Annie Goodrich Nurse Practitioner Fellowship

The Annie Goodrich Post-Graduate Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellowship is a 10-month rigorous and highly competitive training program for newly graduated psychiatric nurse practitioners seeking to sharpen and expand their skills in a multi-disciplinary, psychiatric continuum of care.

The purpose of the fellowship is to provide novice advanced-practice graduates with the competence and confidence needed for independent, advanced psychiatric/mental health practice. The fellowship is focused on core competencies and offers participants the opportunity to engage in specialty rotations that provide a depth of understanding and a strong foundation in advanced practice. 

From the beginning, the fellow will be exposed to the principles of Lifestyle Medicine that will enhance the quality of life for both patient and the practitioner; principles that are particularly important for a practitioner entering a rewarding yet demanding profession. The program follows American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) standards and the hospital is an active member of the Association of Post-Graduate APRN Programs (APGAP).


History

The Annie Goodrich Post-Graduate Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellowship program began in 2017. Annie Goodrich, – granddaughter of Dr. John Butler, the fourth superintendent of the Institute of Living – was a nursing pioneer, advocate, scholar and the first dean of Yale University School of Nursing. Dr. Goodrich, oversaw the healthcare system for soldiers during World Wars I and II. By the 1940’s, she returned to Hartford and the Institute of Living to serve as the Consulting Director of Nursing Service for the Neuro-Psychiatric Institute and subsequently started its internationally recognized Post Graduate Nursing Program. In her honor and in the spirit of her passion for excellence in nursing care and education, our postgraduate nurse practitioner program carries her name. 

The IOL is part of Hartford HealthCare’s Behavioral Health Network. It is located on 35 beautiful acres designed by renowned landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmsted (father of landscape architecture). Olmsted believed an “oasis of a rural landscape created against an urban backdrop provided refuge for the human mind to heal and for the spirit to thrive”. Our beautiful campus supports both the hospital’s mission –to improve the health and healing of the people and communities we serve – and vision – to be the most trusted for personalized, coordinated care. Hartford HealthCare’s organizational values — Safety, Excellence, Integrity, Caring and Equity - have direct bearing on all we do. 

The Institute of Living opened in 1822 as the first hospital in Connecticut and the third in the United States. Our heritage stems from John Locke, who, in the late 1600s, proposed a revolutionary idea that all men have inalienable rights. This notion trickled down to the mentally ill and, in 1792, ushered in the “unchaining of the insane” at the Bicêtre Asylum in France. In the United States, the notion of humane care of the mentally ill was championed by Dr. Eli Todd. He first proposed the “establishment of an institution for the mentally ill following this [very] progressive thinking.”  The institution came to be known as the Hartford Retreat, and later, as the Institute of Living. 

The Institute of Living merged with Hartford Hospital in October 1994. The Behavioral Health Network of Hartford HealthCare – composed of the IOL, Natchaug Hospital, Rushford and the behavioral health divisions of Hartford Hospital, Windham Hospital, Backus Hospital, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, The Hospital of Central Connecticut and MidState Medical Center - provides a full continuum of mental health and substance abuse recovery services, as well as quality community-based treatment programs. Personalized care is provided by compassionate, knowledgeable and experienced clinicians who also integrate care for patients’ primary healthcare needs. 


Mission & Vision

The mission of the Annie Goodrich Post-Graduate Nurse Practitioner Fellowship program is to provide a unique educational opportunity that will prepare the psychiatric nurse practitioner to practice in a subspecialty through a child/adolescent, adult, geriatric or addiction track. A Consultation Liaison Track is planned for 2024.

Our vision is to prepare competent and confident nurse practitioners with strong core competencies in psychiatric care to bridge the gap between graduate training and independent practice.


Training Program

All fellows in the program participate in weekly behavioral health Grand Rounds as well as Ethics Rounds, Schwartz Rounds, Suicide Assessment Module (SAM) training, CPI two-day training and medical education in-services, with exposure to executive leadership and quality improvement meetings. In addition, fellows will refine their skills in interviewing, conducting suicide and risk assessments, gathering data for a differential diagnosis and formulation, documenting interventions as well as working as an integral part of a multidisciplinary team. Fellows will be trained in billing and documentation using EPIC, Hartford HealthCare’s integrated electronic medical record. Fellows will have Specialty Educational Rotations (SERs) through clinical sites that will support their practice.  Moreover, they will have devoted time to developing a case load of patients that will allow them to refine skills and improve time management.  At the conclusion of the fellowship, fellows will prepare and deliver a major case presentation to executive leadership with guidance from a supervisor.

