Behind every veteran’s healthcare journey is a Veterans Affairs (VA) nurse who understands not only complex medical needs, but also the lifelong impact of military service.
VA nurses care for veterans across inpatient, outpatient, mental health, and long-term care settings, often managing complex, service-connected conditions. Nurses can become VA nurses with an active RN license from any U.S. state and by applying through USAJobs.gov.
VA nursing emphasizes team-based, evidence-driven, and trauma-informed care. Nurses help improve access, continuity, and quality of care for veterans.
What do VA nurses do?
VA nurses provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to veterans in a federally funded healthcare system designed to address both acute and long-term needs. Their responsibilities vary by role and setting but commonly include assessment, medication administration, care coordination, patient education, and advocacy.
Many VA nurses care for patients with complex medical and psychosocial conditions, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, spinal cord injury, amputations, and conditions related to environmental or combat exposure.
Care delivery within the VA health system is highly interdisciplinary. Nurses collaborate closely with physicians, advanced practice providers, social workers, mental health clinicians, pharmacists, rehabilitation specialists, and case managers. Because veterans often have multiple comorbidities, VA nurses frequently manage long-term treatment plans, transitions of care, and coordination between VA and community providers.
Where VA nurses work
VA nurses practice in a wide range of settings, reflecting the breadth of services offered through the Veterans Health Administration. These include medical-surgical units, intensive care units, emergency departments, psychiatric units, outpatient primary and specialty clinics, community-based outpatient clinics, home-based primary care programs, and community living centers.
Nurses may also work in telehealth, care coordination, quality improvement, research, informatics, or education roles. This variety allows nurses to explore different specialties over the course of their careers while remaining within the same healthcare system.
How to become a VA nurse
To become a VA nurse, candidates must hold an active, unrestricted registered nurse license in any U.S. state or territory. Because VA is a federal system, nurses don’t need to be licensed in the state where they practice. Educational requirements vary by position, ranging from associate degree-prepared nurses to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with graduate-level education.
VA nursing jobs are posted through the federal hiring platform USAJobs.gov. The application process typically includes a detailed resume, transcripts, licensure verification, and responses to job-specific qualifications. Veterans’ preference may apply to eligible applicants, but many VA nurses are civilians with no prior military service.
Once hired, nurses complete background checks, credentialing, and facility-based orientation. Many VA facilities offer nurse residency programs for new graduates, as well as ongoing professional development opportunities for experienced nurses.
What makes VA nursing different?
VA nursing differs from many private-sector roles in its focus on access, equity, and continuity of care rather than volume-based reimbursement. Nurses often develop long-term relationships with patients, caring for veterans across multiple episodes of care and over many years.
An understanding of military culture is also central to VA nursing practice. Knowledge of deployment history, rank structure, and service-related trauma and conditions helps nurses provide culturally competent, trauma-informed care. VA nurses frequently serve as advocates, helping veterans navigate benefits, disability evaluations, and coordination between VA and non-VA services.
How nurses impact veteran care
Nurses are central to the quality and outcomes of veteran healthcare. They often serve as the primary point of contact for veterans managing chronic disease, mental health conditions, or functional limitations. In primary care and mental health settings, nurses play a key role in suicide prevention, substance use disorder treatment, and early identification of behavioral health concerns.
In rehabilitation and long-term care environments, nurses support mobility, independence, and quality of life. Across all settings, trauma-informed nursing care helps address the lasting physical and psychological effects of military service.
VA nurses also contribute to research, quality improvement initiatives, and evidence-based practice changes that influence veteran care nationwide.
Career growth and professional development for VA nurses
The VA offers structured career ladders, leadership pathways, and support for continuing education (CE). Nurses may advance into roles such as nurse manager, nurse educator, clinical nurse leader, or advanced practice provider. Many VA facilities encourage specialty certification, offer tuition assistance, and support participation in research or teaching roles.
As one of the largest healthcare systems in the country, the VA provides opportunities for long-term career growth without requiring nurses to leave the organization to advance.
Frequently asked questions about VA nursing
Do you have to be a veteran to work as a VA nurse?
No, most VA nurses are civilians. While veterans’ preference may apply during the hiring process, prior military service isn’t required to work as a VA nurse.
What license do you need to be a VA nurse?
VA nurses must hold an active, unrestricted RN license from any U.S. state or territory. A license in the state where the VA facility is located isn’t required.
Is VA nursing considered federal employment?
Yes. VA nurses are federal employees and work within the Veterans Health Administration, the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States.
What types of nurses work at the VA?
The VA employs nurses across nearly every specialty, including medical-surgical, emergency, critical care, mental health, primary care, rehabilitation, and advanced practice nursing.
Is VA nursing a good long-term career?
For many nurses, VA nursing offers stability, professional growth, and a mission-driven work environment. Opportunities for advancement, CE, and specialty practice make it an attractive long-term career option.
