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Jobs and careers

We offer jobs and career opportunities in many fields, including clinical, administrative, and support professions.

You can visit USAJOBS to see all of our current openings, and visit our jobs and careers page to learn more about the application process. 

Internships and fellowships

Each year, we help university and post-graduate students complete their training and pursue their careers. Find the opportunities that are right for you.

Visit our Internships and fellowships page.

Volunteer or donate

We depend on the goodwill and generosity of our donors and volunteers. By volunteering your time or making a donation, you can give something back to Veterans who have given so much to our country. As a volunteer, you'll provide many important services throughout our health care system and help make Veterans’ visits to our facilities more rewarding. 

Visit our Volunteer and donate page to learn more and get involved.

Doing business with VA Asheville Healthcare System 

If you're a vendor or contractor interested in working with VA Asheville health care, we suggest you get a sense of our needs and who we serve. Learn more about our needs Veterans Integrated Service Network 6 (VISN 6). 

PBRNR Program

Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency  (PBRNR) Program

The Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program, (PBRNR), program mission is to empower and equip Nurse Residents to provide evidenced-based nursing care to Veterans.  This program is sponsored by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). The PBRNR program assists novice nurses as they transition to a professional nurse through a one-year program that supports protected learning experiences in an interdisciplinary environment.

Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program

The Western North Carolina Veteran’s Administration Health Care System (WNCVAHCS) is pleased you have chosen a career in the nation’s largest integrated health care system.  Our mission is to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.  

WNCVAHCS PBRNR program focus is to support the new graduate nurses as they transition from novice to professional nurse, building on and enhancing baccalaureate training experiences.  The residents in this program will have 100% protected learning time throughout the 12-month residency. The federally funded nurse residency program at WNCVAHCS is seeking accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). CCNE’s rigorous accreditation standards guide the development of curriculum and learning activities designed to help develop the essential competencies for a new gradate nurse. The program builds on knowledge acquired during prelicensure education, increasing residents nursing knowledge while adding a Veteran centric focus. 

At the conclusion of the program nurses will

• Successfully transition from entry-level to a competent, professional nurse.
• Display increased clinical confidence.
• Develop clinical leadership and collaborative practice skills in the interprofessional healthcare environment.
• Be well-positioned to begin a professional nursing career.
• Graduate from a program that provides a pathway for potential permanent VA employment (optional).
• Graduate from a program that is tailored to meet the needs of Residents and Stakeholders throughout the transition to professional practice.

Program Overview

This VA sponsored program’s academic partner is Western Carolina University (WCU) who maintains their CCNE accreditation. WCU and other community partners and provide clinical and academic experiences for new graduates to bridge the gap from baccalaureate education to becoming a professional nurse.  The program will facilitate professional role transition, integration and socializations of safe care delivery, advancement in critical thinking, professional development and a learning environment for developing evidence-based clinical care.

The program curriculum is comprised of a comprehensive, competency-based, 80% experiential, 20% didactic, and 100% protected, veteran-centric training experience in which didactic and experiential learning experiences build upon each other.

WNCVAHCS PBRNR program consists of Three Phases of Progression. Phase 1: Foundation-clinical rotations on 3 medical surgical floors, short- and long-term care, primary care and hospice. Didactic sessions focus and build on prelicensure education, facility specific information and topics experienced during these clinical rotations.  Phase 2: Critical Care and Enrichment-clinical rotations on 2 intensive care units, emergency department, special work assignment team (SWAT, float pool), mental health, operating room and specialty/procedural clinics. Didactic sessions build on skills and processes experienced during this rotation.  Phase 3: Transition: Home units identified and resident focus on learning unit specifics. Shadow opportunities based on resident interest can include education, leadership, specialty nursing area, etc. Didactic focus on professional development, competency and life long learning. 

Didactic Specifics: Residents will engage in didactics that develop their knowledge and skills within the five domains of competence specified by CCNE with a military and Veteran-centric emphasis.  These didactic sessions will be comprised of lectures, flipped classrooms, journal club discussions, simulation (pre-work, debriefing, and reflection), interactive learning sessions with digital technology and discussion of training experiences in clinical rotations and how they relate to military and Veteran focused care.

Didactic topics will include but are not limited to: Quality and Safety, Patient and Family Centered Care, Management of Patient Care Delivery, Information and Technology, Performance Improvement and Evidence Based Practice, Ethics, Stress Management, High Reliability Organizations. 

Scholarly Activity: Residents will also engage in scholarly activity by completing an Evidence Based Practice project within their 12-month residency.  Trainees will work with Chief Nurse, Research/Nurse Scientist who specialize in Evidence Based Research, PBRNR Program Director and various other resources as needed, to design and implement their project. 

Interprofessional Education: Trainees will engage in an interdisciplinary team with other health professions trainees rotating at the WNCVAHCS. Subject matter experts from a variety of disciplines will provide didactic education during the year in addition to clinical practice experiences. 

Team building: Trainees will be introduced to team building exercises and other fun exercise to build community and collaboration.

Committee Participation: Trainees will participate in various nursing shared government councils and workgroups, giving them an opportunity to collaborate with other health professionals and help them understand the importance of the interprofessional team when making decisions that affect veteran healthcare.

Benefits

• Stipend is paid by OAA based on the current year allocation rate
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Annual leave (vacation, 4 hours accrued every two week pay period)
• Sick leave (days off for illness/medical appointments/family care, 4 hours accrued every two week pay period)
• Paid federal holidays, no nights, no weekends
• After PBRNR program completion, residents will be eligible to apply for positions that qualify for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) which may be used to pay down existing student loans.

Applicant qualifications

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• New graduate (defined as less than 1-yr post-graduation) of a CCNE or ACEN accredited BSN or MSN (entry level) program, typically applying for a first RN role (some exclusions may apply-consult Program Director).
• Minimum grade point average: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Current, unrestricted, active RN license before the start of the program.
• Must pass pre-employment clearances, i.e. physical, background check, fingerprinting, etc.
• Commit to completing the 1-year RN Residency program.

Applicant requirements

• Resume and cover letter
• A one-page narrative describing why you are interested in PBRNR in the VA Health Care System, our facility and your future goals
• Forms provided by VA
• Unofficial Transcripts are accepted at the time of application. Official transcripts are required before program start date.
• Four letters of support: (1) Dean and (2) Faculty (1) Former Supervisor or Leader.
• Additional information and timeline
  • Application information will be posted on site, advertised in flyers/brochures sent to local nursing schools. Applications will have posted due date but  will be accepted as early during the semester prior to final nursing semester.   PBRNR Program Director is available to answer all questions.
  • Program Begins: Mid - July and Mid – February

How to apply

Completed applications and any questions should be directed to:

Mashanda Brown MSN, RN, CEN

PBRNR Program Director

1-

Mashanda.Brown@va.gov

Public Notice for PBRNR Accreditation

The WNCVAHCS’s PBRNR program is seeking Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Accreditation review is scheduled to begin March 11-13, 2026.