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U.
VA Hiring Nurses and Support Personnel
Special salary rates in some areas help the VA recruit hard-to-find medical
professionals.
Recruiting is done both locally on a per facility per job basis, as well as
nationally through a national recruitment office. The system refers
candidates
to locations of interest to them anywhere in the system.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is currently filling many nursing and
support positions in the health care field. The VA employs more than 100,000
people in medical, dental, and public health occupations at its 173 hospitals
and 202 outpatient clinics throughout the country. Hiring is brisk in some
fields and geographic regions as a result of continued emphasis on increased
outpatient services, and on normal personnel attrition. There are currently over
1,000 vacancies with Veterans Affairs throughout the US. Over 200 are nursing
positions.
Demand is particularly heavy for candidates in the fields below:
• Registered Nurse
• Pharmacist
• Physician (Various)
• Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN)
• Human Resources Management
• Medical Technologist
• Police Officer
• Information Technology
• Nursing Assistant
• Medical Records Technician (MRT)
• Contracting
These occupations may command higher pay rates in areas where there are high
personnel shortages.
Locality Pay
Locality Pay was first introduced for Veterans Affairs Nurses in the 1990's
at which time the turnover rate for nurses was 18 to 25% per year at many VA
facilities. Recent studies indicate that the nurse shortage at the VA has abated
somewhat over the past few years, which VA officials attribute in part to the
Locality Pay Program.
Special salary rates are “locality based,” which means they are set by local VA
facility directors. Normally, Federal professional occupations are paid at the
same rate nationwide. Locality pay is established in these fields to overcome
candidate shortages in geographic areas where shortages occur.
The objective is to bring VA salaries within five percent of the average rate
for comparable positions in the private sector. For example, the highest
salaries in the country for nurses, occupational therapists, physical
therapists, and nuclear medicine technicians occur in New York and San
Francisco. The VA tries to match prevailing salary levels.
Hiring Pathways
Healthcare applicants should look for openings on this site. Particularly
active at present are the job titles indicated above. In addition to searching
the listings, candidates can cold call VA facilities in their area.
All VA Medical Facilities conduct their own recruitment and hiring programs.
Applicants who are competing for some professional positions, at present
Registered Nurses, outside their current commuting area can be interviewed by a
VA personnel officer in their own area. Telephone interviews are an option for
candidates who live outside the geographic area where the opening occurs. In
some instances, a VA recruiter travels to an applicant’s local VA office to
interview the candidate.
Candidates should scan this site for current vacancies. These positions are
listed on the national registry. On the other hand most jobs are filled through
the local facility. Candidates can also call the VA facilities in their area.
Where to Apply
Completed applications should be submitted it to the "contact person" listed
in the vacancy announcement. Applications can be sent by fax, e-mail or postal
mail.
Candidates may also send an e-mail to VAPlacementService@va.gov or write to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Placement Service
1555 Poydras Street, Suite 1971
New Orleans, LA 70112
Candidates can visit the Agency's website for further information.
Department of Veterans Affairs
or
VA Careers
Interested applicants can apply directly to the VA facility where they wish to
work. The necessary forms can be obtained from any VA facility.
In addition, job seekers can use their local telephone directory to locate VA
facilities under “U.S. Government.”
The VA also maintains a nationwide job placement hotline at 800-949-0002. These
lines connect the caller to the VA’s central recruitment office. Many VA centers
chose to use the central recruitment office. Others do not. Preferring instead
to recruit in their local area only. •
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