Registered Nurse - Inpatient Staff Registered nurse
Veterans Health Administration
Alexandria, Louisiana
$64k–$117k/yr
Posted pay
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Last seen active Sep 1, 2026
What this means for you
Veterans Health Administration is hiring for its own floors — no agency between you and the manager. The schedule rotates — ask early how far out they post it; that answer tells you a lot. Twelve-hour shifts compress the week — three days on, four days yours.
What the listing says
- Base pay
- $64k–$117k/yr
- Shift
- Rotating · 12-hour
- Weekends, holidays, call
- Weekends required
About this role
Show full description
Skills for this role
Requirements
- RN
- U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
About the employer
Nationally the VA describes itself as the largest U.S. nurse employer, with more than 120,000 RNs, APNs, LPNs, and nursing assistants. The VA has said it is on pace to reduce staff by nearly 30,000 by the end of FY2025…
What reviewers appreciate
- CPRS/VISTA already in use as the EHR
- VA employs more than 120,000 nursing staff nationally across settings
- Some new grads describe VA pay as decent for no experience
What reviewers flag
- VA on pace to cut nearly 30,000 staff by end of FY2025 via attrition, early outs, and hiring freeze
- Nurses discuss anxiety, stress, and uncertainty about staying in VHA roles
- Public threads note doctors and nurses turning down VA offers
Living in Alexandria, LA
Alexandria sits at the geographic heart of Louisiana, where the Red River threads through piney woods and Cajun prairie. Nurses relocating here find a central hub for central Louisiana healthcare, easy drives to both Baton Rouge and Shreveport, and a laid-back blend of Southern charm, riverfront strolls, and weekend festival culture.
- Metro price level · Alexandria area
- 14% below the national average
- BEA index 85.7 (100 = national)
- Median gross rent
- $931/mo
- rent and tenant-paid utilities
- Median household income
- $47,113/yr
- all local households, not nurse pay
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · 2024 metro Regional Price Parities · Census ACS 2024
On your path
Med surg is open from year one. A broad first base while you learn which path pulls harder.
Worth asking
The posting doesn’t answer these. Good ones to ask a recruiter or in the interview.
- Can you walk me through the differentials?
- What should I expect for weekly hours, holiday, call, and rotation?
- What orientation, preceptor time, and ongoing unit support are included?
- How are patient load, floating, and staffing support handled day to day?