Quality Care Our Heroes Deserve

Now is the time to take your career to the next level and become part of the high-caliber talent that is VA. Experience what 250,000 current VA employees already have state-of-the art practice settings, access to the latest technology, a multi-disciplinary team environment and the opportunity to provide the men and women who have bravely served this country with the finest patient care, benefits and customer satisfaction. And with VA Patient Satisfaction Scores leading the healthcare industry, you'll be joining one of the most respected facilities in the Nation.

The Mental Health NP residency program is being developed as a collaborative program between the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center (DVAMC) and Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) with the goal of incorporating the residents into both organizations.

It is developed based on a model of inter-professional education where the residents will interact as colleagues in the provision of integrated clinical care with providers from other disciplines including psychiatry, psychology, different medical specialties and with advanced practice nurses from other specialties, particularly other nurse practitioners. 

Learning opportunities will be identified for all residents such as those provided in existing residency programs, in the programs developed within the newly funded HRSA proposal, in training and continuing education programs of the DVAMC and through participation in designated activities within DUSON.

A seminar series will be developed for the Mental Health NP Residents focusing on Transitions into Complex Practice, with leadership provided by the residency directors with the support of DUSON and DVAMC leadership.

A particularly unique feature of this program is the ability to take part in DUSONs Doctorate of Nursing Practice program while participating in the residency. Nurse practitioners participating in the mental health post graduate residency program would be able to extend their education to the doctoral level by applying for the Duke University DNP program when they know they have been accepted into the Mental Health NP residency program.

 As part of that post graduate residency program some of the hours in the residency can be applied to the DNP program hours, but more importantly, quality improvement projects undertaken as part of the post graduate residency are excellent opportunities for the capstone quality improvement project that is integral to all accredited DNP programs. DUSON invites these residents to apply for the DNP program and accepts up to 45 post masters students annually.

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The DNP program curriculum is offered online with weekend intensives once a semester; this is conducive to nurse practitioners working full time - 100% of the nurse practitioner DNP students work full time and take 2-3 courses a semester. This online format, interspersed with weekend intensives, allows the students to customize their study and online instruction time to meet the needs of their work and family life. For the mental health NPs, DUSON faculty with expertise in mental health would be ideal

 candidates to provide capstone leadership and offer editorial assistance for manuscripts from the capstone projects. Since the project would be in the VA Medical Center complex, the knowledge dissemination from publication of the capstone would highlight VA innovations and innovative practice models that are the hallmark of the VA healthcare system.

Required Skills:

U.S. Citizenship, Birth or Naturalized (appropriate documentation required)

Masters degree from an NLN or CCNE accredited Nurse Practitioner program

National Certification as a Nurse Practitioner

Current, full, unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse

State approval to practice as an Nurse Practitioner

Bring your expertise to VA and be valued as part of a team that is recognized and respected for significant contributions to medicine. You'll enjoy a patient-focused environment, terrific benefits and incentives, and the ability to practice at any VA facility in the country.

Equal Opportunity Employer