The fellowship has four tracks—child/adolescent, adult, geriatric or addiction track. The geriatric track is offered on odd years. A consultation track is planned for academic year 2023-2024.

The ten months are divided into three trimsters: September – December, January – March, April – June. During the first trimester, fellows in all tracks will train on inpatient and outpatient service (clinical areas particular to the age specific population of their specialty).  A particular focus is on safety/risk and suicide assessment. Second trimester will encompass subspecialities (SERs) related to the fellows chosen population.  Third trimester will include focused time in the clinic to help the fellow refine their prescribing, case management, and time management skills as they increase the volume and complexity of their case load.  Through all trimesters, the fellow will have a preceptor to support the learning process. The fellow will have three supervisors – one for clinical work, one for day-to-day logistical issues, and one to address “the work” as well as transference and countertransference issues. Fellows will be attending a select group of didactic classes with the post-graduate year physicians in training as well as didactics with nurse faculty. Psychopharm classes will assist the fellow to build on the science of prescribing (acquired in school) and begin to refine the art of prescribing. The fellow will also have an opportunity to lead/co-lead group psychotherapy.

In the 10 months, fellows will transform their understanding of the complexities characterized by the lived experiences of individuals, families and communities suffering with psychiatric mental illness. Fellows will enhance and refine skills, knowledge and wisdom to heighten professional and clinical expertise. The program will take each fellow beyond the science of advanced psychiatric nursing, in all modalities, toward the advancement of artful practice. Program foci will include relationship development, enhanced self-awareness and strengthened skills in reflective practice that will move fellows far beyond their graduate academic experiences.

Possible Specialty Educational Rotations by Track

Child/Adolescent Track:

  • Grace Webb School
  • Solnit State Hospital
  • Emergency room
  • Palliative care and pain management at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC)
  • Consultation liaison at CCMC and Hartford Hospital
  • Rushford addiction medicine
  • Natchaug Hospital
  • Journey House (Residential treatment for court-involved adolescent girls)
  • Integrative medicine at Hartford Hospital
  • Community clinic for social determinants of health
  • Peripartum clinic
  • Young adult clinic and clinic for the medically compromised
  • Experience in court with a guardian ad litem and a forensic psychiatry didactic
  • Concussion clinic and epilepsy Clinic

Adult & Geriatric Tracks:

  • Emergency room (Purple Pod Psychiatry)
  • Early Psychosis
  • Rushford for addiction medicine
  • General medical at Hartford Hospital
  • Neurology/stroke clinic
  • Young adult clinic and clinic for the medically compromised
  • Memory Disorder Clinic
  • Movement Disorder Clinic
  • Consultation Liaison
  • Court room observational experience along with forensic psychiatry didactic
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Community clinic for social determinants of health. 
  • Pain and palliative care at Hartford Hospital
  • Peripartum (adult track only)
  • Integrative medicine

Addiction Track: 

  • Rushford Addiction (for two trimesters)
  • Emergency room (Purple Pod Psychiatry)
  • Journey House (residential treatment for court–ordered adolescent girls)
  • General Medicine at Hartford Hospital
  • Neurology (concussion clinic)
  • Consultation Liaison (CL) at Hartford Hospital
  • Court ordered observational experience along with forensic psychiatry (didactics)
  • Community Health for social determinants of health
  • Pain clinic
  • Palliative care at Hartford Hospital
  • Peripartum
  • Integrative Medicine

Consultation Liaison Track: (starts in the fall of 2024)

This track will begin with the basic inpatient experience and include selected relevant specialty rotations. The fellow will work with  and be supervised by the consultation liaison team of Hartford Hospital. 


Recent Graduates

Our graduates work in a variety of settings – emergency psychiatry; clinical faculty; assistant director of a community agency; clinicians at the our geriatric clinic; Memory Disorders program; and Yale inpatient service. Our Alumni Association is growing, providing a supportive network for graduates and supervisors of future fellows.


Benefits

Fellows are fully employed, salaried and participate in the benefits package enjoyed by HHC employees (medical, dental, vision, paid time off, paid disability with buy-ups, a variety of voluntary benefits programs, a free 24/7 fitness center and free parking). 


