Jun 27, 201115 yr what is it like working for the VA?Are they actively recruiting nurses or does it depend on where you live? More Like This Agency Nurses What is it like to work as an agency nurse in corrections? 10 Replies Active 07/02/2026 07:53 AM General Nursing Choices of work 2 Replies Active 02/10/2026 04:29 PM
Jun 27, 201115 yr Well, you'd sure get all those guaranteed government benefits and RETIREMENT pay!! (Sure beats a 401k any day!)
Jun 27, 201115 yr Working for the VA is no different than working at the hospital I worked at b/f I b/c a government employee. The biggest difference is alllllll the red tape. Anything different a nurse or a unit wants to do has to go thru many many hoops LOL. but as far as a job, I like mine. It's busy, but that doesn't bother me :)
Jun 27, 201115 yr Depends on the area. Check Usajobs.govI do know .gov requires 80hrs per pay period so VA nurses on 12s work an extra 8 every 2 weeks.
Jun 27, 201115 yr I work 12s and I only have 4 hours OT every pay. The OT pay is nothing to sneeze at. I work 7 12hour shifts out of 14 days. My unit self schedules and i love it. It's a little bit of a culture shock going from private to VA simply because it is government and it's a process to get anything changed. Every VA is different and may schedule different.
what is it like working for the VA?
Are they actively recruiting nurses or does it depend on where you live?