Passion, dedication and learning

In honor of Nurses Week, this is the third of a five part series about the nurses of VA. Read Part I and Part II  here, and visit VACareers.va.gov/NursesWeek to share your thanks.

Along with the opportunity to serve those who selflessly served us, being a nurse at the Department of Veterans Affairs provides numerous opportunities to learn, grow and excel. A career at VA is both challenging and complex. We support our nurses as they advance through every stage of their career, beginning in nursing school through retirement, to make them better caregivers. Each program is designed to enhance nurses’ knowledge, enabling them to deliver better care to our Veterans.

Here are a few of our education support programs:

• Education Debt Reduction Program: covers tuition costs for related educational expenses for part and full-time nurses.
• Education Incentive Scholarship Program: awards scholarships so nurses can further their education, get an advanced degree and build their career.
• Student loan repayment program: provides certain nurses with up to $10,000 per year, with a lifetime maximum of $60,000 to help repay student loans.

VA nurses also have the unique opportunity to further their learning by taking advantage of our internal initiatives such as:

• VA Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR): offers paid work experience with the guidance of a mentor for outstanding students in their final years of baccalaureate study in clinical nursing, pharmacy and medical technology.
• VA Learning University: provides continuous learning and a world of educational opportunities, ranging from professional development to work-related courses, offered by the Government and private organizations.

We understand that nurses are driven by their passion and dedication. That’s why we’ve created an environment that is conducive to learning and professional development – all with the goal of giving our Veterans the best care possible.

Find out more about VA nursing at VAcareers.va.gov/nursing.