VA Staff Losses Deepen Shortages, Raise Patient Safety Concerns

In a troubling development, the Department of Veterans Affairs has experienced a significant reduction in its workforce, resulting in the loss of thousands of healthcare professionals considered vital to its mission. 

Veterans and labor leaders are raising concerns about potential threats to patient safety due to this alarming trend.

Recent agency data reveals that the VA has faced a significant decline, with a net loss of 2,000 registered nurses since the beginning of the fiscal year. This troubling trend extends to approximately 1,300 medical assistants, 1,100 nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses, 800 doctors, 500 social workers, and 150 psychologists. The cuts arrive in the context of a surge of almost 500,000 new patients, a significant number of whom are grappling with intricate health issues associated with toxic exposure from wartime experiences.

VA Secretary Doug Collins has announced a plan to eliminate 30,000 positions this year by implementing attrition, a hiring freeze, and deferred resignations. He contends that the agency can enhance care while simultaneously reducing “costly administrative functions.” However, documents examined by The Guardian reveal that the losses encompass not only frontline medical personnel but also administrators.

“This situation poses significant risks,” stated Patricia Fieldings, a VA nurse based in Augusta, Georgia, who also serves as a representative for National Nurses United. She said that due to shortages, nurses lacking specialized training are now tasked with caring for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Before the recent departures, the VA’s inspector general highlighted critical staffing shortages across the majority of its 170 medical centers and more than 1,000 clinics. The most recent reductions indicate an additional 2% decrease in the nursing workforce and a 3% decline among doctors.

Collins has brushed aside worries regarding privatization, labeling them as “a far-left canard.” In a recent statement, VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz highlighted a nationwide shortage of healthcare workers as a significant challenge. However, he highlighted that the agency successfully added 10,000 critical staff members under President Biden's leadership from May 2023 to January 2025.

Veterans express concerns that the alterations undermine their trust. “It feels like a betrayal,” expressed Manuel Santamaria, a disabled Army veteran. “This undermines the government's responsibility to the veterans who have made significant sacrifices on their behalf.”

‍