Dr. Ki
Slusher
Psychiatric Mental Health
Nurse Practitioner
DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
About Ki
Ki Slusher is currently a Psychiatric Registered Nurse on an inpatient psychiatric unit at the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Tucson, AZ where she routinely attends continuing education. She completed the year-long Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency (PB-RNR) program in August of 2021 and used her experience on various units to advocate for independent double checks (IDCs) when administering intravenous heparin.
Ki completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Arizona in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program where she graduated in 2024. Her defense is titled Increasing Depression Screening in Rural Primary Care. She completed her undergraduate studies at Old Dominion University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and a Certificate in Diversity Studies. She is a current member of Sigma Theta Tau – International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI), the International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses (ISPN), the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Before continuing her education, Ki served in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Electronics Technician where she operated nuclear reactors, and also as a licensed cosmetologist in Pennsylvania and Virginia. From 2017-2020 she was employed by the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center as the senior student supervisor, serving entrepreneurial veterans and their families in Virginia and surrounding states.
Ki has a passion for practicing in underserved areas and was awarded the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) grant through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). She also participated in the University of Arizona's Rural Health Professions Program (RHPP), completing her preceptorship at two of Arizona's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). During her time at ODU she strived to maintain high academic achievement and graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors in all degrees. She was a member of several honor societies including, Psi Chi – International Honor Society in Psychology, Omicron Delta Kappa – National Leadership Honor Society, and Phi Kappa Phi. She actively volunteered for the ODU chapter of the National Student Nurses Association and developed well rounded leadership skills though the LeADERS program, where she received a gold medal, and the leadership lecture series on campus.
When she’s not on campus or at the hospital, Ki enjoys drinking strong coffee and practicing jiu-jitsu.