Research:  Dr. Butler’s doctoral capstone project explored nurse practitioners’ knowledge and use of evidence-based nursing practice and she will use this topic to build on further research.

Publications: Butler, K. D. (2011). Nurse Practitioners and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice. Clinical Scholars Review, 4(1), 53-57.

Teaching: Dr. Butler will be teaching NURS 4335 Ethical Dialogue as well as Clinical Skills Lab and Health Assessment Lab.  She previously taught in the BSN program at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Most recently, she has served as clinical preceptor for Belmont University and Vanderbilt University graduate nursing students.

Service: Dr. Butler holds memberships with Tennessee Nurses Association, West Tennessee Nurse Practitioner Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Nurse Practitioners, Southern Nurses Research Society, and Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. She serves as a manuscript reviewer for several nursing journals.

Practice: As an advanced practice registered nurse, Dr. Butler is certified as both a Family and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner. She has provided primary care to residents of West Tennessee for the past 16 years and continues to work at a federally designated rural health clinic for the medically underserved. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Dr. Butler was a certified critical care nurse working in staff, education, and administrative positions in a variety of  adult critical care units in hospitals in Jackson, Franklin, and Columbia, TN.

Education:

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Oakland University, Rochester, MI

Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

MSN, Nursing Administration, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN        

BSN, Memphis State University, Memphis, TN

ASN, Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN

More: Dr. Butler lives in Jackson with her husband, Buddy. Their son, Brad, is a veterinarian and resides in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  They have a “special nephew”, Jason, who is a Major in the US Army stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC.  The Butlers enjoy caring for their elderly pets, listening to music, reading books, and gardening as well as avidly supporting our military and wounded warriors.