VA in southern CA hire a grad whose a veteran....

jutjut · Jun 29, 2011

I'm a veteran & new grad RN living in the SF Bay Area. I have not been selected for any of the VA positions I have applied to in the last 6 mos. They don't site the reason, so I am left to assume itis due to lack of experience. I have heard southern CA is a little better, but I don't know that for sure. If the VA rep accepting applications has contact information listed, you may want to field your accreditation question to them directly. Best of luck to you!!!!!!!!!

Aimmm · Jun 29, 2011

Thank you !!

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Jun 29, 2011

In my personal experience: No.

They told me that my ADN school did not qualify. I did the exact same thing as you.

ADN was not accredited by the NLN or the CCNE although it was regionally accredited, but my BSN that I just completed was CCNE accredited. However, because my ADN did not meet the requirement, they still rejected me as an applicant.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Aimmm · Jun 29, 2011

What? That's crazy! I woulda assumed that your highest degree was what mattered!! Well you know what they say about assuming... Where did you end up finding work? What hospitals are "new" rn friendly

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Jul 9, 2011

I know I tried to argue but I think with so many applicants easier to narrow down that way.

jojonavy · Jul 10, 2011

Yeah they prefer BSN's. The Long Beach VA hospital is having a new grad program in August and only hiring a handful. The advertisement flyer says "BSN only"

I went to school at Long Beach State and also am Veteran. I was able to get called back for an interview, but I declined it because I got another position already. If you get your BSN through Cal State Fullerton, I'm sure it will help your prospects. I don't understand why your previous ADN would be the primary reason they make their choice, there must be something else.

You should contact the Nurse recruiter at Long Beach VA.

gnursjr2 · Jul 11, 2011

The VA in San Diego wants BSNs only. So forget it if you have a ADN. They have some LVN's that went from LVN to ADNs that work there and they won't let them work as a RN d/t only having a ADN, sweet..... fair?

caliotter3 · Jul 11, 2011

When I applied for a job thinking my veteran status would help, I was not hired. For some reason later I went to the facility, a small one, and saw people working there that gave no indication that they were veterans. This was my perception. Have also been influenced by the attitude toward me when applying for work. Downright negative and discriminatory in one situation. Seems to me that being a veteran does not help in the employment arena.

Aimmm · Jul 11, 2011

I just don't get it I thought the higher your degree and it's credentials that that's what would come into play... Not the fact that an rn has a bsn that's ccne but an adn that's regionally accred but not nln...

jojonavy · Jul 12, 2011

There is law that deals with Veteran Preferernce, but I guess it doesn't really come to play in the VA. It's kinda convoluted but from what I understand you would have to reach a certain teir of candidates depending on your qualifications / their requirments (i.e. BSN only). From there you would get top consideration.

San Francisco VA was suppose to have a new grad program. I applied and didn't even get close to a call back for a interview, even though I had met their requirments. I filed a case against them that my VA preference rights where violated. After a month, the investigation was thrown out because the SF VA decided to cancel their program due to budget issues. After doing some research, this was a common way to get out of VA preference cases because "if there is no job then there is no merit to the case".

As for Veteran's preference; this can be used for government nursing jobs. Examples include county hospitals and especially prison nursing. Using my VA preference, I was placed really high on the candidate list of the prison jobs I applied to. Hope this helps!

Aimmm · Jul 12, 2011

Thank you for the info... I had read another post that the rn was a veteran and the VA said because her adn wasn't nln she wasn't going to be considered... What do you think about calling the congressman in this case ?