Durham VA Nurse Practitioner Residency (NPR) Programs
With generous support from the Office for Academic Affiliations (OAA), the Durham VA Health Care System, in partnership with an academic school, has developed a Geriatric Extended care, Psychiatric Mental Health, and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency Program. The three NPR programs at the DVAHCS are affiliated with the Duke University School of Nursing.
The Nurse Practitioner Residency (NPR) Program is an innovative, evidence-based educational training experience designed to develop competent, confident, practice-ready NPs equipped with the knowledge and skills to address our nation’s Veterans' unique needs and improve their access to care.
Program Mission: The overall mission of this program is to enhance the competencies of new graduate NPs and there by providing a well-qualified workforce to increase access to excellent healthcare services for the Veterans throughout our country.
Program Goals:
- Promote the recruitment of new graduates to the NP residency program at the DVAHCS and support them through successful completion of their training.
- Enhance the competence and confidence of NP residents in independently assuming the nurse practitioner role in their practice area.
- Facilitate the hiring of NP residents as employees after residency to enhance retention.
Increasing the availability of these providers will expand the Department of Veterans Affairs' ability to provide comprehensive primary care, mental health, and geriatric services and improve the overall quality of our healthcare services. Through supervised and mentored clinical experiences and educational and professional development activities, the resident trainees will be prepared to provide healthcare services for the veteran population.
Program Tracks
The DVAHCS has three NP Residency program tracks: Geriatric and Extended Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (GEC NPR), Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (PC NPR), and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency (MH NPR). The MH NPR program was established in 2013, followed by the PC NPR in 2016. The newest program, GEC-NPR, was established in 2022 as one of the eight sites nationally when the OAA expanded post-graduate NP education programs to include geriatrics specialty.
Eligibility
To be eligible, candidates must:
- Be a U.S. born or naturalized citizen.
- Be a graduate of an accredited nurse practitioner program within the past 12 months. Candidates graduating in May of the application year also can apply.
- Hold national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Gero Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP), or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), depending on the NPR program,, by the start of the residency in September.
- This residency is for new graduate NPs with no previous NP experience in the respective residency tracks.
- Licensure: Current and unrestricted registration as an RN and NP in the state of North Carolina. (NC is a Compact Nursing State)
- Proficient in written and spoken English.
- Pass a background/security investigation.
- Pass pre-employment physical examination.
NP Residency Stipend and Benefits
- Stipend is paid by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA).
- Government health care medical plan.
- Paid federal holidays.
- PTO & sick leave accrued per pay period.
- No call or weekend shifts required.
- 100% protected learning time.
Specific information for each NPR Program
Durham VA Geriatric & Extended Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (GEC-NPR) Program
The GEC-NPR program will enhance the novice nurse practitioners' knowledge and skills acquired during their nursing practice and graduate-level academic education and prepare them to be proficient in the care of aging Veterans with multimorbidity and frailty.
- 12 Month Program
- Application accepted from October 31st to January 31st
- Training begins in September
- Trainees must hold national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner ( FNP) or Adult Gero Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) by the start of the program.
By successfully completing this post -graduate training, the residents will improve their confidence and competence in the following:
- Comprehensive geriatric evaluation
- Assessment, diagnostic testing, treatment, and planning of care for aging Veterans with complex medical and psychosocial needs.
- Management of polypharmacy, including consideration of risks and benefits of medications in the older Veteran
- Palliative care, end-of-life care, and advanced care planning
- Transitions of care
- System-based approach to anticipate and deploy resources to optimize outcomes
- Leadership of interprofessional teams in providing high quality care and designing quality improvement initiatives
The trainees will spend 40 hours in clinical and didactic learning activities weekly to become proficient in 24 competencies specified in GEC-NPR curriculum.
- Residency curriculum includes: 80% experiential and 20% didactic learning.
- GEC NP Residency clinical sites include various clinical areas of the Durham VA Medical Center, community-based programs, and home-based programs of the Durham VA Health Care System.
- Clinical rotation sites include: Community Living Center, Geri-PACT, Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH), Home Based Primary care (Durham, Raleigh, Clayton, and other areas), Hospice and Palliative Care, Caring for Older Adults and Caregivers at Home (COACH), and other geriatric models of care and selected specialty clinics (80%)
- Clinical and didactic activities are planned as face-to-face activities.
