“I never once thought, coming into this school, that I would be working for a scuba diving company as an occupational therapist. Never once did I think I would get to travel the world and interact with so many amazing people who have so many challenges and so many experiences—and be part of something so life-changing.” So says Jesseca Samaniego, OTD ‘21, who focused her capstone project in USAHS’ Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program on how to help people with disabilities learn to dive. This project has turned into a consulting job with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), plus opportunities to present at national conferences and international events. The Diving Life Young Jesseca grew up in Oceanside, California, where she Read more
Nursing Role Specializations
Students in the BSN-entry DNP nursing program choose a specialization and complete the required specialty courses, while students in the MSN-entry DNP nursing program do not choose a specialization.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Family nurse practitioners play a critical role in improving the primary patient care experience [1]. As a FNP graduate, you will partner with families across the lifespan to promote preventative care, diagnose conditions and treat acute and chronic illnesses.
Nurse Executive
Are you a natural team leader? The Nurse Executive specialization will help prepare you for a role as a manager, director, supervisor, or chief nursing officer. You will be responsible for human resource management, as well as health care finance and economic operations.
Students who complete the Nurse Executive specialization are eligible to receive the following certification:
- Nurse Executive-Advanced (NEA-BC) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Nurse Educator (Excludes DNP)
As a nurse educator, you will teach nursing students, practicing nurses and other health care providers and clients – in both academic and real-world settings. You may serve as a curriculum designer, instructional designer, teacher, or learning evaluator.
Students who complete the Nurse Educator specialization are eligible to receive the following certifications:
- Nursing Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) by the National League for Nursing (NLN)
- Nursing Professional Development (RN-BC) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. Projecting the Supply and Demand for Primary Care Practitioners Through 2020. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013. https://bhw.hrsa.gov/health-workforce-analysis/primary-care-2020
