Nurse Residency Programs

The mission of the GLA Nurse Practitioner Residency Program is to prepare new nurse practitioners to confidently deliver high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered, care to a vulnerable patients in a way that builds patients’ self-efficacy while meeting their social, psychological, and physical needs, with empathy and teamwork. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a statutory mission to provide education for the VA and the nation.  The VA has conducted health professions education and training in partnership with affiliated U.S. academic institutions for the past 75 years.

Nurse practitioners are among the top VA mission critical occupations identified as a priority for recruitment and retention initiatives. Research demonstrate that newly graduated NPs benefit from additional experiential training to master their clinical skills. Nursing residency programs are an excellent investment, increasing the retention of nurses and decreasing turnover costs.

New NP graduates choose to participate in postgraduate training programs for mentorship and as a bridge to practice in a safe space and supportive environment (Rugen et al., 2018). 

Since 2011, the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) has implemented 89 NP residency programs within VA.  The OAA nurse practitioner residency programs are designed: (1) to develop competent, confident, practice-ready NPs equipped with the knowledge and skills to address the specific needs of our nation's Veterans, and (2) to enhance recruitment and retention of VA nurses by providing a pipeline of highly qualified nurses. National evaluation of the effectiveness of the OAA’s nurse residency programs revealed a significant improvement in nurse Resident’s clinical skills and confidence in practice and a positive impact on VA nursing workforce recruitment and retention.

The VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) Interprofessional Academic Patient Aligned Care Team NP Residencies began in 2011 as the Center of Excellence in Primary Care Education (COEPCE) to train healthcare professionals to work together in a Patient Centered Medical Home model supporting Veteran health. The sites worked together to advance interprofessional training to improve the primary care provided to Veterans. 

GLA is one of two sites to join the COEPCE second phase in 2016.  The sites worked together to advance interprofessional training of the primary care provided to Veterans. GLA has expanded to offer NP residencies in Geriatrics and Extended Care in 2022 and Psychiatric Mental Health in 2023. The program directors work together to provide quality programming. All VA OAA NP residency leaders collaborate nationally to advance the residencies in line with the VA mission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation (CCNE) guidelines.

• 80% experiential learning rotating through various clinical settings 
• 20% Integrated and specialty clinical didactic sessions including clinical presentations, grand rounds, case studies, journal club, and interprofessional reflection group
• Structured progression of clinical experiences supporting competency development from novice to competent provider
• Clinical supervision throughout the program
• Completion and dissemination of a QI/PI or research project

• Citizen of the United States with proficiency in written and spoken English
• Recent graduate (within 12 months) of master's or doctoral level NP program in the same specialty area as the program’s focus accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a nurse practitioner in a state, commonwealth or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, prior to the start of the NP Residency program
• Current NP furnishing license is required if applicable in state of licensure
• Current board certification in the same specialty area as the program’s focus, OR proof of pending application to sit for board certification testing prior to August 1st (all residents must receive board certification within 90 days of program start date to continue in the program)
• Applicants cannot have worked as an NP in the field in which they are applying
• A current unencumbered RN license in a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States or the District is required
• DEA registration schedule II through V required within 90 days of program start date  
• Current BLS certification 
• A minimum graduate school GPA of 3.5 is preferred
• Applicants must be available to start mid-August, with the exact start date to be announced to selected applicants
• Completion of the following by program start date: 
  1. Security/professional background investigation as required by the VA
  2. Pre-employment health screening
  3. Tuberculosis skin testing
  4. Up-to-date vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by CDC and VA or applicable waiver according to VA policy
  5. Possible random drug testing
  6. Declaration for Federal Employment (OF 306)

• Confirm eligibility for VA appointment with the National Practitioner Data Bank at https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/
• Confirm exclusion from the no hire list at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at https://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/
• The application period is from January 15th - February 15th.
• Please email to the individual program directors a single application packet PDF of the following in this order:
  1. Curriculum vitae (please research the differences from a resume) 
  2. Personal Statement: Include pertinent background, particular qualifications you bring to the program (e.g., primary care, geriatrics, mental health, and vulnerable populations work experience, teaching experience, military, and Veteran experience), short-term and five-year professional goals, and how you plan to utilize this training (maximum 600 words).
  3. Unofficial or official graduate school transcript
  4. Application (VA Form 10-2850D)

Applicants are reviewed by the selection committee and rated by pre-determined criteria. The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Position offers will be extended by email as soon as committee consensus is reached, approximately mid-April. Once an offer is made, applicants will be asked to accept or decline. Positions may be held for 72 hours but we ask you notify us of a decision as soon as feasible. Final applicants must complete additional federal application documents and undergo eligibility verification. Candidates that are not offered a position may be added to the waitlist.