- Integrated and parallel clinical didactic sessions (20%)
- Quality-improvement project
- Didactic sessions frequently occur in conjunction with other DVAHCS-Duke University training programs including the Geriatric Medicine fellowship and the Primary Care and Mental Health NP residencies to promote interprofessional learning.
- Faculty mentors and supervising clinicians will facilitate the novice NP’s journey to a proficient advanced practice provider with expertise in geriatrics.
- Upon successful completion of the residency, the trainees will have the opportunity to apply for available vacancies within the VA Health Care System across the country.
Application Process for GEC-NPR
The application process opens annually from October 31st through January 31st. To be considered, you will need to submit the following documents:
Email the following documents to VHADURnurserecruiterteam@va.gov
Please cc: letha.joseph@va.gov , as well when submitting application, Program Director for GEC NP Residency Program.
Last date to receive completed application is January 31st.
- Curriculum vitae- Include details of academic preparation, professional experience, professional activities, scholarly activities, leadership involvement, awards, and volunteering.
- Personal Statement - Address these prompts in your personal statement.
- Why do you want to pursue the Geriatric and Extended Care NP Residency?
- What makes you a good candidate for this program?
- Word limit for the personal statement is 500 words.
- Reference- Provide three (3) letters of recommendation. Reference must include the following categories.
- One faculty member from your graduate/NP program
- One preceptor for your clinical rotation as a nurse practitioner student
- One coworker/manager/supervisor from your RN practice
- Federal Form: Application for Health Professions Trainees (HPT’s) VA Form 10-2850D
Contact information:
Letha Joseph, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, FFNMRCSI, FAANP
Geriatric and Extended Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (GEC-NPR)
Program Director
Durham VA Health Care System
Eleanor S. (Ellie) McConnell, PhD, RN
Associate Professor, Duke University School of Nursing
Core Investigator, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)
Durham VA Health Care System
Claudette Forrest RN
Nurse Recruiter
Durham VA Health Care System
Phone:
Durham VA Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency (PMHNPR ) Program
The PMHNP Residency Program will enhance the novice nurse practitioners' knowledge and skills acquired during their nursing practice and graduate-level academic education and prepare them to be proficient in providing mental health treatment for the veteran population.
- 12 Month Program
- Application accepted from October 31st to January 31st
- Training begins in September
Primary goal of the MHNP Residency Program is to enhance mental health workforce by producing nurse practitioners proficient in the following:
- Comprehensive mental health evaluation
- Assessment, diagnostic testing, treatment, and planning of care in mental health for Veterans.
- Management of psychopharmacology, including consideration of risks and benefits of psychoptropics
- System-based approach to anticipate and deploy resources to optimize outcomes
- Leadership of interprofessional teams in providing high quality care and designing quality improvement initiatives
The trainees will spend 40 hours in clinical and didactic learning activities weekly to become proficient in 24 competencies specified in PMHNPR curriculum.
- Residency curriculum includes: 80% experiential and 20% didactic learning.
- PMHNP Residency clinical sites include various mental health clinical areas of the Durham VA Medical Center, community-based programs, and home-based programs of the Durham VA Health Care System.
- Clinical rotation sites include: Psychiatric Acute Recovery Center (Inpatient Psychiatry), PEC (Psychiatry Emergency Care), Primary Care Mental Health Integration, and Psychiatric Consults & Liaison (80%)
- Clinical and didactic activities are planned which are hybrid (face to face or telehealth)
- Integrated and parallel clinical didactic sessions (20%)
- Quality-improvement project
- Didactic sessions frequently occur in conjunction with other DVAHCS training programs including the Psychiatry residents and the Geriatric Extended Care and Primary Care, NP residents to promote interprofessional learning.
- Faculty Mentors will facilitate the novice NP’s journey from a novice advanced practice provider to a proficient advanced practice provider with expertise in mental health.
- Upon successful completion of the residency, the trainees will be given the opportunity to apply for available vacancies within the VA Health Care System across the country.
Application Process for PMHNP-NPR
The application process opens annually from October 31st through January 31st. To be considered, you will need to submit the following documents:
Email the following documents to VHADURnurserecruiterteam@va.gov
Please cc: Bich-Tuyen.Nguyen@va,gov , as well when submitting application, Program Director for PMHNP NP Residency Program.
Last date to receive completed application is January 31st.
