About Kerri Kitchen

Kerri Kitchen's journey in nursing began in 1996 when she earned her BSN degree from Union University in Jackson, TN. Starting as a registered nurse, she gained valuable experience in critical care departments before transitioning to an 11-year career in the cardiac catheterization lab.

In 2009, Kerri ventured into nursing education, initially teaching at a local community college in their ADN program. Later, she served as a nursing education specialist for Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN.

In 2018, Kerri Kitchen joined the University of Memphis faculty. Since then, she has passionately taught various nursing courses, including Intro to Professional Nursing, Common Adult Health Alterations, Community Health Nursing, and Gerontological Nursing.

Kerri holds an MSN degree from the University of Memphis, earned in 2013. She is certified in nursing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and is recognized as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE).

Active in professional organizations, Kerri is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA), Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD), National League for Nursing (NLN), and Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality (GLAMA). She currently serves on the TNA Committee on Continuing Education.

Continuing her academic pursuits, Kerri is a Doctor of Education Candidate (EdD (c)) at the University of Alabama. Her dissertation focuses on evaluating undergraduate nursing students' preparedness in providing care to transgender clients.

Kerri Kitchen's dedication to nursing education and advocacy has been recognized through her nomination for the 2022 Daisy Award. She serves as the Lambuth Campus Nursing Coordinator and is the faculty advisor for the Lambuth Student Nurses Association (SNA).

Kerri's commitment to diversity and inclusion in nursing education was highlighted when she presented at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) Diversity Symposium in 2024, where she discussed her innovative use of the documentary "5B" in the classroom.