ONE NURSE AT A TIME ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBER

For Kristi Whiton, RN, BSN, nursing and the health care field has been an integral part of her life since childhood. Her earliest childhood memories revolve around watching both her grandmother and mother as nurses in their related fields. She started her nursing career shortly after graduating from high school. After enrolling in a CNA program she had a clear signal that pursuing her RN was in her near future.

Kristi attended Bellingham Technical College for her LPN and Skagit Valley College for her RN. She also obtained her Associates of Integrated Science degree at Cascadia Community College in Bothell.  Recently Kristi graduated from the University of Phoenix online program with her BSN and has now applied for the Masters of Nursing program at the University of Washington and hopes to eventually obtain her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Kristi has worked in several areas: clinics, nursing homes, medical surgical floors and emergency departments. She has been a charge nurse, an emergency department assistant manager, trauma program manager and educator in the ED. She is currently employed as a perdiem nurse in the ED and works part time at a local technical college as a part-time nursing instructor. She recently received two awards in 2011 from her current place of work: 2011 Distinguished Service Award for leadership and contribution to the Telestroke Program and 2011 Excellence in Leadership as a Manager Award.

Travel has been a big part of Kristi’s life, she has traveled to many countries throughout the world and hopes to take her family along with her in the future. She also is an avid hiker, skier and enjoys boating with her family.

Kristi is a member of Emergency Nurses Association and American Trauma Society.  This fall Kristi will be traveling with People to People Emergency and Trauma Nursing Delegation to China. Her volunteer work has been varied, she has volunteered through Kiwanis, Food Co-op's and at her local church. Her excitement about humanitarian work came shortly after her first meeting with Staci.

 After her brief introduction to Co-founder, Staci Kelley’s work at One Nurse at a Time, Kristi was hooked. She knew she wanted to be part of this movement towards getting other nurses involved in humanitarian nursing. Kristi is extremely excited to be part of One Nurse At A Time, and to service on the board. She is honored to be part of an organization dedicated to improving humanitarian nurses’ availability to helping people around the world.