Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency
Through completion of the residency program, mental health nurse practitioner residents will acquire clinical experience in the management of various mental health conditions impacting our Veteran population, build on their diagnostic, psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy skills, and develop a strong skill set in interprofessional collaboration and Veteran-centric care.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to develop confident, practice-ready Mental Health Nurse Practitioners equipped with the knowledge and skills to address the specific needs of our nation’s Veterans in the VHA or community.
Application materials may be emailed directly to kerri.keeler@va.gov. Official transcripts may be submitted via email or mailed to:
Kerri Keeler, Mental Health Clinic Mail Stop 136G Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital 200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730
Eligibility and Application Information
Eligibility and Application Information
Applicant Qualifications:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Be a recent graduate of a master’s, post-master’s certificate, or doctoral-level Nurse Practitioner program accredited by CCNE or the ACEN within the past 12 months prior to program start date
- Possess current national board certification as a PMHNP Across the Lifespan through ANCC or be eligible to sit for board examination
- Possess a current, full active and unrestrictive registration as a registered nurse AND nurse practitioner in a state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, prior to the start of the NPR program (exceptions may be made for highly qualified candidates with later graduation dates)
- Be serving in their first Nurse Practitioner role in the specialty area as the program focus (Mental Health)
- Current BLS certification (must be maintained throughout the entirety of the program)
- Proficient in written and spoken English
- Background and security investigation required
- Provide evidence or self-certification of satisfactory physical condition based on a physical examination in the past 12-months
- Provide evidence or self-certification of up-to-date vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and VA https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html
- Random drug testing may be required
* June and July graduates may apply and will be considered, as long as graduation is before the program start date
Application Requirements
• Curriculum vitae (please include graduation date)
• Official graduate school transcripts
• Copy of RN license and current BLS (and APRN license and ANCC board certification if already obtained)
• Personal statement: maximum of two (2) pages: what personal, professional, educational, and clinical experiences have led you to choose nursing as a profession, and the role of a mental health nurse practitioner as a specialty practice? What are your goals and aspirations for this residency program and how do they fit with your early and long-term career goals?
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member of graduate program) emailed directly from individual writing letter to Kerri.Keeler@va.gov or in sealed envelope
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Application Submission:
Application materials may be emailed directly to kerri.keeler@va.gov. Official transcripts may be submitted via email or mailed to:
Kerri Keeler, Mental Health Clinic Mail Stop 136G Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital 200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730
Benefits
• Competitive stipend: As of AY 2023, stipend amount is : $87,095
• A comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, federal holidays, and health benefits
• Hiring preference for open positions at Veterans Health Administration following successful completion of the residency
Apply today!
Questions?
Please contact:
Kerri Keeler, PMHNP-BC
VA Bedford Healthcare System
Clinical Rotations and Experiences
Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency
Kerri Keeler, PMHNP-BC | Kerri.keeler@va.gov
Through completion of the residency program, mental health nurse practitioner residents will acquire clinical experience in the management of various mental health conditions impacting our Veteran population, build on their diagnostic, psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy skills, and develop a strong skill set in interprofessional collaboration and Veteran-centric care.
Program Structure
This is a 12-month residency program with a fall cohort starting yearly in late August/early September. Fall 2024 start Date is to be determined, please contact program director for specific dates or questions pertaining to the year you are applying.
About VA Bedford
VA Bedford Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA New England Healthcare System. VA Bedford is an innovative care center within VA New England Healthcare System (VISN 1), which includes medical centers and clinics in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.
VA Bedford Healthcare System provides healthcare services at four locations serving Veterans in Middlesex and Essex counties in Massachusetts. Facilities include our Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in Bedford, and three community-based outpatient clinics in Lynn, Haverhill, and Gloucester. The hospital sits on a large, beautifully wooded campus adjacent to walking trails and a golf course. Bedford is located in the cradle of the nation, with Lexington, Concord, and Boston close by.
Our mental health programs include vocational services, peer services, homeless services, and outpatient mental health services. Our mental health service line is a nationally recognized leader in the areas of psychosocial rehabilitation, research, and education.
Residency curriculum includes:
• Clinical rotations on interprofessional teams (80% of experience)
• Integrated and parallel didactics and education (20% of experience)
• Resident selected quality improvement project
Clinical rotations may include:
•Primary Care Behavioral Health
•Women’s Mental Health
•Behavioral Addictions
•Opioid Reassessment Clinic
•Interdisciplinary Pain Program
•Tobacco Cessation Clinic
•Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program for SMI
•Evidence-Based Psychotherapy
•Opportunities for additional specialty experience in: Mental Health Urgent Walk-in Clinic, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, further training in individual and group psychotherapies
Supervision and training:
•Regular interdisciplinary supervision with psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed independent clinical social workers
• Weekly group supervision with interdisciplinary mental health trainees facilitated by faculty members and monthly NP resident peer consultation meetings
• Training in evidence-based psychotherapy of choice with a weekly consultation seminar
• Grand and Schwartz rounds, VA trainings, and clinical case conferences. Opportunities for specialized trainings, including women’s reproductive mental health
•Weekly psychiatry journal clubs
•Regular psychiatry and psychotherapy didactics
• Opportunities for involvement in clinical research and individual and group psychotherapy
• Weekly interprofessional education seminars with interdisciplinary trainees
Applicant Qualifications:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Be a recent graduate of a master’s, post-master’s certificate, or doctoral-level Nurse Practitioner program accredited by CCNE or the ACEN within the past 12 months prior to program start date
- Possess current national board certification as a PMHNP Across the Lifespan through ANCC or be eligible to sit for board examination
- Possess a current, full active and unrestrictive registration as a registered nurse AND nurse practitioner in a state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, prior to the start of the NPR program (exceptions may be made for highly qualified candidates with later graduation dates)
- Be serving in their first Nurse Practitioner role in the specialty area as the program focus (Mental Health)
- Current BLS certification (must be maintained throughout the entirety of the program)
- Proficient in written and spoken English
- Background and security investigation required
- Provide evidence or self-certification of satisfactory physical condition based on a physical examination in the past 12-months
- Provide evidence or self-certification of up-to-date vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and VA https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html
- Random drug testing may be required
* June and July graduates may apply and will be considered, as long as graduation is before the program start date
Application Requirements
• Curriculum vitae (please include graduation date)
• Official graduate school transcripts
• Copy of RN license and current BLS (and APRN license and ANCC board certification if already obtained)
• Personal statement: maximum of two (2) pages: what personal, professional, educational, and clinical experiences have led you to choose nursing as a profession, and the role of a mental health nurse practitioner as a specialty practice? What are your goals and aspirations for this residency program and how do they fit with your early and long-term career goals?
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member of graduate program) emailed directly from individual writing letter to Kerri.Keeler@va.gov or in sealed envelope
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Application Submission:
Application materials may be emailed directly to kerri.keeler@va.gov. Official transcripts may be submitted via email or mailed to:
Kerri Keeler, Mental Health Clinic Mail Stop 136G Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital 200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730
Benefits
• Competitive stipend: As of AY 2023, stipend amount is : $87,095
• A comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, federal holidays, and health benefits
• Hiring preference for open positions at Veterans Health Administration following successful completion of the residency
Apply today!
Questions?
Please contact:
Kerri Keeler, PMHNP-BC