Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

The mission of the Residency is to prepare novice NPs to work as independent practitioners within the VA Health Care System. Residents will be provided the opportunity to accelerate their growth beyond entry-level professional competence in patient-centered care, operational services, and leadership skills that can be applied to address the complex needs of the Veteran population in any practice setting.

The overarching goal of the VA NCHCS Nurse Practitioner Residency Program is to provide newly graduated NPs a foundation for practice that is embedded in scientific knowledge, clinical expertise, and professionalism. The Residency Program will recruit, educate, and prepare NPs, to improve the quality and accessibility of health care services for Veterans and the Nation.

1. Transform new graduate nurse practitioners into competent healthcare providers. 
2. Transform new graduate nurse practitioners into confident healthcare providers. 
3. Integrate evidence-based knowledge and clinical excellence into advanced practice nursing while caring for the Veteran population. 
4. Increase access to care to Veterans throughout VHA and the Nation.

The VA is committed to improving the mental health of the nation's Veterans and is investing in innovative programs to enhance training for mental health providers. The overarching goal of the Residency is to support optimal care for our Veterans by offering educational processes and activities that are robust, evidence-based, and likely to result in successful implementation throughout the year. Based on four curricular anchor themes, the Residency may include:

• PMHNP/ Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role development 
• Interprofessional collaboration
• Systems improvement and leadership
• Self-reflective practice

The above four curricular anchor themes are the framework for the overarching program goals and are unique to our Residency training curriculum. Advanced clinical education of the PMHNP has yet to be a part of the fabric of VA training historically. Therefore, it is important to scaffold the Residency objectives, starting with the individual and leading to systems-level impact. Throughout the year, the Residency will do the following to meet the Curricular goals:

1. Provide didactic and experiential learning opportunities with PMHNP faculty and interprofessional clinicians role modeling Veteran-centric care and leadership to build knowledge and skills and develop appropriate attitudes for the PMHNP role.
2. Engage with interprofessional colleagues and build collaborative experiences in workplace-based environments to build competency and focus on team-based care and collaboration. 
3. Provide opportunities to impact systems and build leadership through focused quality improvement experiences and a capstone project. 
4. Engage learners in mentored self-reflective practice and critical reflection to build a culture of self-awareness of lifelong learning. 
5. Contribute to building and supporting the ongoing scholarship and quality improvement culture within advanced practice nursing. 

The program is designed to provide the resident with advanced competencies in a complex, Veteran-centric, health care environment leading to specialized clinical and leadership skills. The VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) has developed a set of competencies that align with national accreditation standards for advanced practice nursing. Successful completion of the Residency is dependent upon the residents’ ability to meet these competencies. Throughout the year, residents will be evaluated by faculty in competency progression. Below are some of the competencies and examples of behaviors residents should demonstrate by the end of each quarter.

1st Quarter: Orientation and Foundations of Veteran-Centric Behavioral Health Care

Core Competency III: Communication

• Demonstrated by: resident will give a concise report, that can be used across services, to communicate patient care to other members of the healthcare team.

Mental Health Competency II: Knowledge of Adult Mental Health Disorders Diagnostic Criteria

• Demonstrated by: resident will increase accuracy of diagnosis during intake assessments.

Patient Care Competency VI: Assessment of Health

• Demonstrated by: resident will demonstrate ability to place appropriate referrals to specialty services.

2nd Quarter: Formulation and Applications of Veteran-Centric Behavioral Health Care

Core Competency I: Practice-Based Learning

• Demonstrated by: resident will research and present on topics related to advanced nursing practice to peers.

Mental Health Competency I: Knowledge of Basic Science, Theories, and Models of Care

• Demonstrated by: resident will identify psychosocial factors connected to diagnoses and implement this knowledge to customize the treatment plan.

Patient Care Competency XI: Patient and Family Education

• Demonstrated by: resident will integrate evidence-based tools and resources to enable patients to assume greater responsibility for self-care management of health and wellness.

3rd Quarter: Systems and Impact of Veteran-Centric Behavioral Health Care

Core Competency XII: Clinical Leadership

• Demonstrated by: resident will engage in supervised training of junior residents.

Mental Health Competency III: Knowledge of Psychotherapeutic Treatment Modalities

• Demonstrated by: use of appropriate testing/screeners to shape clinical decision making, diagnosis formulation, and development of Veteran care plan.

Patient Care Competency: X Promotion of Optimal Health

• Demonstrated by: resident will integrate health promotion programs or community resources in Veteran’s treatment plan.

4th Quarter: PMHNP Leadership in Veteran-Centric Behavioral Health Care

Core Competency II: Quality Improvement & Patient Safety/Evidence-Based Practice

• Demonstrated by: resident will have designed, implemented, and disseminated results of a quality improvement project.

