Chamberlain Student Helping Lead Others into Home Health Nursing

When Kristi Myers, RN, was in nursing school, she didn’t know much about home healthcare. Within a few short years, though, it became her passion – and helping to make it the passion of others became her mission.

“I did not pursue a job in the hospital environment after graduation as I didn't think it was the right fit for me,” said Myers. “I have been working in home health nursing since November 2010 and have found that I love to be out in the community helping patients.”

Myers is currently a home health clinical supervisor in the Phoenix area and also a student in Chamberlain’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Executive Track program. She received her ADN from Apollo College (now Carrington College) in 2010 and completed the RN to BSN online option with Chamberlain in 2011.

For her 100-hour MSN practicum, she is working with instructors at Chamberlain's Phoenix campus to incorporate home healthcare into the curriculum and open students’ eyes to nursing jobs beyond the hospital setting.

“Through this practicum, she’s addressing the gap between nursing school and the practice of nursing in the home care setting,” explained her preceptor, Pat Bishop, PhD(c), MSN, RN, faculty chair and associate professor at Chamberlain’s Phoenix campus.

One component has been visiting community health clinical sites and talking to students about their experiences during those clinicals.

“It was good to see students on both ends of the spectrum,” Myers said. “One student found it very boring and another found it extremely beneficial and wants to pursue a career with that site after graduation. After talking with the student who found it boring, I was recharged and wanted to find more ways to help students see the bigger picture of healthcare.”

Another part of the MSN practicum experience is a project, and for that Myers created a lab simulation of an OB home health visit for NR-321 Maternal-Child Nursing. The set-up mimicked the environment that a home health nurse would encounter, including a sofa with pillows and throw blankets.

Myers expects to graduate in June and plans to become a home health administrator. Her future plans also include pursuing an MBA and possibly a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

“I feel the future of nursing is in the home and community settings,” she said. “I truly love what I do!”

By Danielle Logacho