How to Apply

All applicants must complete all components of the application plus Form B. Completed applications should be emailed to Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org, 860.545.7295 by January 15.

Invitations to interview will be mailed on or before February 14. Final decisions by the selection committee will be made on or before March 21. Full acceptance into the program will be contingent upon passing the certification exam.

There will be information sessions in October and November. If interested, please contact Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org, 860.545.7295.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the schedule of the program?
A: The program runs Monday to Friday from approximately 8 am to 4:30 pm, depending on the experience. There are no weekends, evenings or holidays involved.

Q: What is the length of the program?
A: The program is 10 months long, starting in late August or early September (depending on the date of Labor Day and the Hartford Hospital orientation schedule) and ends June 30.

Q: How is the 10-month program divided?
A: The first trimester runs from September to December and focuses on inpatient care. Fellows also begin to work with long-term patients in the clinic. The second trimester runs from January to March and is a specialty trimester where fellows add rotations related to their track, both on IOL grounds and within the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network. Fellows will also have time in the clinic with a growing case load patients. NOTE: some SERs may occur in other semesters due to the availability of the experience. The third trimester is from April to June and is the outpatient care rotation where the caseload and complexity of patients increases. The fellow continues to work with assigned long-term patients during the second and third trimesters.

Q: Where are the specialties located?
A: Specialties are located on the IOL campus, Hartford Hospital and other Hartford HealthCare and Behavioral Health Network clinics. Travel may be necessary to attend some of the specialties.

Q: What readings/books will be required?
A: Fellows are given books and articles relevant to their clinical/classroom experiences. Feel free to bring any additional books you need to support your learning. 

Q: How will I manage my time? 
A: Classes, seminars and supervision are scheduled during the clinical day. You will be responsible for attending assigned classes and meetings as indicated on the schedule. You will need to plan your clinical work to include time for classes/meetings and any necessary travel time.

Q: How will I know where I need to be?
A: On the second day of the fellowship (the first day is general hospital orientation), you will receive a complete and detailed orientation from the program director. The orientation will include information about Hartford HealthCare and the Behavioral Health Network. You will receive a schedule for the year. You can anticipate some changes as programs change. However, any reworking of the schedule will hold to the highest standards for your experience.

Q: Will I have support during the fellowship?
A: A preceptor will be assigned to you on the clinical unit to assist and support your learning. In addition, our program offers you three supervisors, each specifically focused on either day-to-day operational support, your outpatient experience, or on your personal exploration within the context of clinical work and role transition.

Q: Will I receive benefits?
A: Fellows are fully employed on a 10-month schedule and can participate in the Hartford HealthCare benefits package. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid time off, paid disability, and a variety of voluntary benefits. A free 24/7 fitness center, free parking, library services, and Occupational Health Services are offered.

Q: Where will I be located?
A: You will be assigned a shared office space with a phone and computer for your clinical use. You will also be assigned a laptop for clinical use.

Q: When do I need to apply?
A: The application must be received before January 15 for the upcoming fall semester. 

Q: When will I know if I am offered an interview?
A: Invitations to interview will be mailed out on or before February 14

Q: When will I know if I am accepted?
A: A final decision by the selection committee will be made on or before March 21.

Q: What must I have in place to start on my first day?
A: Boards should be passed on or before June 30.  The incoming fellow should immediately apply to the State for their APRN license and CS—and then immediately for their DEA. Your license and CS will allow you to start on day 1. Your license, CS and DEA will allow you to start the privileging process at Hartford HealthCare. Privileging takes time, so the earlier you start, the sooner you will get privileges to practice. Four tips: (a) persistence with the state,  helps, (b) responding promptly to requests from the Hartford HealthCare privileging department, (c) be sure you get your references to Hartford HealthCare privileging  --a lack of references often causes a significant delay in processing and finally, upon request, be sure to (d) submit I-9  to Hartford HealthCare, ex. passport, OCC health documents (including your OCC health appointment), and information to Hartford Hospital Photo ID and parking  (car registration) for parking privileges. 
Q: Where can I park while at the Institute & Hartford Hospital?
Parking is free while on campus. Parking is in an open lot behind the main entrance on Retreat Ave. You must register your car. You may only park in the area assigned to you.

Q: Who is the contact person for the program?
A: Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org, 860.545.7295.


Living in Greater Hartford


For More Information

Please direct any questions to Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org, 860.545.7295.