VA Nurse Fellowships Now that you are funded . . .

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VA Nurse Fellowships Now that you are
funded . . .

• Deborah Finnell, DNS, APRN,BC, NPP, CARN-AP
• Jill Bormann, PhD, RN
• (created January 2007)

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Tips

• Not all VAs are familiar with the VA Nurse
  Fellowship Program
• The Program Director will serve as liaison for
  you, the VA facility, and affiliated university
  personnel.
• You may need to be pro-active to get your
  status and application in place.

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Tips

• Organize the business end of the fellowship by
  keeping files, such as
• Award Memorandum of the Office of Academic
  Affiliations
• Letter of confirmation of appointment from local
  VA
• Notification of Personnel Action
• Human Resource records
• AL-Annual Leave, SL-Sick Leave, AA-Authorized
  Absence

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Form 52 Request for Personnel Action

• Determine who initiates this form at your VA
  (e.g., Nursing Research Director, Nursing
  Education Director, Nurse Executive)
• Appointment codes are designated in the award
  letter. These include
• Series, title, and assignment codes
• Pay plan
• Grade Step
• Sub-account number

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Form 52 Request for Personnel Action

• Near the end of the first year, the local Office
  of Nursing Services (ONS) initiates another Form
  52 to increase the per annum stipend rate for the
  following year. 

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Benefits

• Awardee is eligible to participate in the health
  and life insurance programs (pro-rated basis, if
  part-time).
• Annual and sick leave is earned based on
  full-time or part-time status, not for
  intermittent status.

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Develop Your Program Curriculumor (for pre-docs,
your dissertation)

• Learning Objectives
• Learning Experiences
• Evaluation
• Training Staff

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Example of Program Curriculum Goal Increase
knowledge of outcomes measurement

• Learning Objectives
• Evaluate outcome measures commonly used in
  research with HIV/AIDS patients
• Learning Experiences
• Course Theory of Measurement Evaluation
• With mentor, critique selected outcome HIV
  measures
• Evaluation
• Demonstrates skill of critiquing instruments used
  in outcomes research.
• Training Staff
• Faculty in Evaluation Measurement Department
• Mentor, Dr. Smith

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Fellowship Evaluation Report

• A first year evaluation report as outlined in the
  program announcement must be submitted to OAA/14.
  
• Reports are initiated by awardee with a section
  completed by the Program Director and Mentors.

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Example of Fellowship Evaluation

• Short Term Goal
• Increase knowledge of health care economics
• Performance Criteria
• Demonstrates understanding of health care
  economics
• Integrates economic theory into design of HIV
  outcome studies
• Evaluation Method
• Successfully completes course independent study
  by (date)
• Submits research proposal that incorporates
  economic theory
• Evaluator
• Faculty in courses
• Mentor

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Take the initiative

• Set up regular meetings with your Mentors and
  Program Director
• Be realistic with your goals
• Dont make assumptionsalways check things out
  and follow-through.

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Develop a VA Research Career Plan

• Discuss VA Career Development Award application
• Prepare grant applications consider VA Nursing
  Research Initiative (NRI) or National Institutes
  of Health (NIH) sources for major funding
• Explore VA research positions

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Congratulations and Good Luck!