To care for fellow Veterans, Leola chose VA for her nursing career

Leola enjoys caring for Veterans with varied service histories.

Leola wouldn’t be the nurse she is today without the early career mentoring she received at VA.

“New nurses that come here are able to start out being mentored,” she says in a video (titled “Luis”). “And they’re mentored on up throughout their career.”

Veterans Day is an occasion to take a closer look at Veterans like Leola, who are thriving in VA healthcare careers after military service.

VA’s nurse support system, led by the Office of Nursing Service (ONS), has been key to Leola’s success over her 26-year career, she says. Although she could have switched to the private sector at any time, she says those positions didn’t have VA’s guarantee of nurse mentorship and development.

She reminds trainees that all nurses receive these valuable benefits: “I tell nursing students … we would be able to take you in and to mentor you from the very beginning and make you the magnificent nurse that you want to be.”

Choose VA to advance in nursing

As the nation’s largest employer of nurses, VA not only nurtures new nurses, it incubates nurse leaders. ONS develops leaders through VA leadership institutes, nurse manager development, supervisor training, the Executive Career Field Candidate Development Program, nurse executive mentoring and more (see page 38 of the PDF brochure).

ONS also develops and supports emerging roles for nurses as transfer coordinators, team care managers, community care coordinators, clinical nurse leaders, bar-code medication administration coordinators, informatics nurses and nurse executives.

Choose VA to serve Veterans

Beyond these benefits, Leola is driven by service to other Veterans — who she calls the best patients in the world.

VA nurses are inspired every day by Veterans’ stories of service and sacrifice, she says. Leola gets to work with patients from varied backgrounds and service histories, and keeps her skills and mind sharp helping Veterans be as healthy as they can be.

“What gets me out of bed the next day is that I know I’m going to a place where I can make a difference,” Leola says.

Choose VA today

Leola chose VA to serve Veterans and be served by a VA committed to nurses from day one.

See if a VA career in nursing is the right choice for you too.

• WATCH Leola describe why she chose VA for her nursing career.
• EXPLORE a VA nursing career.
• APPLY for an open position near you.
• LEARN how to Choose VA at www.vacareers.va.gov.
• Follow our Choose VA blog series.

• Read about Dr. Matt.
• Read about Dr. Donna.
• Read about Veteran and nurse Luis.