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VALOR Nursing Program

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The Veterans Affairs (VA) Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) program provides an opportunity for outstanding college nursing students to develop clinical competencies at an approved VA Medical Center. The VALOR program serves as a recruitment tool to retain excellent future registered nurses before they graduate and enter the workforce. VALOR students spend a total of 400 clinical hours (10 weeks full time) during the Summer between their Junior and Senior year of college.
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They attend multiple professional development trainings which include one week of nursing orientation, multiple critical care classes, BLS and ACLS, 12 hours of EKG interpretation and an entire day of Whole Health.  VALORs are also given the opportunity to explore specialty practice areas and are rotated through the Operating Room, Cardiac Catheter Lab and Post Anesthesia Care Unit. After those 10 weeks, VALOR students are allotted an additional 400 practice hours to continue to hone their skills to becoming competent registered professional nurses.  The VALORS often select their clinical practice area such as medical-surgical, intensive care and the emergency room.   During this time, VALOR students are paid 80% of a Nurse 1 Level 1 salary.

 

Cincinnati has a long and robust history of the VALOR Program. VALOR has been a part of the Cincinnati educational nursing fabric since 1990!   Many VA outstanding practicing registered nurses are products of this program. This year, four amazing VALOR students were selected, and as such they represent three local universities: The University of Cincinnati, Xavier University and Miami University Colleges of Nursing. Candidates were selected based on a stringent grade point average, outstanding letters of recommendation from their colleges of nursing and their unique personal practice statements.  Sara Krzywkowski-Mohn EdD, FNP-BC is the new VALOR Program Manager.

 

Meet our VALOR Nursing Students and VALOR Program Manager:

VALOR Students (PDF)
VALOR opportunities

Learning Opportunity:

 

VALOR is an honors program with structured clinical experience for outstanding nursing students who have completed their junior year. The clinical experience will include didactic course work, competency-based clinical practice with a qualified RN preceptor and participation in nursing focused clinical conferences. The Nursing VALOR Program provides the student with an opportunity to develop competence in a nursing specialty area and to learn VA policies and procedures.

 

 

Salary: 80% of a Nurse 1 salary

 

The goal of the VALOR program is recruitment; however, no future obligations to VA will be incurred because of participating in this program. The Nursing VALOR Program participant who selects VA employment after graduation may be considered for employment as a registered nurse at a salary rate above the minimum, based on superior qualification as evidenced by their participation in this program. Employment opportunities vary with each VA facility.

Eligibility requirements
  • Students in NLN accredited traditional BSN program who have completed their junior year.
  • Students with Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (no grade lower than a B in a nursing course).
  • Students must be able to complete a minimum of 400 hours (10 weeks) full time status during the summer of 2022 as a Nursing VALOR participant at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. Students may work additional hours part-time or full-time during their senior year until graduation in the spring.
  • Students who are a U.S. citizen and meet physical examination standards at the time of entry into the Nursing VALOR Program.
  • Students who don’t have an obligation to any federal scholarship program, a state, or other entity for professional practice after academic training.
How to apply
  1. Complete an 10-2850 and a OF306 Form
  2. Provide a cover letter and resume
  3. Provide a Letter from your School of Nursing which is to include:
    • A recommendation for nomination to the Nursing VALOR Program
    • Verification of enrollment as a full-time student (as defined by the school) and anticipated graduation date within one year after entry into the Nursing VALOR Program
    • Official transcripts will be due upon hire
VALOR application date

Selection notification: March 2022

Application deadline: February 14, 2022

Interviews: March 2022

Start date: June 1, 2022

 

Send 10-2850, OF306, cover letter, resume, official transcript of grades, and letter to:

 

Dr. Sara M. Krzywkowski-Mohn

EdD, MSN, FNP-C

VALOR Coordinator

Phone: (513)-861-3100 ex 4717

VA Medical Center

3200 Vine Street

Cincinnati, OH 45220

 

Phone: (513)-861-3100 ex 4717

Fax (513) 487-6665

Email: Sara.Mohn@va.gov