so keeping me at II is really restrictive. Even better, I don't think my original board order was calculated appropriately, and we all know there's NO appeal for that (if you don't like it don't take the job.) I'm highly qualified for some Inspector General type jobs with my past legal experience, but I have to be in a Nurse III spot for a year before I would qualify for that GS level.

[ineh89]

Hi @RN4KU Can you please send me your proficiency thank you!

[email protected]

[kpag]

I also agree that it is difficult to get your Nurse III at the VA, it is especially hard when you work at a CPAC and are no longer in patient care. I would also not mind seeing an example of a Nurse III write up, thank you. [email protected]

[nursy20, BSN, RN]

Hello...getting really frustrated with getting turned down for a Nurse-2 after submitting proficiency a few times. Has anyone found a sample proficiency they can share? Email is [email protected] Thanks!

[nursy20, BSN, RN]

Hello...getting really frustrated with getting turned down for a Nurse-2 after submitting proficiency a few times. Has anyone found a sample proficiency they can share? Email is [email protected] Thanks!

[KathleenRN-TN, BSN]

I would love a copy of someone's N3 proficiency to help as a guide for verbiage and structure. I didn't get it last year, and I'm sure this year I will miss a few sections. I will ask for a reconsideration this time around. If you could send to [email protected], I would truly appreciate it. Thank you!