Registered NOVA Nurses, day in and day out, put in an untold amount of work when it comes to the VA and its patients. A typical day is nearly impossible to nail down, as every shift can wildly change from energizing to exhausting to frustrating to momentous, and back again. The following showcases how NOVA’s RNs care for veterans and how they are elevating other nurses and NOVA itself.

Why Choose VA Nursing?

Those that responded gave a wide range of reasons why they chose to go into nursing, specifically the VA, but it all came down to helping veterans.

For Danielle L. Alderman, MSN, RN, who works in the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, it was to help those with their physical and psychological health needs first.

“After being a Social Worker for six years, I realized I needed to first address the physical and psychological health of my clients before I could effectively impact the social and financial situations of the families I was serving,” Alderman said.

A few NOVA nurses responded that they are veterans themselves and wanted to make a lasting, helpful change by working with a group that they understood well — other veterans.

“I am a veteran, and my father, brother, and one sister were in the Army,” Eileen Kupper-Grubbs, RN, MEDSURG-BC, said. “Veterans are a precious few who would die for the United States. I wanted to be part of their care.”

Another said they are married to a United States Marine and while he was in service, they loved the idea of working with active duty military and veterans.

One said, after graduating from the VA Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) program, they were then hired full-time after graduating with a BSN.

Helping Veterans in Their Time of Need

NOVA asked members to think about times they were there to help veterans when they needed it the most.

“A group of veterans lived in the same town that had just had a tornado,” Kupper-Grubbs said. “I called EMS and they were able to drill down to the block where the tornado occurred and send a van to the city to bring the veterans to the VA for care, food, and clothing.”

Heather Debe, MBA, MAA, BSN, RN is a Call Center Registered Nurse in the El Paso VA Healthcare System and does what she can to help.

“I work in the Call Center as a registered nurse. Every caller is different, and you just focus on helping the veteran with whatever they need — whether it’s a triage for illness or injury, at-home care teaching, medication questions, or requesting a consult.”

Alderman spends a lot of time just listening to veterans on the phone. She lets them get their frustrations out and then comes up with a plan and a strategy with them, to hopefully fix at least one thing to improve the situation.

“Occasionally, I will also invite the veteran to come down to the clinic and see me,” Alderman said. “Sometimes they just need to get out of the house and connect with a person in a safe place, so they don't feel so isolated and lonely.”

The NOVA Nurse

At the end of a long day, NOVA nurses ponder some of the reasons why working as a VA nurse is exciting and rewarding.

For example, Tonya Mial, MSN, RN at the Greenville VA Health Care Center in Greenville, North Carolina, the most exciting part of being a VA nurse is her continued service to her brothers and sisters in arms.

“I enjoy being surrounded by heroes,” Mial said. “As a veteran, I will need services and rely on the kindness of others who respect and appreciate my sacrifices; I want to give to them what I one day want given to me.”

Marilyn Simpson, MSN/Ed, RN, at the West Texas VA Health Care System, is on the Education Committee and loves that NOVA gives her and other NOVA nurses opportunities to learn, with free CEUs. Others say that each education session has improved their knowledge which helps take care of their patients.

“NOVA has helped me succeed academically and professionally through scholarships and online seminars,” Alderman said. “NOVA also connected me with a mentor who has been a tremendous support and professional guide.”

Kupper-Grubbs watches webinars and collaborates with other NOVA nurses to improve care for patients. And Nurse Debe has been to two Annual Conferences, found them informative, and liked the networking connections it brought.

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