KRISTEN POSTON
DNP, FNP-C
“Service for the greater good is a career and a life worth living” – that was what was instilled in Dr. Kristen Poston from a young age by her father, who served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force.“I witnessed my parents dedicate their lives to the service and support of this country,” Dr. Poston said. “So I wanted to choose something that allowed me to pursue lifelong service and advocacy of others as well.”Dr. Poston spent her time as a registered nurse working in neurology and neurosurgery and has a specific interest in acute stroke, as well as poststroke transitional care. Her doctoral work focused on reduction of re-admissions in ischemic stroke patients. She is an AANP certified family nurse practitioner and currently practices in urgent care.Dr. Poston joined MUSC as an adjunct faculty member in 2014 and transitioned to a full-time faculty role in 2017.“I currently practice as an FNP, but I also teach because I truly feel that we are only as good as our next generation of nurse change-makers. My passion is teaching, particularly teaching using innovative education methods for today’s ever-evolving learner,” she concluded.
KATHRYN KINYON
DNP, MSN, PPCNP, AHN-BC
Pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis have become a career focus for Dr. Kathryn Kinyon, who is currently an undergraduate instructor at MUSC.As a nurse advocate, she wrote the bill and lobbied for the legislation which allows children with cystic fibrosis to carry and self-administer pancreatic enzymes while at school.She also published original research on the perception of illness in children with cystic fibrosis and their parents, and she completed the production of three original educational videos on the disease.“When I graduated as a pediatric nurse practitioner, I had the honor to care for children with chronic pulmonary conditions. That experience led me to become certified as a holistic nurse,” she said.She said she loves the idea of healing a person based on mind, body and spirit – the holistic way – rather than just treating the disease. As an undergraduate nursing instructor, she said she now gets to live out her lifelong dream of teaching the next generation of nurses.“My advice to nurses is to follow your dreams, keep learning and exploring. Know that what you do today can change a life for forever.”
CHRISTINA MCDANIEL
RN, MSN, CHPPN
It was a trip to see her aunt that sealed the deal for Christina McDaniel on wanting to pursue nursing as a career.“I got an opportunity to spend a summer shadowing my aunt who was a nurse at a university in the Upstate. I saw the nurturing way in which she did her job and that it was more than a job – it was a passion.”She started her nursing career at MUSC Children’s Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit. She later transitioned into a staff nursing position floating throughout the Children’s Hospital.She then went on to work in ambulatory care and later accepted a position with Hospice Care of South Carolina’s Hands of Hope Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care program.“Children with complex conditions is something I am passionate about. Understanding how to make their journey more manageable is what I have focused on professionally and what brings me the most fulfillment.”After furthering her leadership experience as a director of operations for a multi-state hospice company, she joined the faculty at MUSC’s College of Nursing. This opportunity helped her find her passion in educating future nurses.“Our future lies with our students. As nurses, regardless of our specialty, we have to nurture and support our future nurses.”
MELODY REIBEL
PH.D., MSN/ED, RN
Dr. Melody Reibel has known that she wanted to be a nurse since middle school.“My best friend and I decided to take a CPR class and become hospital volunteers on the weekends,” she remembered.Her first job was as a part-time nursing assistant in an adult intensive care unit. After she received her RN, she stayed in that specialty and worked in an intensive care unit for 20 years.Later in life, in the midst of raising a family, she decided to transition from nursing practice to nursing education.“I knew I loved mentoring new nurses in the critical care units and believed I had a talent for teaching aspiring nurses,” she said.That transition phase began in 2000. She said she never dreamed she would go on to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing, conduct nursing research and continue teaching in the university setting.Dr. Reibel’s research interests are focused on investigating and improving patient and health care provider communication in women with fibromyalgia.Her advice to aspiring nurses is, “Never become stagnant and lose passion for your career. Challenge yourself and seek out new opportunities throughout life.”
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