VA nurses one step away from Saturday premium pay

Congress last week passed legislation approving Saturday premium pay for practical nurses and other health care personnel at the Veterans Affairs Department. The measure now awaits the President's signature. Backed by the American Federation of Government Employees, "The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Enhancement Act of 2001" (H.R. 3447) attempts to improve the retention and recruitment of nurses and other hospital staff through several measures, including the provision of Saturday premium pay for licensed practical nurses and other agency health care workers, including pharmacists and physical therapists. The Senate approved the bill Thursday. Under the current pay structure, registered nurses receive additional pay for each hour of service they work during their regular work shifts on Saturdays and Sundays, but licensed practical nurses get premium pay only for regular work on Sunday. The extra pay is equal to 25 percent of the nurses' hourly rate of basic pay. Licensed practical nurses can get premium pay for work on Saturdays at the discretion of the director of the regional medical facility. Veterans Affairs employs more than 50,000 nursing personnel, but those numbers are decreasing, according to AFGE lobbyist Linda Bennett. From 1995 to 2000, the number of registered nurses at the VA declined by 10 percent, the number of licensed practical nurses dropped by 13 percent and the number of nurse assistants dropped by 30 percent, Bennett said. Concerns about low pay and mandatory overtime have made it difficult for the VA to recruit and retain highly skilled registered nurses and other health professionals. The pending retirement of a large number of nurses in the next few years exacerbates the issue. By 2005, 35 percent of the agency's current nursing workforce will be eligible for retirement. The legislation addresses those shortages by requiring the VA Secretary to establish a nationwide policy on staffing and to create a commission on Veterans Affairs nursing. The bill would improve nurses' pay and benefits by allowing them to use any unused sick leave in calculating their retirement annuities. It also requires the VA to report on the use of overtime by nursing personnel and to make existing scholarship and debt reduction programs more flexible.