The Greater Los Angeles (GLA) NP residency program is excited to seek CCNE accreditation. The program was developed with the rigor and intention of meeting CCNE accreditation requirements. VA OAA has a coordinated timeline for all VA programs. GLA is scheduled for CCNE accreditation review in the Spring of 2025.

$89K/2080 hours plus health insurance benefits

The tour of duty is generally 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Elective rotation times may vary.

• 10 paid federal holidays per year 
• Accrual of 4 hours annual leave (vacation) and 4 hours of sick leave for each 2-week pay period worked (residents may earn and use 104 hours each of sick leave and 104 hours annual leave per year).
• No call or weekend shifts

May I apply if I have not graduated yet?  Yes, we accept applications from students who will graduate, obtain their NP license, and test for their national certification by August 1. 

Am I guaranteed employment with VA at completion of the program?  No, but one of our top priorities is to prepare our NP residents for VA employment. Program participation does not guarantee employment, but we have had great success placing many graduates of our program. We will help graduates find and navigate how to apply for any open VA positions.

As a current VA RN, can I stay employed and do the residency?  No. As a current VA employee, you may apply but to become a resident trainee, you will have to resign your VA position during the residency. Further, the VA training year does not count towards your VA employee work years, seniority, or retirement.

As a VA RN soon to be NP, does the residency help me get hired at VA as an NP?  As a former employee who completes the residency, you are not guaranteed a VA position upon completion. You will have one year of pertinent VA NP primary care experience and a chance to experience various VA NP roles. We are happy to report that several former VA employee resident graduates have secured VA NP positions.

Can I count the residency as VA National Nursing Education Imitative (NNEI) scholarship payback time?  No. The residency is a trainee stipend position, not VA employment. If you are an NNEI scholar with an obligation, you may apply for and if selected, participate in the residency, but your payback time would start after residency completion.

Do you have other start dates?  We only offer the one summer start date.

Can I work during the residency?  Moonlighting is discouraged as it tends to diminish the learning experience. The residency offers a competitive stipend, including benefits, to enable residents to focus on the training. Rest, leisure time, exercise, and self-study are encouraged after hours for a balanced start to your new career.

Other VA residency sites can be located here: Nursing Education - Office of Academic Affiliations (va.gov) 

Every year our residents are mentored in a quality improvement project. Several projects have resulted in posters, national presentations, and publications co-authored by NP residents. A sample of the scholarly work from our program is listed below:

Bakr, O., Gelberg, L., Seragaki, S., Youn, S., Kawamoto, J., Hoppe, M., Altman, L., Kopelson, K., May, F. P., Cowan, B., & Bhattacharya, D. (2019). Treating Hepatitis C in Homeless Veterans at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. Hepatology, 70(3), 1071–1073. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.30643

Gregg, E., Linn, C., Nace, E., Gelberg, L., Cowan, B., & Fulcher, J. A. (2020). Implementation of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis in a Homeless Primary Care Setting at the Veterans Affairs. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 11, 2150132720908370. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132720908370

Owens, T., Ewing, D., Devera, M., Shrestha, S., Kopelson, K., Capone-Newton, P., Gelberg, L. (2021). Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Housing for Health in the VA Greater Los Angeles Tent Community.  Annals of Family Medicine. October 29,2021. Response To The Pandemic: Housing For Health In The Va Tent Community (umich.edu)

Prince, A., Sabio, Y., Effron, L., Abromowitz, M., Reyes, L., Darnell, J., Chen, P., Ng, D., Willinger, C. Kopelson, K., Capone-Newton, P., Cowan, B., Borthwick, K., Penamon, C., Gelberg, L. (2022). Facing the Digital Divide: Increasing Video Visits Among Veterans Experiencing Homelessness. Annals of Family Medicine, 20(5), 486; https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2861

Soh, M., Shaner, A., Gelberg, L., Kopelson, K., Stuber, M., Fessler, D., & Warde, C. (2018). Using the Humanism Pocket Tool for Patients with Challenging Behaviors. Annals of family medicine, 16(5), 467. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2300

Temblique, E., Foster, K., Fujimoto, J., Kopelson, K., Borthwick, K. M., & Capone-Newton, P.(2022). A 1-Year Review of a Nationally Led Intervention to Improve Suicide Prevention Screening at a Large Homeless Veterans Clinic. Federal Practitioner: For the Health Care Professionals of the Veterans Affairs, DoD, and PHS, 39(1), 12–18. https://doi.org/10.12788/fp.0215

Rugen, K. W., Harada, N., Harrington, F., Dolansky, M. A., & Bowen, J. L. (2018). Nurse Practitioner residents' perceptions of competency development during a year-long immersion in Veterans Affairs primary care. Nursing outlook, 66(4), 352–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2018.05.002