Scars

Becoming a Senior Citizen

Chap. 31 (VA Hospital Pittsburgh)

In 2015 I applied for a position at the VA Pittsburgh, I was not chosen the first time I applied but was selected for the position a year later.

I truly enjoy my co-workers and the time I get to spend with our nation's veterans.

What does a veteran mean to me? A veteran means freedom. A veteran means I have the freedom to walk down the sidewalk to meet; a friend. To go anywhere I want to go. A veteran means we are protected from the bad guys around the world. A veteran means I don't have to be scared when I play outside. When I think of a veteran I think of all they have done for the citizens of the United States of America. I think of all they have sacrificed for our freedom. I think of the difference each veteran must have made for each of us. Veterans are a melting pot of all races and all nationalities. They are a mother, father, sister, friend. And I am so very proud to serve these dedicated men and women.

Veterans have a special camaraderie with each other, and they extend that bond to their clinical care team, especially those who share a military background. From injured active-duty personnel to Veterans of all ages, our patients rely on their VA caregivers to deliver unique and resourceful treatment, often for complex medical conditions. As a result, the entire VA care team receives deep appreciation from many brave, grateful individuals who have served our Nation.

But helping our Nation's Veterans is about more than just providing world-class health care. It's also about helping them find employment opportunities, as well. As such, we support Veterans Preference and are committed to hiring Veterans to help them make the transition to civilian life.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has one of the largest nursing staffs of any health care system in the world. Numbering more than 80,000 nationwide, the VA integrated nursing team provides comprehensive, complex, and compassionate care to our nation's Veterans. VA's nurses are a dynamic, diverse group of honored, respected, and compassionate professionals. VA is the leader in the creation of an organizational culture where excellence in nursing is valued as essential for quality health care to those who served America. "VA nursing is at the center of generating value-based innovation. Their work is a demonstration of integrity, commitment, respect and excellence as we shape efforts to ensure access to personalized, proactive health care for Veterans "I am extremely proud to call myself a VA nurse."

The VA nursing team is composed of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs), nursing assistants, and intermediate care technicians. VA nursing provides the largest clinical training and cooperative education opportunities in association with undergraduate and graduate programs at numerous colleges and universities. In the 1990s, VA provided clinical experience to one out of every four professional nursing students in the country. VA nurses are highly valued members and leaders of the health care team, contributing their knowledge and expertise to the care of patients. In addition to clinical care, VA nursing is also a significant part of advancing research in VA and keeping up with the latest technological innovations. Nurse researchers help to promote inclusion of evidence into practice to provide quality care for Veterans.

Professional nursing supports the mission of the VA health care system by providing state-of-the-art, cost-effective care to patients and families as they respond to illness and health issues. In addition to medical, surgical and psychiatric units, VA nurses work in intensive care, spinal cord injury, geriatric, dialysis, blind rehabilitation, specialty care (such as diabetes clinics), hospice, domiciliary, oncology, and organ transplant units. VA nurses provide care across a variety of settings including primary, ambulatory, acute, geriatrics, rehabilitation, and extended care settings. They work in outpatient clinics, community living centers, and home-based primary care programs. VA nurses also play a considerable role in emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery. VA nurses proudly serve America's heroes by practicing the art and science of nursing to provide holistic, evidence-based, high-quality care.