Veterans Affairs Student Nurse Techs share your experience

[tblancotx]

Hi, I was just offered a student nurse tech internship at the local VA. From what I understand we can practice the skills we have been checked off at school with nurse supervision. Are there any VA student nurse techs that would like to share their experiences? Thanks!

[shelleyinseattleRN]

Hello! I highly recommend this program (VALOR) As a former VALOR nurse tech turned RN, I can't say anything bad about this experience! It was a great opportunity and now I'm working on the floor that I was on as a nurse tech. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!

Shelley

[boywithacoin, BSN]

I was a VALOR student in a rural state (different from my home state and where I went to school). Different VA locations will have different expectations/requirements. I was on a med-surg unit and allowed to practice very independently after a couple weeks, and got to perform all sorts of skills that I hadn't had the opportunity to practice in clinicals yet. I also was not given much in the way of "school work." Other people in my cohort were VALOR techs in the same area we went to school and they had very different experiences, including more in the way of school work type stuff. I think they also had a few more limitations on them than I had.

I absolutely loved my experience. I would recommend it to anyone who has a chance, and encourage people to apply to positions in different places if they are able to swing temporarily relocating. My experience helped me feel ready to be a nurse more than all of my clinical rotations combined.