- Curriculum vitae- Include details of academic preparation, professional experience, professional activities, scholarly activities, leadership involvement, awards, and volunteering.
- Graduate School Transcripts
- Reference- Provide three (3) letters of recommendation. Provide name, email address, and telephone contact information of THREE individuals who can serve as your reference. Reference must include the following categories.
- One faculty member from your graduate/NP program
- One preceptor for your clinical rotation as a nurse practitioner student
- One coworker/manager/supervisor from your RN practice
- Federal Form: Application for Health Professions Trainees (HPT’s) VA Form 10-2850D
Contact information:
Bich-Tuyen T. Nguyen DNP, MSN, RN, PMHNP-BC
Program Director - MHNP Residency Program Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, DVAHCS
Phone: (919) 286-0411 ext. 177619
Email: Bich-Tuyen.Nguyen@va.gov
Anne Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP
Durham VA PMHNP NPR Academic Partner
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Duke University School of Nursing
Email: anne.derouin@duke.edu
Claudette Forrest RN
Nurse Recruiter
VA Durham health care
Phone: 919-286-6858
Email: Claudette.Forrest@va.gov
Durham VA Nurse Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (PC-NPR)Program
The PC-NPR program will enhance the novice nurse practitioners' knowledge and skills acquired during their nursing practice and graduate-level academic education and prepare them to be proficient in the care of aging Veterans with multimorbidity and frailty.
- 12 Month Program
- Application accepted from October 31st to January 31st
- Training begins in September
The primary goal of the PC- NP Residency Program is to:
While enrolled in the program, nurse practitioners will:
- gain valuable experience in managing veterans primary care and complex health conditions
- hone critical thinking and diagnostic skills
- work closely with mentors and interdisciplinary health care teams within a state-of-the-art medical center
- make a significant impact on the well-being of veterans and their families by providing high quality primary care
- engage in a meaningful quality improvement project
- have a supportive transition to practice upon graduation
- The trainees will spend 40 hours in clinical and didactic learning activities weekly to become proficient in 24 competencies specified in PC-NPR curriculum.
- Residency curriculum includes: 80% experiential and 20% didactic learning.
- This residency program is designed for the new graduate AGNP or FNP graduates. The program is structured to give mentored clinical time and dedicated learning opportunities. The resident will gain broad exposure to Veterans health care and engage in skills training, didactic seminars, grand rounds, supervised and independent clinical practice, specialty rotations, professional development activities and enhance leadership skills.
- Clinical rotation sites include: Primary care and specialty care specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, women’s health, infectious disease etc
- Clinical and didactic activities are planned as face-to-face or Telehealth activities.
- Didactic sessions frequently occur in conjunction with other DVAHCS training programs including The Geriatric and Extended Care and Mental Health NP residencies to promote interprofessional learning.
- Integrated and parallel clinical didactic sessions (20%)
- Completion of a quality-improvement project
- Upon successful completion of the residency, the trainees will be given the opportunity to apply for available vacancies within the VA Health Care System across the country.
Application Process for PC-NPR
The application process opens annually from October 31st through January 31st. To be considered, you will need to submit the following documents:
Email the following documents to VHADURnurserecruiterteam@va.gov
Please cc: Ertha.Jeter@va.gov , as well when submitting application, Program Director for PC NP Residency Program.
Last date to receive completed application is January 31st.
- Curriculum vitae- Include details of academic preparation, professional experience, professional activities, scholarly activities, leadership involvement, awards, and volunteering.
- Graduate School Transcripts
- Reference- Provide three (3) letters of recommendation. Provide name, email address, and telephone contact information of THREE individuals who can serve as your reference. Reference must include the following categories.
- One faculty member from your graduate/NP program
- One preceptor for your clinical rotation as a nurse practitioner student
- One coworker/manager/supervisor from your RN practice
- Federal Form: Application for Health Professions Trainees (HPT’s) VA Form 10-2850D
Contact Information:
Ertha Jeter DNP, ANP-BC
Director, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency
VA Durham health care
Phone: 919-286-0411, ext. 175020
Email: Ertha.Jeter@va.gov
Anne Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP
Durham VA PC NPR Academic Partner
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Duke University School of Nursing
Email: anne.derouin@duke.edu
Claudette Forrest RN
Nurse Recruiter
VA Durham health care
Phone: 919-286-6858