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 Presently in Primary Care Clinic in Ca. also CCRN.
Remember this is for Nurse 3 where the outcome must affect the entire system or VISN. Writing for a Nurse 2 you problem, action, & outcomes must affect your peers and area where you work or other units where you collaborate.
I am also trying to get my nurse 3 proficiency from MEDVAMC. I know it is very hard to get nurse 3. I have MSN and CNOR and working in operating room nurse. Can somebody help me to write the proficiency or anybody can share their Nurse 3 proficiency in VA hospital ?
Hey there, not sure if you're still with the VA. Please send me your Nurse 3 paper, too. I'm boarding currently and was offered NP2 step 3. Asking for reboarding. I have 11 years RN and NP experience so not too happy with that offer.
You likely just need to update your resume. The VA does it differently than the private sector. Usually a resume is short, sweet, and to the point. However, at the VA the more information the better it is when being boarded because it is scored. I use a CV as it covers more than a standard resume.
You need to list everything you have accomplished as a nurse. You want to show leadership at the service, organizational, or hospital level. It should "Program or system focused: Sustained leadership hospital-wide, service-wide, organization-wide". Most people assume that a MSN and 2-3 years exp. automatically get them a NIII, but they are mistaken. The scope of a NIII is: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care.
List any committees (I.e. safe patient handling, etc.), include projects (even those done in school), published papers, honors/awards, EBP, etc... You want to show things you have done to contribute to an organization and it must show leadership at that level to score for a Nurse III. There are nine areas to cover: Practice, Ethics, Resource Utilization, Education/Career Development, Performance, Collaboration, Collegiality, Quality of Care, and Research.
You likely just need to update your resume. The VA does it differently than the private sector. Usually a resume is short, sweet, and to the point. However, at the VA the more information the better it is when being boarded because it is scored. I use a CV as it covers more than a standard resume.
You need to list everything you have accomplished as a nurse. You want to show leadership at the service, organizational, or hospital level. It should "Program or system focused: Sustained leadership hospital-wide, service-wide, organization-wide". Most people assume that a MSN and 2-3 years exp. automatically get them a NIII, but they are mistaken. The scope of a NIII is: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care.
List any committees (I.e. safe patient handling, etc.), include projects (even those done in school), published papers, honors/awards, EBP, etc... You want to show things you have done to contribute to an organization and it must show leadership at that level to score for a Nurse III. There are nine areas to cover: Practice, Ethics, Resource Utilization, Education/Career Development, Performance, Collaboration, Collegiality, Quality of Care, and Research.
Hope this helps!!
I did all of that and wrote a 11 page dimensions papers including all that I could even begin to think of. I suppose my CV could be updated a bit more to reflect more. If I end up getting to reboard I will definitely be beefing up that CV. I had 2 nurse 3s who work at VA review my paper and agreed should at least be a NP3. Guess we will see.
I am new to the VA and writing my proficiency for nurse II. Please could you help me out with a sample copy for whichever level your wrote. I just need to see a guide.
TBONUS RN BSN
2 Posts
I would like a copy for Nurse 2 have been unable to obtain my 2 for 9 years, growing frustrated.
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