Shirley Garcia

BSN, PMHNP-BC , Masters (Alumni) Doctoral (Current)

Shirley Garcia Silva is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) at the University of South Alabama currently pursuing her DNP degree. She became passionate about psychiatric mental health nursing after her work experience in a New York Psychiatric acute hospital and her work in the community. Her goal is to become a culturally aware, competent DNP prepared PMHNP to provide care and become an advocate for under-represented and vulnerable populations.

Ms. Garcia received her BSN in 2016 from the College of New Rochelle, and her PMHNP degree in 2023 from the University of South Alabama. Currently she works in an outpatient clinic providing mental health services across the lifespan to Medicaid recipients.

She has experience working as a community nurse, and community nurse manager, serving Medicaid and vulnerable populations. Her responsibilities included performing uniform comprehensive community assessments, assessing consumers in the community for eligibility for long term care at home, precepting, educating, and overseeing fellow nurses.  She plans to give back to her community by succeeding in her education, passions, altruistic endeavors, and experiences.