Join us in recognizing the contributions of nurse practitioners across the country as we celebrate National Nurse Practitioner Week from Nov. 10–16, 2024. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners founded this special week in 2014 to celebrate their role and its wonderful impact on patients and health care.
VA has embraced the opportunity to recognize these valuable team members for their clinical expertise as full practice providers and the critical role they play in increasing access to care for Veterans throughout the VA health care system.
“What I value about working at VA is that we get to approach challenges with our Veterans’ care at the forefront,” said Christina Flint-Lowe, a nurse practitioner at Bay Pines VA. “I get to honor the Veteran with each decision I make.”
An important role
At VA, nurse practitioners work in a variety of settings, including inpatient care, community-based outpatient clinics, and emergency rooms. They diagnose, treat, and manage acute, chronic, and episodic complaints, with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention to positively impact outcomes for Veterans.
However, it’s the rapport they develop with the Veterans we serve that makes the work so much more effective.
“I try and put myself in their shoes” said Susan Mullinax, a West Texas VA nurse practitioner based in Big Spring. “I’ve experienced it myself where you see a doctor and they don’t even look at you. Just acknowledging a patient as a person, talking to them, will really help you understand their concerns and be able to treat them better.”
Nurse practitioners at VA also find themselves working on the cutting edge of diagnosis, treatment, and all-around care. Jacob Garcia, a pulmonary nurse practitioner, played a key role in introducing a revolutionary robotic-assisted platform now used for minimally invasive lung biopsy procedures at South Texas VA.
“With the rapidly growing Veteran population in South Texas and the launch of our lung screening program, this technology allows for expedited evaluation and diagnosis for lung cancer,” he said.
Pathways to service
At VA, we’re proud to guide the next generation of nurses into an innovative and exciting future. We offer numerous education support programs to help you make a career out of caring for Veterans.
- For over a decade, VA has promoted Registered Nurse Transition-to-Practice (RNTTP) residency programs to provide a transition from school to the more complex clinical environment for registered nurses (RNs) with less than one year of experience.
- The National Nursing Education Initiative (NNEI) is a component of the Employee Incentive Scholarship Program, which provides funds for you to pursue your bachelor’s degree or advanced nursing certifications.
- For college juniors studying nursing, VA’s Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) is a program built to help you develop both clinical competence and confidence in Veteran-centric care. Even better, VA-STEP serves as path to employment with VA after graduation and licensure.
“I am grateful for VA-STEP,” said Sarah West, a nurse practitioner who works at the Hines VA Medical Center near Chicago. “Without it, I can’t envision where I would be now. It gave me a foot in the door, and I appreciate the wealth of experiences that led me to my ultimate career goal.”
These programs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to earning your degree or paying back your student loans. They’re also just a few of the many employment benefits available to nurse practitioners who choose to join our team.
Work at VA
Nurse practitioners play a vital role in the care we provide Veterans not just during National Nurse Practitioner Week, but every week. Join us in thanking them for their dedication and see how you can join their ranks.
- LEARN about VA nursing jobs.
- EXPLORE the employment benefits we offer.
- SEARCH for an opportunity near you.