Mental Health Competency IV: Knowledge of Psychopharmacology

• Demonstrated by: resident will apply scientific knowledge of pharmacotherapy in clinical problem solving, judgment, and decision making in delivery of Veteran care.

Patient Care Competency IX: Follow-Up & Evaluation of Patient Status

• Demonstrated by: resident will successfully manage a panel and adjust treatment plans when necessary based upon data collected at follow-up interviews.

Residents receive supervision from Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists in the outpatient mental health settings where they will learn to manage a panel of patients in a year-long continuity clinic. Residents will have the opportunity to rotate through specialty mental health care settings as elective experiences, providing a comprehensive experience designed to prepare the graduate to work and lead in a complex healthcare environment. 

Clinical experiences are based on supervisor availability and subject to change at any time.

Residents receive protected time for weekly didactic sessions. These sessions are led by industry experts from inside and outside the VA. Past topics have included:

• Addiction and Trauma
• Motivation Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement
• Diversity: Bias in Charting
• Substance Use Disorders and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
• Coping with Patient Death
• Mental Health Care for Transgender Veterans
• Food, Metabolism, and Psychiatric Disease
• Psychodynamics of Addictions
• Transference, Countertransference, and Clinical Boundaries

• Must be onsite for entire tour of duty,
• Must be able to deliver care via face-to-face, video, and phone from the VA medical centers,
• Must have ability to travel to the McClellan Outpatient Clinic,
• Must be able to adapt writing style to multiple faculty.

Stipend as of AY 2024

• Mather: $90, 532

A comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Vacation days, accrued at 4 hours per pay period, 
• Sick time, accrued at 4 hours per pay period,
• 11 paid holidays,
• Voluntary inclusion into group medical, dental, and vision,
• Voluntary participation in Federal Employee Group Life Insurance,
• Fee exempt DEA Number (approved for activities within VHA)

Hiring preference for open positions upon completion of the residency

Active and ongoing professional development which includes recruitment into open positions in VA NCHCS and other VA facilities.

VANCHCS has applied for accreditation with Commission on Collegiate Nurse Education (CCNE). CCNE is recognized by the US Department of Education as an accrediting body of Nurse Practitioner residency programs. The application has been accepted and a site visit scheduled for October 21st through the 23rd, 2024 to review both the Mental Health and Primary Care Tracks.

As CCNE seeks input from the public and our stakeholders, we encourage you to submit any comments regarding the residency programs pertaining to the national accreditation standards. Written third-party comments will be accepted by CCNE until 21 days prior to the evaluation. All written third-party comments must be received by CCNE by September 30th, 2024.

Please submit comments to the following:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Attn: Third Party Comments
655 K Street NW
Suite 750
Washington DC 20001

-or

thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.org

• Applications accepted January 1st through February 28th 
• Interviews conducted March 10th through March 31st
• Decisions sent no later than April 5th
• Residency begins July

• U.S. Citizen,
• Graduate of an accredited advance practice psychiatric nursing program within the past 12 months,
• Never have worked as a PMHNP,
• Have a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a registered nurse in a state, territory, or commonwealth (e.g., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia,

• If not currently holding, the following must be obtained within 90 days of start:

  a. ANCC board certification as a PMHNP

  b. Full, active, and unrestricted registration as an advanced practice nurse in a state, territory, or commonwealth (e.g., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia

  c. Current DEA with prescriptive authority/furnishing license

• Proficient in written and spoken English,
• Pass a background/security investigation as required by the Veterans Health Administration,
• Random drug testing may be required.

• Curriculum vitae

• Personal statement covering [maximum of two (2) pages]:

  a. Interest in completing a MH NP residency,

  b. How a residency fits in with your short- and long-term career goals,

  c. Include specific interests in Veteran’s health care,

• Unofficial transcripts (redact sensitive information),

• Three (3) letters of recommendation (structured form to be filled out by recommender) submitted directly from letter authors. Please do not submit more than three letters.

  a. One from a faculty member of your graduate program,

  b. One from a clinical preceptor,

  c. One from an employer/supervisor/coworker that can speak to your abilities as an advanced practice provider. 

Please send CV, personal statement, and transcripts, in ONE PDF via email to v21macpmhnpresidency@va.gov. Please have letters of recommendation emailed directly from the authors.

Program Staff:

• Jey Sanchez, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, Program Director
• Daniel Porter, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
• Annaliza Batt, Program Support Assistant
• For program inquiries, email v21macpmhnpresidency@va.gov

Please note, the Residency is for POST graduate training. At this time, VA NCHCS does NOT offer preceptorships for PMHNP students.