VA says its job cuts will limit doctor, nurse resignations

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NPR

May 10, 2025 12:01 AM ET


Data that employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs have shared with NPR shows that 11,273 agency employees nationwide have applied for deferred resignation, which the Trump administration is offering as part of its DOGE initiative to cut the VA's workforce by 15%.

The top positions across all networks that are requesting deferred resignation are nurses (about 1,300), medical support assistants (about 800) and social workers (about 300). Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins has been adamant that staff cuts will not affect veterans' health care. In a contentious Senate hearing Tuesday, he accused Democrats of fearmongering.

"I will not let you sit here and scare my veterans and scare my employees, because no one has discussed firing doctors or firing nurses," Collins replied to a question from Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. "We've always said that we're going to keep frontline health care."

Blumenthal responded that the secretary has failed to explain how he would reach his stated goal of returning the VA to its 2019 size without affecting care. "It simply cannot be done. And you may give us a lot of verbiage here, but you're not giving us facts. And facts are essential to accountability," said Blumenthal.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/10/nx-s1-5391962/va-job-cuts-limit-doctor-nurse-resignations-veterans

[hildegaard28]

1. How

Does he think those deferred resignations won't effect patient care? Nurses, medical assistants, and social workers are all important parts of that care. Then there's the hiring freeze. My best friend's sister is the head nurse at a VA, and she has to leave her duties sometimes to cover for nurses on the floor. That definitely impacts care. And what happens when the nurses that are there now get fed up and leave? They won't be able to hire anyone, so they won't even have enough nurses. How will that not impact patient care?

[Historic NY]

3. My niece is one of four at the largest hospital.

and she still does rounds

[Historic NY]

2. It will effect the VA doctors and nurses

....the people who do the laundry, cook the meals, staff the visitors centers, make the appointments, clean the floors, stock the shelves, unload supplies, handle security, etc. The Medical Staff is nothing w/o the backup of hundreds.

Someone ought to ask Dougie boy how come the VA still hires Philippine nursing staffs, Traveling nurses, temporary nurses & virtual nurses. If staffing was okay.

[Bayard]

4. "my veterans?

Suddenly, this administration cares about the suckers and losers?

[groundloop]

5. My take is that they'll use poor service to justify privatization

Cut staff below the bare minimum, wait a little while, scream about the horrible service, award one of the oligarchs a sweetheart contract to take over.

[Mawspam2]

6. You can't resign, YOU'RE FIRED!

[bluescribbler]

7. The VA is already short staffed.

This will only make things worse for vets. WTAF!!!