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The mission of the Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVAHCS) and the University of Alabama School of Nursing (UABSON) Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency (PC-NPR) is to enhance the competencies of Nurse Practitioner residents and to prepare highly qualified leaders in an interprofessional environment with expertise in Veteran-centric care while emphasizing practice-based learning and improvement. BVACHS and UABSON partner in a shared vision of transforming the care of Veterans and their families by working collaboratively to educate compassionate, highly competent nurses and nurse practitioners through the PC-NPR.

The program supports excellence in interprofessional education by emphasizing an understanding of respective roles and responsibilities while addressing barriers to care. There is a focus on honing interprofessional skills thereby advancing ethical, safe Veteran-centric care.

By applying evidence-based findings, residents are expected to define, analyze and synthesize Veteran-centric approaches to whole, person-centered care. Residents must then apply this knowledge to reflect, appraise and adopt Veteran-centric care practices.

Through immersive clinical and didactic experiences, the program enhances practice-based learning and quality improvement skills. Experiences are designed to guide residents in the application and evaluation of strategies aimed at supporting and advancing Veteran outcomes.

The program fosters professional leadership by delivering sustained, high-quality care for Veterans. Residents utilize leadership theories and collaborate with faculty to assess the responsiveness and effectiveness of the Veteran healthcare system.

Eligibility Requirements:

• U.S. Citizen
• Recent graduate (within 12 months of program start date) from an accredited advanced practice primary care (e.g., family nurse practitioner or adult-gerontology primary care) nurse practitioner pathway
• Certification as a family or adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (obtained by start of residency)
• Eligible for an Alabama nurse practitioner license
• The residency must be your first position serving as an NP in the same specialty as the residency’s focus
• Proficient in written and spoken English

Residency Benefits:

• Competitive stipend
• Comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, paid holidays and health benefits
• Hiring preference for open positions at BVAHCS and other VA facilities upon completion of the residency

Application Timeline:

• Applications are accepted on a continual basis from October- February each year
• Interviews are conducted: March-April
• Selection notifications: May
• Residency start date: Late September

Application Requirements:

• Current resume/curriculum vitae
• Personal statement (250 words or less) describing your aspirations for the residency program, your short-term and long-term career goals and your interest in working with Veterans
• Three (3) letters of recommendations (1 supervisor, 1 academic and 1 of your choice)

For additional information and to apply, please contact:

The UAB School of Nursing and the Birmingham VA Healthcare System (BVAHCS) academic partnership expanded in 2017 to include a Post-Baccalaureate - Registered Nurse Residency (PB-RNR). This federally funded residency is a one-year, cohort-based training program. It is an academic-based residency program that provides training to newly licensed RNs in the role of trainee, prior to becoming a staff nurse.

The competency-based RN residency provides 100% protected training time aimed to enhance new graduate RN competency, confidence in practice, and leadership skills. The curriculum integrates both didactic and experiential learning activities. The curriculum model is designed to provide new graduate nurses an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained during prelicensure educational experiences across various clinical settings in Veterans Health Administration.

The PB-RNR curriculum is designed to increase the competence of entry level nurses in the VA Healthcare System by providing safe, quality health care — the UAB SON and the BVAHCS are positioned to prepare the next generation of nurses to care for America’s Veterans. Veterans can have unique health issues, and this RN Residency is one more way we can provide the most highly trained nurses possible at the bedside and in communities to care for them and their families. There is a tremendous amount of collaboration between the UAB School of Nursing and the BVAHCS. This innovative model of nursing education provides the building blocks for the future VA nursing workforce.

As part of the year-long, full-time Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency, these VHA trainees receive training in four phases geared towards putting the most highly educated nurses possible at the bedside and in communities to care for America's Veterans. Over the course of the year-long, full-time paid residency VHA trainees will receive training in four phases: two months in a primary care setting; six months in a medical-surgical setting; 10 weeks in a specialty care setting such as an Intensive Care Unit or Emergency Department; and six weeks in a leadership setting with nurse managers, clinical nurse leaders and others. This will help them develop effective decision-making and clinical leadership skills, as well as strategies to incorporate research and evidence into practice. It also allows them to practice as members of an interprofessional health care team.

For more information about the Post-Baccalaureate - Registered Nurse Residency, contact Dr. Randy Moore at rlmoore@uab.edu.

Through a partnership with the Birmingham VA Health Care System, candidates appointed to this 2-year Fellowship opportunity are supported in their development as leaders and scholars in healthcare improvement. The interprofessional emphasis of the program is one of its many strengths with program Fellows representing physicians, pre- and post-doctoral nurses, clinical psychologists and pharmacists.

Current Fellows

Asiah Ruffin, BSN
Pre-doctoral

Cheryl Elliott-Dawe, PhD
Post-doctoral

Becky D. Suttle, DNP
Post-doctoral

Past Fellows

Elizabeth M. Byrd, PhD

Tracey K. Dick, PhD

Shannon S. Layton, DNP

The UAB School of Nursing offers a special initiative. The Veterans Career Advancement in Nursing (Veterans CAN!) is for our military veterans, active duty reservists and members of the National Guard who wish to transition into a professional nursing career and earn a BSN degree in nursing.

UAB School of Nursing also supports the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP) and AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP). For information on UAB School of Nursing eligibility requirements and the processes for applying for NECP/AECP at the School, contact Crimsynn Dover at cdover@uab.edu. For information on VCAN!, contact Rachel Sasser at rmshaw@uab.edu.

Goals of Veterans CAN:

• Recognize the experience and training of veterans and members of the military who desire a career in nursing.

Highlights:

• Early admission review for qualified applicants.
• Dedicated advisors and peer support.
• Opportunity for academic credit for select coursework based on military training and experience completed within the past 5 years (training and experience completed longer than 5 years ago will require a waiver and additional validation process).

Eligibility:

• For military veterans, active-duty reservists, and those in the National Guard
• Must be admitted to UAB prior to applying for Veterans CAN
• Career goal is to become a registered professional nurse
• Provide a copy of DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
• Completion of a minimum of eight nursing pre-requisite courses, including a minimum of two science courses and an English composition course equivalent to EH 101 with a minimum 2.75 GPA
• Students transferring in less than 24 credit hours to UAB will follow the Blazer Core curriculum. Students transferring 24 or more credit hours into UAB can select between the Blazer Core curriculum or the Core Curriculum (AGSC).

Pre-nursing Course Requirements

The following courses must be completed prior to entering the BSN Program:

Contact

Crimsynn Dover

MSA

BSN Program Manager
Office of Student Success

cdover@uab.edu

205.975.7529

Rachel Sasser

MSN, CRNP, PMHNP‐BC

Co-Director, Veterans CAN!

rmshaw@uab.edu

205.975.2493

Randy Moore

DNP, RN, CCRN

Co-Director, Veterans CAN!

rlmoore@uab.edu

205.934.4425