Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

The PMHNPs will advance from novice to competent psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners while developing competencies in Veterans' health care needs. Through mentored clinical experiences and professional development activities, PMHNPs will be prepared to provide mental health services for the veteran population.

Through the completion of this 12-month Post-Graduate Training Program, the PMHNPs will:

1. Gain tremendous experience in the management of Veterans with complex mental health conditions;
2. Hone critical thinking and diagnostic skills
3. Enhance leadership skills.
4. Strengthen confidence and competence as a licensed, independent mental health nurse practitioner in the promotion of optimal mental health, prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders and health maintenance.

PMHNP Resident Salary and Benefits

Residents in our program are considered federal trainees with a competitive stipend and comprehensive benefits package that includes in part, paid vacation and sick leave, 10 paid holidays and health benefits. The resident stipend is based on the current year’s allocation rate for the local area.

Program Structure

• This 12-month Post-Graduate PMHNP Residency Program is divided into block clinical rotation assignments in various specialty mental health clinical areas.
• Residency curriculum includes:
  • Clinical rotations (80% of experience).
  • Integrated and parallel clinical didactic sessions (20%).
  • Self-reflective ongoing portfolio for professional development.
  • Learner-selected quality-improvement/capstone project. 

Didactic Education

The PMHNPs will typically engage in eight hours of didactic experience per week in addition to 32 hours of clinical experience per week. The weekly didactic experiences will be drawn from existing regular educational offerings, case presentations, and grand rounds at an academic School of Nursing and Durham VA Health Care Systems. These didactic experiences will facilitate the PMHNPs meet the specific components within the psychiatric nurse practitioner residency program core domains.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program Faculty

Durham VA Health Care System, Duke School of Nursing and Duke School of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Affiliated Faculty

• Michael Zychowicz
• Bich-Tuyen Nguyen
• Paul Riordan

Application Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. born or naturalized citizen.
• Be a graduate of an accredited advance practice psychiatric nursing program (MSN, DNP, PhD) within the past 12 months.
•  The applicant must not have practiced as a PMHNP prior to starting the residency. This residency is for newly graduate PMHNP with no previous PMHNP experience
• Credentialed as NP by start of the program
• Licensure: 
  • Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as an RN & NP in the state of North Carolina. 
  • Current DEA with prescriptive authority/furnishing license.
• Proficient in written and spoken English.
• Pass a background/security investigation.
• Pass pre-employment 

Application Requirements:

• Curriculum vitae or resume  (include education, experience, research and publication if applicable, leadership service, life experience and professional memberships or awards) 
• Unofficial graduate school transcripts in a sealed envelope 
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (one must be from faculty member  and the other must be from a supervisor)
• Completed Health Trainee Application Form (VA Form 10-2850d) 

Submit Completed application requirements electronically via email to Claudette.Forrest@va.gov, Nurse Recruiter. Please cc: Dr. Bich-Tuyen.Nguyen@va.gov, Program Director for PMHNP Residency Program.