Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program (MHNPR) is to prepare novice Nurse Practitioners to deliver evidence-based, high- quality, patient-centric care to Veterans, while improving job satisfaction, employee retention, and a life-long commitment to professional nursing.

Program Objectives:

• Transition newly graduated Mental Health Nurse Practitioners to Advanced Beginner Mental Health Providers through support of individual learning needs.
• Provide wide variety of learning opportunities both in the inpatient and outpatient mental health care settings.
• Integrate evidence-based knowledge and clinical excellence in advanced practice nursing while providing compassionate care to the Veteran population.
• Develop collaborative skills through working with a multi-disciplinary team, utilizing the team-based care approach.
• Develop innovative, efficient, cost-effective ways to improve access to mental health care by Veterans.
• Provide newly graduated Nurse Practitioners a deeper understanding of the unique and complex health care needs of the Veteran population while serving as mental health providers at the VA.

About Our Program:

• Our MHNPR program is a 12 month residency that combines clinical practicum experiences, specialty rotations and didactic education to provide a well-rounded experience for newly graduated Nurse Practitioners.
• Our program provides the opportunity to work alongside experienced nurse practitioners, physicians, social workers, clinical pharmacists, among other professionals who would broaden new nurse practitioners’ understanding of what it means to be an Independent Licensed Practitioner.
• Clinical rotations include but not limited to the following: Mental Health (Inpatient, Outpatient and Domiciliary Residential Care), Primary Care Mental Health Integration, Behavioral Health Integrated Program, Psychiatric Emergency Services, Crisis Same Day Access, Substance Use Disorder Clinic, PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services, etc.).

Required Application Criteria:

• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Must be a recent graduate (within 12 months) of a Master’s, Post-Master’s certificate, or Doctoral level Nurse Practitioner program accredited by CCNE or the ACEN.
• Must be serving in their first role as Mental Health Nurse Practitioners.
• Must possess a current Psychiatric Mental Health board certification.
• Must possess a current full active and unrestrictive registration as a graduate professional 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 MHNPR program.

All interested applicants should submit their Resume/CV to Anamarie.Lazo@va.gov

If selected for an interview, be prepared to provide three letters of recommendations.

Application deadline: April 28, 2023
Virtual Interviews: May 2023

Selection notification: June 2023
Program start: September 2023

For any questions or additional information, please contact:
Dr. Anamarie J. Lazo
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
Anamarie.Lazo@va.gov