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.
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. Granddaughter of Dr. John Butler, the fourth superintendent of the Institute of Living, Annie Goodrich 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 of 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 nursing education, our postgraduate nurse practitioner program carries her name.
The Institute of Living 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 Health Equity - have a 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 (IOL).
The Institute of Living merged with Hartford Hospital in October 1994. The Behavioral Health Network of Hartford Healthcare includes several acute care behavioral health entities as well as outpatient behavioral health treatment centers. The Institute of Living is one of the entities within Hartford HealthCare. Our organization 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 a subspecialty in child/adolescent, or adult/geriatric care. We also offer additional opportunities in other specialty areas such as Addictions or Consult Liaison based on interest and available resources.
Our vision is to prepare competent and confident nurse practitioners with strong core competencies in psychiatric care and bridge the gap between graduate training and independent practice.
Fellowship Training
All fellows in the program participate in weekly behavioral health Grand Rounds as well as Ethics Rounds, Schwartz Rounds, Suicide Assessment Module (SAM) training, Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training and exposure to executive leadership and quality 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 an interdisciplinary team. Fellows will be trained in billing and documentation using EPIC, Hartford HealthCare’s integrated electronic medical record. Fellows will have Specialty Educational Rotations 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 case presentation to the leadership team, this is done with guidance from a supervisor.
The 10 months are divided into 3 trimesters: Sept – Dec, Jan – March, April – June. At the start of the program, there will be a particular focus on safety/risk and suicide assessment. As the Fellow progresses through the program, they are building skills, refining their prescribing, case management, and time management skills as they increase the volume and complexity of their case load. As they come to the end of the program, they will have opportunities in subspecialties and will prepare and present a case presentation. By the conclusion of the program, they will increase their confidence and competence. Through all semesters, the fellow will have a preceptor to support the learning process as well as supervision time to support their professional growth. Individual as well as Group Supervision are provided. Fellows will be attending a select group of didactic classes. Psychopharmacology 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 participate in psychotherapy, including individual, family and group.
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 health 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 strengthen skills in reflective practice that will move fellows far beyond their graduate academic experiences.
Specialty Educational Rotations by track might include
Child/Adolescent Track:
- Grace Webb School
- Emergency Room
- Consultation Liaison Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) and Hartford Hospital
- Addiction Medicine
- Natchaug
- Journey House (Residential treatment/ adolescent girls in the court system)
- Integrative medicine at Hartford Hospital
- Community clinic for social determinants of health
- Peripartum clinic
- Young adult clinic
- Experience in court with a guardian ad litem (GAL) and a forensic psychiatry didactic
- Neurology: Concussion clinic & Epilepsy Clinic
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) clinic
Adult & Geriatric Tracks:
- Emergency room (Purple Pod Psychiatry)
- Addiction medicine
- General medical at Hartford Hospital
- Neurology/ stroke clinic
- Young adult clinic
- Memory Disorder Clinic
- Movement Disorder Clinic
- Consultation Liaison
- Court room observational experience along with forensic psychiatry didactic
- DBT
- Community clinic for social determinants of health.
- Pain and palliative care at Hartford Hospital
- Peripartum
- Integrative medicine
Recent Graduates
Our graduates work in a variety of settings: emergency psychiatry; clinical faculty, assistant director of a community agency; clinicians and program managers at our geriatric clinic; Memory Disorders program; and Yale inpatient service. Our Alumni Association is growing and providing a supportive network for graduates and as supervisors of future fellows.
During their 10 months
Fellows are fully employed, salaried and participate in the benefits package enjoyed by HHC employees (medical, dental, vision, PTO/personal 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 (ph: 860.545.7828) by January 15.
Application Form
Invitations to interview will be emailed 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 or (ph: 860.545.7828).
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 concludes at the end of June.
Q: How is the 10-month program divided?
A: The program consists of 3 trimesters: Aug/Sept- Dec, Jan-Mar, and April-June
Q: Where are the specialties located?
A: Specialties are located on the Institute of Living 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: During the first week, 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 first trimester. You can anticipate some changes as programs change. However, any reworking of the schedule will be held 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 ongoing supervision. We offer individual as well as group supervision.
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 15th for the upcoming fall semester.
Q: When will I know if I am offered an interview?
A: Invitations to interview will be emailed out on or before February 14th
Q: When will I know if I am accepted?
A: A final decision by the selection committee will be made on or before March 21st.
Q: Once you are accepted:
A: Boards should be passed on or before June 30th. The incoming Fellow should immediately apply to the State for the APRN license and CS (controlled substance) and then promptly for their DEA. NPI will also be required if you do not already have one. These are all needed in order to obtain privileges to practice at Hartford HealthCare. The process for obtaining privileges takes time, so the earlier you start, the sooner you will get the privileges to practice. Background checks are part of the onboarding process and for individuals accepted into our child/ adolescent tracks, there are additional requirements of DCF background checks and fingerprinting. Some helpful tips: being persistent with the state can be helpful, respond promptly to requests from the Hartford HealthCare onboarding and credentialling team, be sure to get your references to the Hartford HealthCare onboarding and credentialling team- a lack of references can cause significant delays, be sure to submit your 1-9 to Hartford HealthCare on time ( this may require identification such as passports and health care records) and finally please submit your information to Hartford Hospital Photo ID and Parking.
Q: Is travel required and is parking available
A: Some travel may be required depending on the clinical sites you are at. Parking is available. You will need to register your car and park only in assigned lots.
Q: Who is the contact person for the program?
A: Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org or (ph: 860.545.7828).
For More Information
Please direct any questions to Barbara Emery, APRN at Barbara.Emery@hhchealth.org or (ph: 860.545.7828).