The Phase I Clinical Director will provide information to the 1st year students regarding all operational opportunities.
If a student elects to attend an operational elective during Phase I, the Phase I Clinical Director will be notified prior to routing to the PD.
If a student elects to attend during Phase II, the Phase II Clinical Director will be notified before routing to P2SD and PD. It should be noted that Phase II offers a schedule more conducive to attending operational electives.
Please refer to the drop down options below for additional operational information and student responsibilities:
To participate in elective operational health opportunities, students must:
Be in good academic standing
Obtain P2SD and Program Director approval
Must not conflict with other school obligations/courses
Must stay current with ongoing classwork
Must be up to date with DNP Project and progressing according to established schedule/timeline
For all information and registration instructions regarding Operational Electives available to PMHNP students please visit: sites.google.com/usuhs.edu/gsn-operationalelectives/home?authuser=0
America Samoa: The opportunity for a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) student to complete a four-week clinical rotation in American Samoa presents a unique and invaluable experience. American Samoa, a U.S. territory in the South Pacific, faces significant healthcare disparities, including limited access to physical and mental health services. This rotation aims to provide students with hands-on experience in delivering integrated primary and mental health care in an underserved, culturally diverse setting.
FNP and PMHNP students will gain exposure to collaborative care models, broaden their understanding of holistic patient care, and develop skills to address psychiatric conditions in a resource-limited environment. The experience will enhance their competency in cultural humility, crisis intervention, and community-based mental health care. Additionally, this experience directly translates to military operational readiness, as it mirrors the challenges faced in austere, deployed, or humanitarian mission settings. This training prepares future military nurse practitioners to effectively manage patients during deployments, disaster response missions, and global health engagements.
ICE/Krome: The opportunity for a PMHNP and FNP student to complete a clinical rotation at the ICE Krome Detention Center in Miami offers a unique experience in correctional and forensic care. The Krome Service Processing Center, operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), houses detainees awaiting immigration proceedings, many of whom have significant health needs due to trauma, displacement, substance use, and limited access to healthcare.
This rotation allows students to gain direct experience within a correctional setting. Students will work alongside an interdisciplinary team, including correctional healthcare providers, Public Health Service providers, and security personnel, to evaluate, diagnose, and manage psychiatric and medical conditions in a high-security environment.
Additionally, this experience translates directly to military operational settings, as it mirrors the complexities of detainee healthcare operations during deployments, humanitarian missions, and crisis response efforts. Students will develop skills in triage, risk assessment, physical and mental health treatment, and culturally competent care- all essential for treating service members, detainees, and displaced populations in combat zones, disaster response efforts, and operational military environments.