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Nurse Residency Programs

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You will transition from the classroom to hands-on care alongside experienced professionals in multiple clinical settings.
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Are you a newly graduated registered nurse (RN) or mental health nurse practitioner (NP) ready to take your knowledge and skills to the next level? As a nurse resident at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, you will transition from the classroom to hands-on care alongside experienced professionals in multiple clinical settings.

Much like a fellowship, the yearlong nurse residency provides you with significant work experience, training and skill development opportunities not typically available in entry-level nursing and nurse practitioner positions.
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Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency (PBRNR)

The PBRNR 12-month program helps recent nurse graduates transition from the classroom to clinical practice. The program is an opportunity for graduates to hone critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making skills. The PBRNR program provides:

  • A set of learning opportunities focused on institutional and departmental practices that help new nurses learn VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) policies, procedures and standards of care.
  • Reflection and exploration on nursing through case review and use-of-self as an instrument of healing and caring.
  • An introduction to key persons.
  • Structures needed to execute routines.
  • Professional connectivity among intergenerational nurses to ensure that values are passed along and celebrated.
  • Confidence building by linking critical thinking with critical actions.

Applicant criteria:

  • Graduate of BSN or MSN entry level program, accredited by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
  • Be a licensed RN by the start of the program
  • Be a licensed RN for less than one-year post graduation from your nursing program and have no RN position work experience
  • Submission of required application packet
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from your nursing program
  • Be a U.S. citizen and meet standards for onboarding
Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency (PBNR) (PDF)

    Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency (MH-NPR)

    MH-NPR experiences provide the recently graduated or newly certified mental health nurse practitioner opportunities to enhance their clinical skills in providing evidence-based and Veteran-centered care to Veterans experiencing a myriad of mental health problems. Mentored clinical experiences allow residents to provide mental health care for Veterans across VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System  in inpatient, outpatient and substance use treatment settings. Residents will engage in didactic experiences to reinforce education and develop and implement an evidence-based quality improvement project while collaborating with interprofessional teams to promote best mental health outcomes for Veterans. The MH-NPR program prepares nurse practitioners for professional leadership, education and research or quality improvement in practice.

    Applicant Criteria

    • U.S. citizen; proficient in written and spoken English; background and security investigation; pre-trainee physical examination.
    • Graduate of Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredited psychiatric nurse practitioner programs.
    • Recent graduate – within the past 12 months.
    • Master’s or doctorate degree, licensed, nationally board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and credentialed as a nurse practitioner with a specialty in psychiatric-mental health. Note: Applicants may apply prior to graduating and national board certification but must be board-certified and credentialed prior to program start.
    VAPHS Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program Application (DOCX)

    Learn More

    To find out more or for application details, contact a nursing residency program coordinator.